Nissan Figaro MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 32 model years and 16,306 tests, the Nissan Figaro passes its MOT 73.1% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 24.8% of the time, so this is 2.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and suspension.
Best and worst Figaro years
Ranked across Figaro years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 1991 (73.7% pass rate); the weakest is 2004 (70.1%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.1% of tests against 9.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, rear fog lamp and catalyst emissions — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 1,784 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.6% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 22.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.7% in 2021 to 25.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Figaro model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63 | 63.5% | 36.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 3,341 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 262 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 42 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 81 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 60 | 81.7% | 18.3% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 70 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 154 | 74.7% | 25.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 330 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 697 | 71.5% | 28.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 1,282 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,771 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,711 | 71.5% | 28.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,841 | 73.6% | 26.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,322 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 873 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 669 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 401 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 184 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 257 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 313 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 203 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 112 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 159 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 2,136 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.2% | 1,494 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.7% | 1,420 |
| 4 | Brakes | 8.6% | 1,400 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.3% | 1,186 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 863 |
| 7 | Steering | 4.9% | 801 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.5% | 573 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,784 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 1,014 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 892 |
| 4 | Washers | 881 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 831 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 808 |
| 7 | Service brake imbalance | 655 |
| 8 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 586 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 22.0% | 3,580 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.8% | 3,562 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 20.0% | 3,262 |
| 4 | Tyres | 19.7% | 3,213 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.9% | 2,425 |
| 6 | Steering | 14.3% | 2,331 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 177 | 14.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,740 | 18.9% |
| 60-90k | 5,162 | 24.9% |
| 90-120k | 4,614 | 28.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,830 | 29.8% |
| 150k+ | 1,776 | 34.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,685 | 27.7% |
| 2022 | 3,465 | 26.4% |
| 2023 | 3,310 | 27.7% |
| 2024 | 2,994 | 26.9% |
| 2025 | 2,852 | 25.7% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Figaro
- Lighting & signalling (13.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (9.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Suspension (8.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Figaro?
73.1% of the 16,306 Nissan Figaro MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.9% fail rate, across model years 1990–2021.
What does the Nissan Figaro most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.1% of tests, then body, structure & corrosion (9.2%).
Which Figaro years are best and worst for MOT results?
1991 has the best pass rate at 73.7% and 2004 the weakest at 70.1%, from 3,341 and 1,282 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Figaro MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.6% for 150k+, a 20.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,306 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.