Nissan Kubistar MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 23 model years and 8,248 tests, the Nissan Kubistar passes its MOT 68.7% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (27.1% fail rate), the Kubistar comes out 4.2pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Kubistar years
Ranked across Kubistar 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
Not every year is equal — 70.1% of 2008 examples pass against 66.8% of 2004 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (17.8%) and suspension (14.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, steering rack and track rod end — position lamp alone was recorded 598 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.7% versus 17.4%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 33.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Kubistar model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 350 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 1,668 | 66.8% | 33.1% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 1,871 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,175 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,457 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,547 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 148 | 66.2% | 33.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.8% | 1,465 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.9% | 1,231 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.5% | 1,034 |
| 4 | Steering | 10.9% | 898 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.5% | 617 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.3% | 602 |
| 7 | Tyres | 6.7% | 552 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.0% | 334 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 598 |
| 2 | Steering rack | 487 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 480 |
| 4 | Wipers | 420 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 419 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 409 |
| 7 | Joints | 401 |
| 8 | Headlamp aim | 398 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 33.7% | 2,779 |
| 2 | Tyres | 31.7% | 2,616 |
| 3 | Suspension | 27.5% | 2,270 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 20.3% | 1,670 |
| 5 | Other defects | 19.2% | 1,584 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 15.7% | 1,292 |
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 | 86 | 17.4% |
| 30-60k | 437 | 26.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,432 | 29.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,358 | 31.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,090 | 32.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,805 | 33.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,077 | 31.5% |
| Petrol | 171 | 25.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,224 | 32.1% |
| 2022 | 1,978 | 31.7% |
| 2023 | 1,642 | 30.4% |
| 2024 | 1,319 | 31.2% |
| 2025 | 1,085 | 30.9% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Kubistar
- Lighting & signalling (17.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.9% 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.
- Brakes (12.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 Kubistar?
68.7% of the 8,248 Nissan Kubistar MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.4% fail rate, across model years 1998–2020.
What does the Nissan Kubistar most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.8% of tests, then suspension (14.9%).
Which Kubistar years are best and worst for MOT results?
2008 has the best pass rate at 70.1% and 2004 the weakest at 66.8%, from 1,547 and 1,668 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Kubistar MOT results?
Fail rates run at 17.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.7% for 150k+, a 16.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,248 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.