2020 Nissan Navara — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 14,970 MOT tests, the 2020 Nissan Navara recorded an 86.3% pass rate. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 12.6% of the time, so this is 1.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.2%) and lighting & signalling (5.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and wipers — coil spring alone was recorded 588 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.0% in the 0-30k band and 14.9% in the 150k+ band, a 5.8-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 15.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.2% of tests failed in 2022 against 15.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.2% | 781 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 749 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.9% | 576 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.6% | 385 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 349 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 318 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 588 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 420 |
| 3 | Wipers | 399 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 397 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 327 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 304 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 15.4% | 2,311 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.6% | 2,181 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 726 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.2% | 630 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 611 |
| 6 | Other defects | 3.9% | 580 |
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 | 3,226 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 6,819 | 14.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,414 | 15.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,204 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 259 | 17.8% |
| 150k+ | 47 | 14.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 115 | 12.2% |
| 2023 | 5,025 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 4,979 | 13.6% |
| 2025 | 4,843 | 15.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Navara
On a 2020 Navara, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (5.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.9% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Nissan Navaras pass their MOT?
86.3% of the 14,970 2020 Nissan Navara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Nissan Navara?
Brakes, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.0%).
Does the 2020 Navara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.0% in the 0-30k band to 14.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,970 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.