Nissan Nv300 MOT pass rate & common failures
10,441 MOT tests on the Nissan Nv300 (2016–2022) give it an 81.9% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 10.9% of the time, so this is 7.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst Nv300 years
Ranked across Nv300 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 — 85.6% of 2021 examples pass against 79.3% of 2017 ones.
No single area dominates — suspension (8.4%) and lighting & signalling (7.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, brake pads and shock absorbers — track rod end alone was recorded 429 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.9% versus 8.2%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Nv300 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 294 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 3,125 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 2,396 | 82.0% | 17.9% | Suspension |
| 2019 | 1,690 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Suspension |
| 2020 | 1,311 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 1,623 | 85.6% | 14.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.4% | 877 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 774 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 459 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.0% | 412 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 364 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.5% | 361 |
| 7 | Visibility | 2.8% | 291 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 85 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 429 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 355 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 352 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 327 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joints | 286 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 278 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 235 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 226 |
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 | 19.9% | 2,079 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.2% | 2,007 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.4% | 1,398 |
| 4 | Visibility | 7.2% | 753 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 678 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.7% | 597 |
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 | 1,566 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 3,775 | 16.6% |
| 60-90k | 2,828 | 21.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,419 | 23.0% |
| 120-150k | 535 | 22.8% |
| 150k+ | 306 | 23.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,172 | 15.4% |
| 2022 | 1,612 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 2,021 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 2,808 | 18.1% |
| 2025 | 2,828 | 19.9% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Nv300
- Suspension (8.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.4% 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 Nv300?
81.9% of the 10,441 Nissan Nv300 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.1% fail rate, across model years 2016–2022.
What does the Nissan Nv300 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 8.4% of tests, then lighting & signalling (7.4%).
Which Nv300 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2021 has the best pass rate at 85.6% and 2017 the weakest at 79.3%, from 1,623 and 3,125 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Nv300 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.9% for 150k+, a 15.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,441 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.