Nissan Sunny MOT pass rate & common failures
3,860 MOT tests on the Nissan Sunny (1980–2021) give it a 74.7% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 22.7% of the time, so this is 2.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, body, structure & corrosion and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.8%) and body, structure & corrosion (10.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and joints — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 564 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.1% versus 16.8%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.9% in 2021 to 22.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Sunny model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 51 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Suspension |
| 1986 | 166 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Suspension |
| 1987 | 202 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 318 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 326 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Suspension |
| 1990 | 343 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 191 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1992 | 333 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 523 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Suspension |
| 1994 | 550 | 70.5% | 29.4% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1995 | 433 | 69.8% | 30.3% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 48 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 54 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 52 | 88.5% | 11.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 38 | 94.7% | 5.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.8% | 418 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.2% | 395 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 392 |
| 4 | Brakes | 9.5% | 368 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.2% | 199 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 166 |
| 7 | Steering | 3.4% | 131 |
| 8 | Tyres | 3.2% | 124 |
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 | 564 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 267 |
| 3 | Joints | 194 |
| 4 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 141 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 141 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 135 |
| 7 | Wipers | 130 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 128 |
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 | 27.9% | 1,076 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.7% | 1,068 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.6% | 756 |
| 4 | Tyres | 19.0% | 732 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.2% | 471 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.1% | 390 |
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 | 191 | 16.8% |
| 30-60k | 990 | 22.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,339 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 824 | 26.8% |
| 120-150k | 307 | 31.9% |
| 150k+ | 189 | 29.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,031 | 26.9% |
| 2022 | 856 | 26.3% |
| 2023 | 752 | 25.5% |
| 2024 | 648 | 23.8% |
| 2025 | 573 | 22.5% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Sunny
- Suspension (10.8% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.2% 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+.
- Lighting & signalling (10.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 Sunny?
74.7% of the 3,860 Nissan Sunny MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 25.3% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Nissan Sunny most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 10.8% of tests, then body, structure & corrosion (10.2%).
How much does mileage affect Sunny MOT results?
Fail rates run at 16.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.1% for 150k+, a 12.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,860 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.