1994 Nissan Sunny — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 550 MOT tests, the 1994 Nissan Sunny recorded a 70.5% pass rate. That is 5.5 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 23.9%. Failures cluster in body, structure & corrosion, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (14.9%) 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 component mounting prescribed areas, joints and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 120 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 23.5% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 48.6% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 37.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.0% in 2021 to 28.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.9% | 82 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.9% | 82 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.3% | 62 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.6% | 53 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 31 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 27 |
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 | 120 |
| 2 | Joints | 47 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 36 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 30 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 29 |
| 6 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 29 |
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 | 37.8% | 208 |
| 2 | Brakes | 37.1% | 204 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.4% | 129 |
| 4 | Tyres | 21.6% | 119 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 16.9% | 93 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.7% | 70 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 136 | 23.5% |
| 60-90k | 171 | 31.0% |
| 90-120k | 148 | 28.4% |
| 120-150k | 32 | 37.5% |
| 150k+ | 35 | 48.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 160 | 30.0% |
| 2022 | 125 | 31.2% |
| 2023 | 99 | 27.3% |
| 2024 | 84 | 29.8% |
| 2025 | 82 | 28.1% |
What to check before buying a 1994 Sunny
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: body, structure & corrosion accounted for 14.9% of tests. Start there.
- Body, structure & corrosion (14.9% 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 (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 (11.3% 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
How many 1994 Nissan Sunnys pass their MOT?
70.5% of the 550 1994 Nissan Sunny MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1994 Nissan Sunny?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 14.9% of tests, followed by suspension (14.9%).
Does the 1994 Sunny get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.5% in the 30-60k band to 48.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 550 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.