2021 Nissan X-Trail — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Nissan X-Trail passed 90.5% of its 5,237 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (8.1% fail rate), the 2021 X-Trail comes out 1.4pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.0%) and visibility (2.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 276 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.4% once past 60-90k — 2.4× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.3% of the time against 10.0% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 24.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 10.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.0% | 262 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.4% | 127 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.2% | 115 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.1% | 111 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 66 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 21 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 276 |
| 2 | Wipers | 134 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 87 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 63 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 50 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 46 |
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 | 24.6% | 1,291 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.9% | 884 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.2% | 430 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.7% | 247 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 176 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 35 |
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 | 2,834 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 2,175 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 201 | 18.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,501 | 9.3% |
| Diesel | 1,736 | 10.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 143 | 6.3% |
| 2024 | 2,540 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 2,534 | 10.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 X-Trail
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 5.0% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (5.0% 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.
- Visibility (2.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (2.2% 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
How many 2021 Nissan X-Trails pass their MOT?
90.5% of the 5,237 2021 Nissan X-Trail MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Nissan X-Trail?
Brakes, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by visibility (2.4%).
Does the 2021 X-Trail get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 18.4% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,237 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.