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Nissan Note years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

146,772 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2006–2017 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Nissan Note years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2006–2013. Above it: 2014–2017.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

63.1%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 62.9% to 63.4%.

In 2025, 63.1% of the 146,772 initial MOT tests on Nissan Note cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 64.2%. That is 1.1 points below the same-age average.

Check a specific Note

Its own MOT history, free.

Nissan Note MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2017age 85,19844,00081.6%±1.1+3.4 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 910,75546,90081.9%±0.8+7.0 ptsall: 74.9%
2015age 1014,94555,80078.3%±0.7+6.4 ptsall: 71.9%
2014age 1121,77663,50072.1%±0.6+3.5 ptsall: 68.6%
2013age 1211,77570,50063.6%±0.9−2.2 ptsall: 65.8%
2012age 1311,49475,10058.8%±1.0−4.7 ptsall: 63.5%
2011age 1411,59482,70057.0%±1.0−4.2 ptsall: 61.2%
2010age 1513,44788,70055.6%±0.9−3.7 ptsall: 59.3%
2009age 1613,99091,40054.8%±0.9−3.5 ptsall: 58.3%
2008age 1713,75097,80051.7%±0.9−5.5 ptsall: 57.2%
2007age 1810,432100,50050.8%±1.0−6.6 ptsall: 57.4%
2006age 197,616104,30049.9%±1.2−7.1 ptsall: 57.0%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Common Note problems at the MOT

Share of the 54,106 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a Note

Based on the areas where Nissan Note MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Lights and electrics

    In 52.1% of failed Note tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  2. Suspension

    In 46.0% of failed Note tests

    • Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
    • On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
    • The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.

  3. Tyres

    In 15.7% of failed Note tests

    • Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
    • Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
    • Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.

  4. Brakes

    In 15.1% of failed Note tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a Note's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

Nissan Note cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of Nissan Note cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 7.5% failed on tyres, against 3.8% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 16,947 and 56,766 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory7.5%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted3.8%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 9.6% of those with a tyre advisory and 8.4% of the others.

Brakes

Of Nissan Note cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 8.0% failed on brakes, against 3.4% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 12,057 and 61,730 cars.

  • With a brake advisory8.0%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted3.4%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 10.5% of those with a brake advisory and 8.3% of the others.

Suspension

Of Nissan Note cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 20.7% failed on suspension, against 13.5% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 18,681 and 54,878 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory20.7%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted13.5%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 10.4% of those with a suspension advisory and 8.1% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this out

Nissan Note questions

Which Nissan Note years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2006–2013. Above average: 2014–2017. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Nissan Note reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 63.1% of initial MOT tests on Nissan Note cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 64.2%. That is 1.1 points below average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Nissan Note problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are lights and electrics (in 52.1% of failed tests), suspension (in 46.0% of failed tests) and tyres (in 15.7% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old Nissan Note?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Nissan Note cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 55,800 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific Note's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Nissan Note

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Nissan models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 12 Nissan modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Nissan Note cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count