Makes › Nissan › Leaf

Nissan Leaf reliability

D · Below average

MOT pass rates and common problems from 272,566 MOT tests of cars first registered 2011–2023.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
Nissan Leaf
81.0%pass first time
−1.4 ptsvs typical car
Beats 36%of cars
272,566MOT tests

Verdict

The Nissan Leaf passes its MOT first time on 81.0% of tests, 1.4 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (82.4%). That puts it ahead of 36% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2019 Leaf does best (beats 68% of cars) and the 2014 worst (beats 12%).

The MOT doesn’t test an electric car’s battery or motor, so ask for a battery health report too, and electric cars have no exhaust emissions test, which flatters the comparison a little.

Better than average on lights & electrics.

Watch these weak spots

Suspension1.8×as often as a typical car
Suspension ball joints6.7×as often as a typical car
Handbrake performance3.8×as often as a typical car
Anti-roll bar links3.7×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

50%60%70%80%90%100%34567891011121391%84%78%68%62%62%
Nissan LeafTypical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

2011
Beats 46%
2012
Beats 39%
2013
Beats 13%
2014
Beats 12%
2015
Beats 18%
2016
Beats 24%
2017
Beats 41%
2018
Beats 65%
2019
Beats 68%
2020
Beats 62%
2021
Beats 61%
2022
Beats 62%
2023
Beats 47%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric2011–2023272,56681.0%Beats 36%D

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Exhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Suspension: 5.7% of tests fail on suspension, against 3.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 3.4% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.3% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 3.9% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 3.4% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+1.5 ptsTyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.3% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres−1.2 ptsBrakes: 3.9% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−0.7 ptsSuspension: 5.7% of tests fail on suspension, against 3.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension−2.5 ptsExhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Exhaustn/aSuspension: 5.7% of tests fail on suspension, against 3.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 3.9% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.3% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 3.4% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Lights: 3.4% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+1.5 ptsTyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.3% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres−1.2 ptsBrakes: 3.9% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−0.7 ptsSuspension: 5.7% of tests fail on suspension, against 3.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension−2.5 ptsExhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Exhaustn/a
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Suspension: 5.7% of tests fail on suspension, against 3.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Tyres
6.4% vs 5.3%
Suspension
5.7% vs 3.1%
Visibility
4.0% vs 3.5%
Brakes
3.9% vs 3.2%
Lights & electrics
3.4% vs 4.9%
Steering
0.8% vs 0.6%
Seat belts & airbags
0.4% vs 0.4%
Body & structure
0.3% vs 0.9%
Wheels
0.3% vs 0.2%
Emissions & leaks
0.0% vs 1.2%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Suspension ball joints 6.7× typical
    Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
  • Handbrake performance 3.8× typical
    Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope.
  • Anti-roll bar links 3.7× typical
    A knock or rattle over uneven roads usually means worn anti-roll bar links (cheap to fix).
  • Brake performance 1.8× typical
    On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal.
  • Track rod ends 1.4× typical
    Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
  • Brake discs 1.4× typical
    Look through the wheel spokes for scored discs or a heavy rust lip on the edge.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

60%70%80%90%100%0k10k20k30k40k50k60k70k80k90k100k110k120k95%88%79%70%64%62%63%
Nissan LeafTypical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Tyre damage & cracking4.0%3.2%1.2×
Suspension ball joints3.6%0.5%6.7×
Windscreen wipers2.6%2.0%1.3×
Tyre tread depth2.3%1.8%1.3×
Handbrake performance1.8%0.5%3.8×
Windscreen washers1.4%1.3%1.1×
Headlight aim1.2%1.8%0.6×
Sidelights0.9%0.7%1.4×
Brake performance0.8%0.4%1.8×
Brake pads0.8%1.6%0.5×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn45.5
A tyre seriously damaged26.1
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen26.0
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements23.2
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen13.7
A tyre cords visible or damaged13.0
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements11.6
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.6
Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2023 Nissan Leaf1 engine89.4% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric1,96089.4%Beats 47%C
2022 Nissan Leaf1 engine90.0% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric14,75690.0%Beats 62%B
2021 Nissan Leaf1 engine88.6% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric24,50288.6%Beats 61%B
2020 Nissan Leaf1 engine87.5% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric29,67887.5%Beats 62%B
2019 Nissan Leaf1 engine86.9% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric24,74786.9%Beats 68%B
2018 Nissan Leaf1 engine85.1% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric29,79085.1%Beats 65%B
2017 Nissan Leaf1 engine82.1% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric34,38582.1%Beats 41%C
2016 Nissan Leaf1 engine77.7% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric report →31,25677.7%Beats 24%D
2015 Nissan Leaf1 engine75.7% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric35,34375.7%Beats 18%E
2014 Nissan Leaf1 engine70.1% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric26,94670.1%Beats 12%E
2013 Nissan Leaf1 engine66.3% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric11,12366.3%Beats 13%E
2012 Nissan Leaf1 engine71.6% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric4,15671.6%Beats 39%D
2011 Nissan Leaf1 engine69.7% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric3,92469.7%Beats 46%C

FAQ

What is the Nissan Leaf MOT pass rate?

81.0% of MOT tests on the Nissan Leaf were passed first time, based on 272,566 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2011–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 82.4% of the time.

Is the Nissan Leaf reliable?

On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 36% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Nissan Leaf year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2019 Leaf does best for its age and mileage: it beats 68% of cars on UK roads. The 2014 does worst: it beats 12%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Nissan Leaf?

The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, suspension ball joints, windscreen wipers. Compared with similar cars, suspension ball joints comes up 6.7× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.