Verdict
The Nissan Note passes its MOT first time on 65.9% of tests, 3.0 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (68.9%). That puts it ahead of 34% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2016 Note does best (beats 70% of cars) and the 2012 worst (beats 15%).
Of its engines, the 1.2 Petrol does best (beats 67%) and the 1.5 Diesel worst (beats 25%).
Better than average on brakes, emissions & leaks, body & structure.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
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.
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.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 82.5% | Beats 67% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 57.8% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 58.7% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 63.0% | Beats 25% | 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.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Brake lights 1.9× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Coil springs 1.8× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Suspension ball joints 2.5× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Headlight aim 1.6× typical
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Windscreen wipers 1.6× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Wheel bearings 2.8× typical
Listen for a hum or drone that rises with speed.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 5.4% | 3.0% | 1.8× |
| Headlight aim | 5.3% | 3.4% | 1.6× |
| Sidelights | 5.2% | 3.2% | 1.6× |
| Brake lights | 5.1% | 2.6% | 1.9× |
| Suspension ball joints | 3.9% | 1.6% | 2.5× |
| Windscreen wipers | 3.8% | 2.4% | 1.6× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 3.2% | 1.3% | 2.6× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.8% | 2.5% | 1.1× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 2.7% | 2.3% | 1.2× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.5% | 3.6% | 0.7× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 77.3 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 54.3 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 52.8 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 47.0 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 45.7 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 37.7 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 27.8 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 18.6 |
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.
2017 Nissan Note2 engines85.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 86.5% | Beats 66% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 81.2% | Beats 37% | D |
2016 Nissan Note2 engines85.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 86.0% | Beats 72% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 81.1% | Beats 56% | C |
2015 Nissan Note2 engines82.8% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 83.6% | Beats 70% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 77.7% | Beats 52% | C |
2014 Nissan Note2 engines78.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 80.3% | Beats 66% | B |
| 1.5 Diesel | 72.1% | Beats 37% | D |
2013 Nissan Note4 engines69.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 67.4% | Beats 17% | E |
| 1.2 Petrol | 75.2% | Beats 56% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 65.1% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 69.1% | Beats 14% | E |
2012 Nissan Note3 engines63.8% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 64.2% | Beats 17% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 65.9% | Beats 15% | E |
| 1.5 Diesel | 58.0% | Beats 14% | E |
2011 Nissan Note3 engines61.0% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 61.1% | Beats 20% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 63.5% | Beats 22% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 54.8% | Beats 14% | E |
2010 Nissan Note3 engines58.9% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 59.2% | Beats 29% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 61.8% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 52.9% | Beats 18% | E |
2009 Nissan Note3 engines57.7% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 57.6% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 59.8% | Beats 36% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 51.9% | Beats 22% | D |
2008 Nissan Note3 engines54.6% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 55.5% | Beats 33% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 53.9% | Beats 31% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 49.7% | Beats 25% | D |
2007 Nissan Note3 engines52.0% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 53.2% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 51.2% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 47.5% | Beats 22% | D |
2006 Nissan Note3 engines50.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 51.2% | Beats 29% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 50.0% | Beats 27% | D |
| 1.5 Diesel | 47.4% | Beats 27% | D |
FAQ
What is the Nissan Note MOT pass rate?
65.9% of MOT tests on the Nissan Note were passed first time, based on 1,373,438 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2006–2017. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 68.9% of the time.
Is the Nissan Note 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 34% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Nissan Note year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2016 Note does best for its age and mileage: it beats 70% of cars on UK roads. The 2012 does worst: it beats 15%.
Which Nissan Note engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.2 Petrol does best: it beats 67% of cars on UK roads. The 1.5 Diesel does worst: it beats 25%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Nissan Note?
The most common failure items are coil springs, headlight aim, sidelights. Compared with similar cars, brake lights comes up 1.9× as often.