Verdict
The Nissan Pulsar passes its MOT first time on 78.8% of tests, 1.7 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (80.5%). That puts it ahead of 35% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2017 Pulsar does best (beats 46% of cars) and the 2015 worst (beats 31%).
Of its engines, the 1.2 Petrol does best (beats 50%) and the 1.5 Diesel worst (beats 17%).
Better than average on lights & electrics, visibility, 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 | 81.8% | Beats 50% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 72.7% | Beats 17% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 80.3% | Beats 45% | C |
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
- Suspension ball joints 4.9× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Coil springs 2.1× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Track rod ends 3.1× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres. - Brake pads 1.6× typical
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - Tyre tread depth 1.5× typical
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Sidelights 1.5× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension ball joints | 3.5% | 0.7% | 4.9× |
| Coil springs | 3.0% | 1.4% | 2.1× |
| Tyre tread depth | 3.0% | 2.0% | 1.5× |
| Brake pads | 2.9% | 1.8% | 1.6× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.6% | 3.1% | 0.9× |
| Track rod ends | 2.1% | 0.7% | 3.1× |
| Headlight aim | 1.7% | 1.9% | 0.9× |
| Sidelights | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.5× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.1% | 1.4% | 0.8× |
| Engine warning light | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.3× |
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 | 41.6 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 30.2 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 29.8 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 27.6 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 19.7 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 16.7 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 16.0 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 11.5 |
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.
2018 Nissan Pulsar2 engines85.2% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 86.1% | Beats 56% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 77.7% | Beats 14% | E |
2017 Nissan Pulsar2 engines82.9% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 84.4% | Beats 55% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 77.2% | Beats 21% | D |
2016 Nissan Pulsar3 engines79.7% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 82.9% | Beats 56% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 74.9% | Beats 20% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 79.8% | Beats 33% | D |
2015 Nissan Pulsar3 engines76.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.4% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 70.6% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 81.0% | Beats 60% | B |
2014 Nissan Pulsar2 engines72.6% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 76.2% | Beats 40% | C |
| 1.5 Diesel | 68.3% | Beats 16% | E |
FAQ
What is the Nissan Pulsar MOT pass rate?
78.8% of MOT tests on the Nissan Pulsar were passed first time, based on 166,307 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2014–2018. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 80.5% of the time.
Is the Nissan Pulsar 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 35% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Nissan Pulsar year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2017 Pulsar does best for its age and mileage: it beats 46% of cars on UK roads. The 2015 does worst: it beats 31%.
Which Nissan Pulsar engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.2 Petrol does best: it beats 50% of cars on UK roads. The 1.5 Diesel does worst: it beats 17%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Nissan Pulsar?
The most common failure items are suspension ball joints, coil springs, tyre tread depth. Compared with similar cars, suspension ball joints comes up 4.9× as often.