Nissan Qashqai Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Nissan Qashqai passes its MOT first time on 70.7% of tests, against 73.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. It beats only 31% of cars on UK roads. Most similar SUVs do better, including the Kia Sportage, Ford Kuga, VW Tiguan and Toyota RAV4; the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 3008 do worse.

It depends on the generation. First-generation cars (2007–2013) beat only about one in six cars; second-generation cars, from 2014, beat nearly six in ten.

On first-generation cars, track rod ends fail about 5 times as often as on a typical car (on about 1 in 11 tests), suspension ball joints and anti-roll bar links about 4 times, and CV joints nearly 4 times. On newer cars, brake pads are the main weak spot, at about 1.7 times the typical rate.

Watch these weak spots

Suspension1.5×as often as a typical car

Brakes1.3×as often as a typical car

Track rod ends3.7×as often as a typical car

Suspension ball joints3.2×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.

Nissan QashqaiTypical 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.

Beats 16%

Beats 13%

Beats 10%

Beats 17%

Beats 17%

Beats 14%

Beats 19%

Beats 57%

Beats 59%

Beats 55%

Beats 54%

Beats 52%

Beats 61%

Beats 66%

Beats 56%

Beats 61%

Beats 73%

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	Years	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	2007–2020	1,701,632	67.5%	Beats 25%	D
1.2 Petrol	2014–2018	731,401	82.4%	Beats 63%	B
1.6 Petrol	2007–2018	720,536	60.4%	Beats 21%	D
1.6 Diesel	2011–2018	414,576	72.7%	Beats 42%	C
1.3 Petrol	2018–2022	339,792	87.7%	Beats 65%	B
2.0 Petrol	2007–2013	163,425	55.8%	Beats 24%	D
1.3 Hybrid	2021–2023	113,465	89.0%	Beats 59%	C
2.0 Diesel	2007–2013	107,626	51.1%	Beats 16%	E
1.5 Hybrid	2022–2023	12,040	91.7%	Beats 87%	A
1.7 Diesel	2019–2020	5,518	85.0%	Beats 51%	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.

Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical

Suspension: 11.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 7.4% 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).

Suspension

11.2% vs 7.4%

Lights & electrics

9.8% vs 9.8%

Brakes

7.1% vs 5.7%

Tyres

5.5% vs 6.5%

Visibility

5.1% vs 4.4%

Steering

4.5% vs 1.5%

Body & structure

3.6% vs 2.4%

Emissions & leaks

2.1% vs 2.3%

Seat belts & airbags

1.4% vs 0.7%

Wheels

0.5% vs 0.3%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Track rod ends
Fail about 3.7 times as often as on a typical car overall, and on about 1 in 11 tests of 2007–2013 cars. Feel for play or knocking in the steering and look for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
Suspension ball joints
About 3.2 times the typical rate overall: nearly 4 times on 2007–2013 cars and twice on later ones. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
Anti-roll bar links
Fail about 3.6 times as often as on a typical car. A knock or rattle over uneven roads usually means worn links (cheap to fix).
Drive shaft (CV) joints
About 2.7 times the typical rate, and nearly 4 times on 2007–2013 cars. Look for split boots inside the front wheels and listen for clicking on full lock.
Brake pads
Fail about 1.8 times as often as on a typical car, on older and newer cars alike. Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash.
Sidelights
Fail on about 1 in 11 tests of 2007–2013 cars, about twice the typical rate. Walk around with the lights on and check every bulb.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Nissan QashqaiTypical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Track rod ends	4.3%	1.2%	3.7×
Suspension ball joints	4.2%	1.3%	3.2×
Brake pads	3.9%	2.1%	1.8×
Sidelights	3.7%	2.3%	1.6×
Tyre tread depth	2.8%	2.6%	1.1×
Drive shaft (CV) joints	2.7%	1.0%	2.7×
Windscreen wipers	2.5%	2.1%	1.2×
Tyre damage & cracking	2.5%	3.6%	0.7×
Windscreen washers	2.3%	2.0%	1.2×
Headlight aim	2.0%	2.8%	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	74.1
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play	37.1
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm	36.8
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	32.1
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements	28.1
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc	27.8
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen	24.2
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	23.2

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 Qashqai2 engines90.3% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Hybrid	9,401	89.5%	Beats 65%	B
1.5 Hybrid	7,747	91.1%	Beats 82%	A

2022 Nissan Qashqai3 engines89.3% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Hybrid	68,401	89.2%	Beats 59%	C
1.5 Hybrid	4,293	92.6%	Beats 94%	A
1.3 Petrol	2,007	88.5%	Beats 49%	C

2021 Nissan Qashqai2 engines88.1% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	48,993	87.9%	Beats 55%	C
1.3 Hybrid	35,663	88.5%	Beats 57%	C

2020 Nissan Qashqai3 engines88.2% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	114,957	88.5%	Beats 66%	B
1.5 Diesel	9,110	86.1%	Beats 62%	B
1.7 Diesel	2,529	85.2%	Beats 45%	C

2019 Nissan Qashqai3 engines86.1% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	155,872	87.3%	Beats 66%	B
1.5 Diesel	83,996	83.9%	Beats 51%	C
1.7 Diesel	2,989	84.8%	Beats 56%	C

2018 Nissan Qashqai5 engines83.6% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	121,273	85.0%	Beats 56%	C
1.5 Diesel	113,975	81.6%	Beats 46%	C
1.3 Petrol	17,963	86.6%	Beats 64%	B
1.6 Diesel	16,791	83.5%	Beats 60%	C
1.6 Petrol	9,037	82.7%	Beats 32%	D

2017 Nissan Qashqai4 engines82.3% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	171,512	80.6%	Beats 50%	C
1.2 Petrol	163,373	84.4%	Beats 60%	C
1.6 Diesel	56,692	81.7%	Beats 56%	C
1.6 Petrol	17,156	81.6%	Beats 33%	D

2016 Nissan Qashqai4 engines80.2% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	220,872	78.8%	Beats 53%	C
1.2 Petrol	149,450	82.9%	Beats 62%	B
1.6 Diesel	67,858	79.2%	Beats 53%	C
1.6 Petrol	20,213	79.4%	Beats 37%	D

2015 Nissan Qashqai4 engines78.5% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel report →	227,664	76.5%	Beats 55%	C
1.2 Petrol	168,657	81.5%	Beats 67%	B
1.6 Diesel	73,642	77.2%	Beats 56%	C
1.6 Petrol	26,305	78.9%	Beats 51%	C

2014 Nissan Qashqai4 engines74.6% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	194,428	72.6%	Beats 52%	C
1.2 Petrol	128,648	78.1%	Beats 65%	B
1.6 Diesel	63,954	74.5%	Beats 58%	C
1.6 Petrol	5,718	71.0%	Beats 29%	D

2013 Nissan Qashqai5 engines64.2% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	166,021	68.1%	Beats 30%	D
1.5 Diesel	135,618	59.2%	Beats 9%	E
1.6 Diesel	75,023	63.8%	Beats 27%	D
2.0 Petrol	14,945	67.8%	Beats 25%	D
2.0 Diesel	6,447	67.3%	Beats 38%	D

2012 Nissan Qashqai5 engines58.4% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	141,322	53.9%	Beats 7%	E
1.6 Petrol	123,866	62.4%	Beats 21%	D
1.6 Diesel	55,079	58.5%	Beats 21%	D
2.0 Petrol	22,849	64.5%	Beats 26%	D
2.0 Diesel	7,411	60.2%	Beats 22%	D

2011 Nissan Qashqai5 engines55.7% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	126,759	51.4%	Beats 10%	E
1.6 Petrol	107,727	60.2%	Beats 30%	D
2.0 Diesel	36,276	55.7%	Beats 20%	E
2.0 Petrol	11,453	62.9%	Beats 36%	D
1.6 Diesel	5,537	53.5%	Beats 12%	E

2010 Nissan Qashqai4 engines51.8% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	148,045	48.9%	Beats 13%	E
1.6 Petrol	73,495	54.9%	Beats 24%	D
2.0 Petrol	28,570	60.4%	Beats 41%	C
2.0 Diesel	16,409	48.9%	Beats 14%	E

2009 Nissan Qashqai4 engines45.6% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Diesel	79,364	43.8%	Beats 9%	E
1.6 Petrol	73,876	46.2%	Beats 10%	E
2.0 Petrol	32,279	49.3%	Beats 15%	E
2.0 Diesel	13,795	43.3%	Beats 9%	E

2008 Nissan Qashqai4 engines45.1% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	52,643	45.0%	Beats 12%	E
2.0 Petrol	28,332	48.3%	Beats 17%	E
1.5 Diesel	26,651	42.9%	Beats 11%	E
2.0 Diesel	18,173	44.0%	Beats 13%	E

2007 Nissan Qashqai4 engines45.0% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	44,479	43.6%	Beats 13%	E
2.0 Petrol	24,997	48.7%	Beats 23%	D
1.5 Diesel	22,316	43.7%	Beats 15%	E
2.0 Diesel	9,115	44.3%	Beats 15%	E

FAQ

What is the Nissan Qashqai MOT pass rate?

70.7% of Nissan Qashqai MOT tests were passed first time, from 4.3 million tests. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 73.7%.

Is the Nissan Qashqai reliable?

It depends on the generation. Overall it beats only 31% of cars on UK roads, held back by 2007–2013 cars; cars from 2014 on beat nearly six in ten. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Nissan Qashqai years are best?

Cars from 2014 on beat nearly six in ten cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account, and cars from 2019 on about six in ten; 2020 cars do best, beating about two in three.

Which Nissan Qashqai years should I avoid?

First-generation cars, 2007–2013, beat only about one in six cars, and 2009 cars only one in ten. They fail most on track rod ends, sidelights, ball joints and CV joints.

Which Nissan Qashqai engine is best?

Of the most common engines, the 1.3 petrol (2018 on) does best, beating about two in three cars. The 1.5 diesel looks weak overall only because of first-generation cars: from 2014 on it beats about half, before that about one in ten.

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

Track rod ends and suspension ball joints (each on about 4% of tests), brake pads and sidelights.

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.

Nissan Qashqai reliability

Verdict

Watch these weak spots

MOT pass rate by age

Best and worst years

Engines

Where it fails

Every MOT area

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Pass rate by mileage

Most common MOT failures

Specific defects found

Every year and engine

FAQ