In 2025, 146,819 Nissan Note cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 63% passed first time, compared with 64% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Note about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 148 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 8 years old, 82% of Notes passed first time (all cars that age: 78%). By 19 years, that figure is 50% (all cars: 57%). It starts out ahead of the average car but falls behind from around 13 years, which is worth knowing if you are buying an older one.
Nissan Note All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Note passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 years | 5,198 | 82% | 78% | 47,372 |
| 9 years | 10,753 | 82% | 75% | 50,500 |
| 10 years | 14,943 | 78% | 72% | 59,262 |
| 11 years | 21,775 | 72% | 69% | 66,748 |
| 12 years | 11,773 | 64% | 66% | 74,216 |
| 13 years | 11,493 | 59% | 63% | 78,923 |
| 14 years | 11,593 | 57% | 61% | 86,076 |
| 15 years | 13,447 | 56% | 59% | 91,986 |
| 16 years | 13,990 | 55% | 58% | 94,328 |
| 17 years | 13,748 | 52% | 57% | 99,681 |
| 18 years | 10,432 | 51% | 57% | 102,276 |
| 19 years | 7,616 | 50% | 57% | 106,068 |
What fails most on a Nissan Note
The area that lets the Note down most, relative to other cars, is seat belts and airbags: 1.8% of tests failed on it, 5.5 times the rate for the average car.
Share of Note tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 14.2% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 8.1% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 7.9% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 5.6% |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 5.3% |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Visibility | 3.9% |
What to check when buying a used Note
Based on where the Note fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Seat belts and airbags: Pull every belt out fully and let it retract, check the buckles latch, and make sure the airbag light goes out after starting. More
- Lights and electrics: Walk round with the lights on: headlights (dipped and main), indicators, brake lights, number-plate and fog lights. Bulbs are cheap, but a seller who hasn’t noticed one out may have missed more. Repair guide
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Note
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a NoteFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Nissan Note?
In 2025, 63% of Nissan Note cars passed their MOT first time, across 146,819 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 64%.
What do Nissan Note cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (14.2% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (8.1% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (7.9% of tests).
Other Nissan models
Nissan Qashqai (67%), Nissan Juke (66%), Nissan Micra (63%), Nissan X-Trail (69%), Nissan Navara (67%), Nissan Leaf (80%). All Nissan models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.