In 2025, 86,841 Nissan X-Trail cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 69% passed first time, compared with 73% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the X-Trail about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 177 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 4 years old, 87% of X-Trails passed first time (all cars that age: 87%). By 20 years, that figure is 55% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 10 years (7 points behind).
Nissan X-Trail All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | X-Trail passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 2,015 | 87% | 87% | 35,019 |
| 5 years | 4,675 | 86% | 86% | 41,568 |
| 6 years | 5,570 | 83% | 84% | 48,480 |
| 7 years | 8,913 | 81% | 81% | 61,067 |
| 8 years | 17,071 | 75% | 78% | 71,418 |
| 9 years | 14,796 | 69% | 75% | 80,197 |
| 10 years | 8,169 | 65% | 72% | 91,079 |
| 11 years | 3,791 | 63% | 69% | 97,361 |
| 12 years | 1,568 | 63% | 66% | 98,539 |
| 13 years | 1,643 | 58% | 63% | 107,177 |
| 14 years | 1,965 | 56% | 61% | 117,763 |
| 15 years | 1,286 | 53% | 59% | 123,808 |
| 16 years | 1,707 | 55% | 58% | 122,227 |
| 17 years | 2,560 | 52% | 57% | 130,596 |
| 18 years | 2,960 | 52% | 57% | 126,644 |
| 19 years | 3,181 | 51% | 57% | 125,455 |
| 20 years | 2,378 | 55% | 58% | 126,901 |
What fails most on a Nissan X-Trail
The area that lets the X-Trail down most, relative to other cars, is steering: 5.9% of tests failed on it, 2.7 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on lights and electrics.
Share of X-Trail 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 | 14.6% |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | Brakes | 5.1% |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | Steering | 4.7% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.2% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 3.1% |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Visibility | 2.4% |
What to check when buying a used X-Trail
Based on where the X-Trail fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- 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
- Brakes: Look through the wheels for lipped or scored discs, check the handbrake holds on a slope, and feel for pulling or vibration under firm braking. 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 X-Trail
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a X-TrailFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Nissan X-Trail?
In 2025, 69% of Nissan X-Trail cars passed their MOT first time, across 86,841 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 73%.
What do Nissan X-Trail cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (14.6% of tests); a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm (5.1% of tests); a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play (4.7% of tests).
Other Nissan models
Nissan Qashqai (67%), Nissan Juke (66%), Nissan Micra (63%), Nissan Note (63%), 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.