Nissan X-Trail MOT Pass Rate
The Nissan X-Trail has an MOT pass rate of 77.9%, compared with a UK average of 79.1%, based on 16,545 DVSA MOT tests from 2004 to March 2026. It ranks 250th of 386 cars we track by pass rate.
The most common MOT problem area on the Nissan X-Trail is brakes, at 28.4% of all defects and advisories recorded.
Allowing for age, the weakest Nissan X-Trail years are 2016, 2015 and 2017, which fail more often than the average car registered in the same year.
Data: DVSA MOT test results, 2004 to March 2026. Last updated 3 October 2026.
- Nissan X-Trail MOT pass rate
- 77.9%
- UK average pass rate
- 79.1%
- MOT tests analysed
- 16,545
Ranked 250 of 386 models by MOT pass rate (1 is the highest).
What the Nissan X-Trail fails on
Every defect and advisory recorded at MOT, grouped by area. Includes advisories as well as failure items.
| Area | Share of all items | Items per 100 tests | Items recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 28.4% | 63.9 | 10,571 |
| Suspension | 22.8% | 51.2 | 8,478 |
| Tyres | 20.6% | 46.3 | 7,659 |
| Lights and signalling | 7% | 15.7 | 2,600 |
| Other items | 4.6% | 10.4 | 1,714 |
| Windscreen and wipers | 3.9% | 8.8 | 1,455 |
| Corrosion | 3.8% | 8.5 | 1,401 |
| Bodywork | 3.2% | 7.2 | 1,190 |
| Fuel system | 2.3% | 5.2 | 858 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 1.7% | 3.8 | 631 |
| Steering | 1% | 2.3 | 386 |
| Electrical | 0.4% | 1 | 161 |
| Structure | 0.2% | 0.3 | 56 |
| Drivetrain | 0.1% | 0.2 | 30 |
Fail rate by mileage
How the Nissan X-Trail holds up as the miles build, using the odometer reading at each test.
| Mileage at test | X-Trail fail rate | UK fail rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 miles | 12% | 13.1% | 4,103 |
| 40,000 to 79,999 miles | 20% | 21.7% | 6,796 |
| 80,000 to 119,999 miles | 30.7% | 28.3% | 3,855 |
| 120,000 miles or more | 36.1% | 31.4% | 1,721 |
Which years to avoid
Fail rate by year first registered, next to the UK fail rate for all cars registered that year. Older cars fail more often whatever the model, so compare each year with its own UK figure.
| Year | X-Trail fail rate | UK fail rate, same year | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 24.3% | 25% | 74 |
| 2003 | 27% | 25.3% | 319 |
| 2004 | 24.1% | 25.3% | 659 |
| 2005 | 25.1% | 25.4% | 832 |
| 2006 | 26.4% | 25.3% | 1,339 |
| 2007 | 24.8% | 25.2% | 943 |
| 2008 | 28.1% | 25.3% | 974 |
| 2009 | 27.7% | 24.9% | 578 |
| 2010 | 29.3% | 24.5% | 563 |
| 2011 | 25.7% | 23.4% | 482 |
| 2012 | 25.3% | 22.6% | 356 |
| 2013 | 21.2% | 21.6% | 377 |
| 2014 | 23% | 20.2% | 686 |
| 2015 | 21.2% | 18.7% | 1,470 |
| 2016 | 20.2% | 17.3% | 2,342 |
| 2017 | 17.7% | 15.6% | 2,601 |
| 2018 | 15.8% | 14.7% | 988 |
| 2019 | 16.5% | 13.8% | 486 |
| 2020 | 14.3% | 13.3% | 294 |
| 2021 | 15.9% | 12.9% | 182 |
Years with fewer than 50 tests, and cars too new to have reached their first MOT, are left out.
Nissan X-Trail MOT questions
Is the Nissan X-Trail reliable?
On MOT results the Nissan X-Trail is worse than average: it passes 77.9% of tests against a UK average of 79.1%, ranking 250th of 386 cars we track. Allowing for the age of the cars tested, its fail rate of 22.1% is 1.8 percentage points higher than the 20.3% you would expect from the average car of the same registration years. A pass rate is one useful signal of how well a model holds up, but it does not capture breakdowns between tests, repair costs or how an individual car has been looked after, so always check the history of the specific car.
What does the Nissan X-Trail usually fail its MOT on?
Across 16,545 MOT tests, the areas most often flagged on the Nissan X-Trail were brakes (28.4%), suspension (22.8%) and tyres (20.6%), shown as a share of all defects and advisories recorded. These counts include advisories as well as failure items, so they show where problems tend to appear rather than only what caused a fail.
Which Nissan X-Trail years should I avoid?
Comparing each year with the average car of the same age, the weakest years of the Nissan X-Trail were 2016 (20.2% fail rate against 17.3% for all cars first registered that year, 2,342 tests), 2015 (21.2% fail rate against 18.7% for all cars first registered that year, 1,470 tests) and 2017 (17.7% fail rate against 15.6% for all cars first registered that year, 2,601 tests). Older cars fail more often whatever the model, which is why each year is compared with its own age group. Only years with at least 1,000 tests are included.
Does the Nissan X-Trail get worse with mileage?
Yes. The Nissan X-Trail fails 12% of MOT tests taken at under 40,000 miles and 36.1% at 120,000 miles or more, based on 4,103 and 1,721 tests respectively. Across all models the equivalent figures are 13.1% and 31.4%.
How does the Nissan X-Trail compare with the national average?
The Nissan X-Trail passes 77.9% of MOT tests, 1.2 percentage points below the UK average of 79.1% across all 6,681,613 tests in the data. That places it 250th of 386 cars with at least 1,000 tests, where 1st has the highest pass rate.
Check a specific Nissan X-Trail
See the full MOT history of the exact car you're looking at, free.
Related reading
2018 Nissan X-Trail: 7-Seat SUV Buying Guide
How Much Should I Offer for a 2018 Nissan X-Trail
What Does 'Brake Disc Worn' Mean on an MOT? Serious or Not?
Brake Disc Worn: Repair Cost and How Urgent Is It
Repeated Brake Disc Worn Advisory: Should You Walk Away?
What Does 'Suspension Arm Bush Worn' Mean on an MOT? Serious or Not?
Suspension Arm Bush Worn: Repair Cost and How Urgent Is It
Repeated Suspension Arm Bush Worn Advisory: Should You Walk Away?
Known problems to watch for
Other Nissan models
Data: DVSA MOT test results for Great Britain, 2004 to March 2026, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures cover 16,545 tests. Last updated 3 October 2026. How these figures are calculated.
How to cite this data: Source: CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data, https://www.carbuyeriq.com/mot-pass-rates/nissan/x-trail