Nissan Navara: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Nissan Navara fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 3.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 74,409 individual Nissan Navara tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 72.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 27 in every 100 Nissan Navaras presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Nissan Navara tested had covered 89,616 miles and was built around 2015.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Nissan Navara sits 3.8 points below the national average, ranked 1,680 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Nissan Navara rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Nissan Navara: £1,750 at UK salvage auction, from 6 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Nissan Navara

1. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 3.6% of tests (2.81x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.8% of tests (2.53x the national rate for this defect)
3. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.2% of tests (2.45x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.4% of tests (2.26x the national rate for this defect)
5. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.1% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)
6. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.4% of tests (2.1x the national rate for this defect)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.6% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)
8. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.5% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)
9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this defect)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 6.7% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)

From 76,261 DVSA-tracked Nissan Navara tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.47% of these flagged Nissan Navara defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Nissan Navara

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Nissan Navara before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 3.2% of tests (4.93x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 3.8% of tests (3.08x the national rate for this advisory)
3. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.9% of tests (2.17x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1.6% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 10.5% of tests (1.69x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 9% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.5% of tests (1.56x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 17.5% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 25.3% of tests
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 9.2% of tests

From 76,261 DVSA-tracked Nissan Navara tests, 2024.

Nissan Navara pass rate by model year

From its 2003 to its 2021 model year, the Nissan Navara's first-time pass rate has risen 26.4 points, from 61.8% to 88.2%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Nissan Navara year:

• 2003 Nissan Navara - 61.8% first-time pass, 304 tests
• 2004 Nissan Navara - 64.1% first-time pass, 753 tests
• 2005 Nissan Navara - 61.3% first-time pass, 1,277 tests
• 2006 Nissan Navara - 62.2% first-time pass, 1,894 tests
• 2007 Nissan Navara - 60.7% first-time pass, 2,255 tests
• 2008 Nissan Navara - 62.8% first-time pass, 1,776 tests
• 2009 Nissan Navara - 61.5% first-time pass, 1,784 tests
• 2010 Nissan Navara - 62.2% first-time pass, 1,921 tests
• 2011 Nissan Navara - 63% first-time pass, 4,047 tests
• 2012 Nissan Navara - 61.3% first-time pass, 3,421 tests
• 2013 Nissan Navara - 65.7% first-time pass, 3,548 tests
• 2014 Nissan Navara - 67.7% first-time pass, 3,631 tests
• 2015 Nissan Navara - 69.4% first-time pass, 4,025 tests
• 2016 Nissan Navara - 77.8% first-time pass, 7,988 tests
• 2017 Nissan Navara - 74.1% first-time pass, 9,167 tests
• 2018 Nissan Navara - 77.5% first-time pass, 8,197 tests
• 2019 Nissan Navara - 82% first-time pass, 7,616 tests
• 2020 Nissan Navara - 84.5% first-time pass, 4,477 tests
• 2021 Nissan Navara - 88.2% first-time pass, 7,350 tests

Other Nissan models

• Nissan Qashqai - 72.7%
• Nissan Juke - 71.8%
• Nissan Micra - 71.7%
• Nissan Note - 72.1%
• Nissan X-Trail - 73.5%
• Nissan Leaf - 83.1%
• Nissan Nv200 - 65.1%
• Nissan Pulsar - 76%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Toyota Hilux - 73%
• Peugeot 5008 - 73%
• Daihatsu Materia - 73%
• Suzuki Jimny - 72.9%
• Alfa Romeo Spider - 72.9%
• Nissan Unclassified - 72.9%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate