Nissan
3,862 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 370 Zs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.8%
Pass-after-fix
1.2%
Fail
10.3%
Avg miles
59,612
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 3,862 tests
Pass rate climbs 9.7 points across the cohorts — newer 370 Z examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
87.3%
Fail
10.7%
PRS
1.3%
Avg mileage at test
61,650 mi
Pass
97.0%
Fail
2.5%
PRS
0.5%
Avg mileage at test
21,933 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,916 MOT tests, the 370 Z returns 86.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Windscreen damage and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 58,631, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–28
out of 50
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
75 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
44 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
43 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
38 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
36 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
35 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
29 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
24 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
23 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
21 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£70–£175
If every one of this 370 Z's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 9.7-point gap between bands means the year you buy Nissan 370 Z has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
97.0%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 97.0% — a 9.7-point improvement. Tests in this band average 21,933 miles — roughly 40K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: blade defective, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
87.3%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 87.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 97.0% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside…, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 61,650 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (97.0% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (87.3% pass). That's a 9.7-point spread across 3,665 older tests and 197 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ASRG-1005 Nissan Replacement Stick-On Wide Angle Mirror Glass RHS
£24.19
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ASRG-1004BH Nissan Replacement Wide Angle Mirror Glass with Heated Backing Plate LHS
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ASRG-1005BH Nissan Replacement Wide Angle Mirror Glass with Heated Backing Plate RHS
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Nissan Intense Blue Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 370 Z and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
