Nissan
Almera
27,352 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Almeras pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.5 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
64.0%
Pass-after-fix
6.9%
Fail
28.4%
Avg miles
89,351
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Nissan Almera: challenging MOT record across 23,447 tests
The Nissan Almera is a line of sedans produced by Japanese manufacturer Nissan since 1995. The early generations, including the first-generation N15 and second-generation N16, were classified as compact cars (C-segment) and were essentially the European export versions of the Nissan Pulsar.
MOT data from 23,447 tests puts this car on a 65.0% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 87,530 miles. The most common fail item is steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, followed by failed number plate light.
"Does my car have a timing chain or a cambelt?" It is the £3000 question every car owner eventually asks. Whether you are driving a high-mileage diesel or a modern downsized hybrid, knowing what's fitted to your engine is the difference between a routine service and a catastrophi.
The Almera's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 8–14
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 →
8–14
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
2,064 occurrences · 7.5% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,557 occurrences · 5.7% of tests
- 03
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
1,309 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 04
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
1,074 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 05
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
947 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
- 06
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
727 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 07
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
711 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 08
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
669 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
649 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
621 occurrences · 2.3% 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 4 failures
£108–£435
If every one of this Almera'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 →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
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
Parts & supplies for this fix
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
Book a mobile mechanic
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.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Where it falls short
"Does my car have a timing chain or a cambelt?" It is the £3000 question every car owner eventually asks. Whether you are driving a high-mileage diesel or a modern downsized hybrid, knowing what's fitted to your engine is the difference between a routine service and a catastrophic engine failure.
Buying or keeping an Almera?
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 an Almera 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.