Nissan
11,592 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Nv400s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 7.9 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
69.6%
Pass-after-fix
6.2%
Fail
23.3%
Avg miles
116,735
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 11,574 tests
Pass rate climbs 4.7 points across the cohorts — newer Nv400 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
68.4%
Fail
24.6%
PRS
6.1%
Avg mileage at test
123,028 mi
Pass
73.1%
Fail
19.1%
PRS
6.8%
Avg mileage at test
97,149 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 8,086 MOT tests, the Nv400 returns 69.1% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A number-plate lamp out and a weak handbrake round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 109,173, 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
784 occurrences · 6.8% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
757 occurrences · 6.5% of tests
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
557 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
396 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
A lens defective which has no effect on emitted light
351 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
276 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
270 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
269 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
264 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
221 occurrences · 1.9% 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.
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 4.7-point gap between bands means the year you buy Nissan Nv400 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
73.1%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 73.1% — a 4.7-point improvement. Tests in this band average 97,149 miles — roughly 26K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, 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
68.4%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 68.4% pass rate against a fleet average of 73.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, and efficiency below requirements. Average mileage on test for this band is 123,028 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (73.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (68.4% pass). That's a 4.7-point spread across 8,820 older tests and 2,754 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.
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 Nv400 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.
