2015 Nissan Note MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 78.3% of Nissan Notes first used in 2015 passed their MOT first time, against 71.9% for all cars first used in 2015. Across 44,958 Note first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were lamps and electrical equipment, suspension and tyres.

This page analyses first MOT tests for Nissan Notes first used in 2015 (all trims grouped): 2021 to 2025 for the pass-rate trend, and 2023 to 2025 for the failure and advisory analysis — plus what is worth checking before you buy one.

Data: DVSA anonymised MOT tests to December 2025 · Calculated by SortedCars · Updated October 2026

Passed first time, 2025
78.3%
of 14,945 first tests; all cars first used in 2015: 71.9%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
44,958
first tests, 2023–2025; 14,945 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
39.9%
of 14,945 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
56,000
middle half: 39,500–74,500 miles; all cars first used in 2015: 74,000

How the 2015 Nissan Note MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, Notes first used in 2015 against all cars first used in 2015 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the Note figure was 6.4 points higher.

2015 NoteAll cars first used in 2015
70%80%90%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2015, test year 2021: 79.7%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2022: 77.8%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2023: 75.5%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2024: 73.5%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2025: 71.9%2015 Note, test year 2021: 85.1%2015 Note, test year 2022: 83.9%2015 Note, test year 2023: 82.2%2015 Note, test year 2024: 79.6%2015 Note, test year 2025: 78.3%78.3%71.9%
View this chart as a table
Test year2015 NoteAll cars first used 2015Note first tests
202185.1%79.7%15,176
202283.9%77.8%15,064
202382.2%75.5%15,043
202479.6%73.5%14,970
202578.3%71.9%14,945

Common 2015 Nissan Note MOT failures

Share of the 8,984 failed first tests (2023–2025) with at least one failure in each area. A test can fail in more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment30.6%
Suspension29.2%
Tyres22.6%
Visibility18.3%
Brakes15.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks12.3%
Body, chassis, structure5.0%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Position lamp: not working15.4%1,384
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively10.6%956
Tread depth: below requirements of 1.6mm9.0%805
Ball joint: excessively worn7.8%697
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn7.1%637

Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.

Typical repair costs for common MOT failures

Typical UK garage prices for the job, not for a Note in particular, and not a quote.

Failure itemTypical jobTypical UK priceUsual range
Ball joint: excessively wornBall joint replacement£90£60–£150
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively wornSuspension arm replacement£150£120–£180

From published UK repair-cost guides, checked September 2026. Only jobs with a published typical price are shown.

What to check on a 2015 Nissan Note before buying

The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.

  1. Lamps and electrics. Ask someone to watch while you work the brake lights, indicators, sidelights, dipped and main beam, and the number-plate lamps.
  2. Suspension. Worth looking behind the front wheels with a torch at the coil springs, and listening for knocks over bumps on the test drive.
  3. Tyres. Worth checking the tread depth across the whole width of each tyre, and the sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.

Common 2015 Nissan Note MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2015 Notes, as a share of all 44,958 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement13.0%5,863
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge13.0%5,835
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing12.5%5,625
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened7.1%3,188
Brake pads: wearing thin5.3%2,393

Questions about the 2015 Nissan Note MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2015 Nissan Note?

In 2025, 78.3% of Notes first used in 2015 passed their MOT first time, against 71.9% for all cars first used in 2015. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2015 Note most often fail its MOT on?

Lamps and electrical equipment (in 30.6% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), suspension (29.2%) and tyres (22.6%). The single most common item was “Position lamp: not working” (15.4%).

How often does a 2015 Nissan Note fail its MOT?

In 2025, 21.7% of first tests on Notes first used in 2015 did not pass first time: 16.1% failed, and a further 5.6% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 8,984 of 44,958 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2015 Nissan Note MOT advisories?

“Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement” (on 13.0% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (13.0%), “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (12.5%), “Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened” (7.1%) and “Brake pads: wearing thin” (5.3%).

Is a 2015 Nissan Note reliable?

An MOT pass rate shows what failed at the test, not how reliable a car is. For this group of cars the first-time pass rate went from 85.1% in 2021 to 78.3% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2015

The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.

2015 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2015 Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics · 2015 Ford Focus MOT statistics · 2015 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2015 Nissan Qashqai MOT statistics

How the 2015 Nissan Note MOT data is calculated

Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test data for Great Britain, 2021–2025. “2015 Note” means a Nissan Note whose date of first use falls in 2015 (64, 15 and 65 plates), all trims grouped. Class 4 vehicles, first tests only — retests are not counted. Pass rate = passed ÷ all first tests; a car with a fault fixed during the test (PRS) counts as a fail. Our national first-test pass rate matches DVSA’s published figure (table DVSA/MOT/01) to within 0.04 points in every year. Clean pass = passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded. Mileage is the reading recorded at the test. Comparisons are with all cars first used in 2015, any make or fuel, and are not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use. Failure and advisory item names are DVSA’s own wording. No figure is shown for fewer than 500 tests; an item is shown only if it appears on at least 50 tests and 1% of the base. Repair prices are typical UK prices for the job from published UK repair-cost guides, checked September 2026 — not for this model, and not a quote. Pass rates describe a group of cars, not one car: a well-kept example can pass and a neglected one can fail. This page is general information, not advice about any particular vehicle; always have a used car inspected before you buy. SortedCars is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. You can check any car’s MOT history free on the official service: gov.uk/check-mot-history. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.