10,521 tests in 2025
Nissan Almera reliability and MOT pass rate
65.5% passed first time. The 34.5% fail rate is 11.9 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 21 years old with 84,688 miles.
Pass rate
65.5%
22.6% of all cars failed; 34.5% of these did.
Fixed on the day
9.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
84,688 mi
21 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 2 | — |
| 14+ years | 10,519 | 34.5% |
What the Almera fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment27 dangerous44.8%
- Brakes609 dangerous37.2%
- Suspension93 dangerous32.8%
- Body, chassis, structure45 dangerous23.5%
- Tyres782 dangerous20%
- Noise, emissions and leaks3 dangerous18.5%
- Visibility1 dangerous15.5%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems13.3%
Is the Almera getting worse?
The fail rate rose 0.7 points to 34.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 22,337 | 18 | 33.9% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 18,132 | 19 | 33.8% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 12,679 | 20 | 35.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 10,520 | 21 | 34.6% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Almera at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Almera in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases423 tests
- 2Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect372 tests
- 3Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively371 tests
- 4Stop lamp: not working360 tests
- 5Service brake performance: excessively binding359 tests
- 6Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength358 tests
- 7SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault350 tests
- 8Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements348 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Almera collects 3.47 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,722 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,642 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,452 tests
- 4Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,051 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick982 tests
- 6Service brake performance: excessively binding944 tests
- 7Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded892 tests
- 8Registration plates: inscription illegible850 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Almera MOT pass rate?
65.5% of the 10,521 Nissan Almera first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 34.5% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 9.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Almera usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases", recorded on 423 failed tests, followed by "Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect" and "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 44.8% of failures, brakes appears in 37.2% of failures, suspension appears in 32.8% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 34.5%. The median Nissan Almera tested in 2025 was 21 years old with 84,688 miles.
Is the Nissan Almera getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 0.7 points to 34.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Almera trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 12 safety recalls naming the Nissan Almera: Nissan Almera recalls.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular Almera?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.