2,160 tests in 2025
Nissan Figaro reliability and MOT pass rate
68.2% passed first time. The 31.8% fail rate is 9.2 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 20 years old with 89,972 miles.
Pass rate
68.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 31.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
89,972 mi
20 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 4 | — |
| 6-9 years | 35 | — |
| 10-13 years | 105 | — |
| 14+ years | 2,016 | 31.4% |
What the Figaro 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 equipment9 dangerous41.3%
- Brakes68 dangerous32.6%
- Body, chassis, structure17 dangerous30.3%
- Suspension3 dangerous29.5%
- Visibility23.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous20.1%
- Steering4 dangerous16.2%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems11.6%
Is the Figaro getting worse?
The fail rate fell 1 point to 31.8% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 4 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,766 | 16 | 32.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,637 | 17 | 34.5% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,127 | 19 | 32.9% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,159 | 20 | 31.8% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Figaro 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 Figaro in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength128 tests
- 2Service brake imbalance: across an axle90 tests
- 3Rear fog lamp: not working80 tests
- 4Washers: not working75 tests
- 5Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced74 tests
- 6Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt70 tests
- 7Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt69 tests
- 8Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively52 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Figaro collects 3.05 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.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine377 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded270 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure266 tests
- 4Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened223 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm174 tests
- 6Other components: leaking126 tests
- 7Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)91 tests
- 8Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases81 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Figaro MOT pass rate?
68.2% of the 2,160 Nissan Figaro first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 31.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Figaro usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength", recorded on 128 failed tests, followed by "Service brake imbalance: across an axle" and "Rear fog lamp: not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 41.3% of failures, brakes appears in 32.6% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 30.3% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 31.4%. The median Nissan Figaro tested in 2025 was 20 years old with 89,972 miles.
Is the Nissan Figaro getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 1 point to 31.8% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 4 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.7 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 Figaro trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular Figaro?
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.