557,520 tests in 2025
Nissan Qashqai reliability and MOT pass rate
73.4% passed first time. The 26.6% fail rate is 4.0 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 9 years old with 68,944 miles.
Pass rate
73.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 26.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.6%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
68,944 mi
9 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 96,826 | 8.7% |
| 6-9 years | 198,160 | 19.8% |
| 10-13 years | 169,861 | 34.8% |
| 14+ years | 90,979 | 45.8% |
What the Qashqai 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.
- Suspension4,547 dangerous48.4%
- Brakes30,349 dangerous27.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment178 dangerous25.3%
- Steering2,222 dangerous24%
- Tyres31,575 dangerous20.9%
- Body, chassis, structure1,114 dangerous15.8%
- Visibility33 dangerous13.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks121 dangerous8.8%
Is the Qashqai getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3.6 points to 26.8% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 529,466 | 7 | 23.2% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 554,723 | — | 24.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 497,044 | — | 26.8% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 551,627 | — | 26.8% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Qashqai 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 Qashqai in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play27,824 tests
- 2Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn25,995 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick20,679 tests
- 4Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt18,361 tests
- 5Position lamp: not working15,167 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm14,463 tests
- 7Coil spring: fractured or broken14,392 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn12,027 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Qashqai collects 2.66 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 1.6mm90,787 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick82,778 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure58,244 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened56,812 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn52,909 tests
- 6Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play25,930 tests
- 7Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine22,260 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt21,691 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Qashqai MOT pass rate?
73.4% of the 557,520 Nissan Qashqai first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 26.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.6% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Qashqai usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play", recorded on 27,824 failed tests, followed by "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn" and "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick". By section, suspension appears in 48.4% of failures, brakes appears in 27.2% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 25.3% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8.7%; at 14+ years it was 45.8%. The median Nissan Qashqai tested in 2025 was 9 years old with 68,944 miles.
Is the Nissan Qashqai getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3.6 points to 26.8% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
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 Qashqai 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 26 safety recalls naming the Nissan Qashqai: Nissan Qashqai recalls.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular Qashqai?
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.