1,896 tests in 2025
Nissan Skyline reliability and MOT pass rate
88.8% passed first time. The 11.2% fail rate is 11.4 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 22 years old with 83,876 miles.
Pass rate
88.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 11.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
83,876 mi
22 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 24 | — |
| 6-9 years | 156 | — |
| 10-13 years | 175 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,538 | 11.3% |
What the Skyline 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 equipment3 dangerous43.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks40.4%
- Suspension2 dangerous29.6%
- Brakes25 dangerous22.5%
- Visibility16%
- Body, chassis, structure2 dangerous15%
- Tyres33 dangerous13.6%
- Steering3 dangerous12.7%
Is the Skyline getting worse?
The fail rate fell 2.4 points to 11.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 6 years. Ageing alone would predict about -0.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,184 | 16 | 13.6% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,055 | 18 | 11% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,831 | 20 | 10.8% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,884 | 22 | 11.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Skyline 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 Skyline in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits36 tests
- 2Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits29 tests
- 3Rear fog lamp: not working22 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working20 tests
- 5Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength19 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect17 tests
- 7Emissions not tested: unable to be completed16 tests
- 8Washers: not working14 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Skyline collects 2.87 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 1.6mm111 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded82 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine80 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened70 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn63 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick52 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure46 tests
- 8Exhaust system: noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition39 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Skyline MOT pass rate?
88.8% of the 1,896 Nissan Skyline first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 11.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Skyline usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits", recorded on 36 failed tests, followed by "Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits" and "Rear fog lamp: not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 43.7% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 40.4% of failures, suspension appears in 29.6% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 12.5%; at 14+ years it was 11.3%. The median Nissan Skyline tested in 2025 was 22 years old with 83,876 miles.
Is the Nissan Skyline getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 2.4 points to 11.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 6 years. Ageing alone would predict about -0.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
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 Skyline 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 Skyline?
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.