1,075 tests in 2025
Nissan Terrano reliability and MOT pass rate
66% passed first time. The 34% fail rate is 11.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 22 years old with 110,614 miles.
Pass rate
66%
22.6% of all cars failed; 34% of these did.
Fixed on the day
6.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
110,614 mi
22 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 2 | — |
| 10-13 years | 1 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,072 | 33.9% |
What the Terrano 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.
- Body, chassis, structure16 dangerous54.2%
- Suspension44 dangerous54.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment7 dangerous35.9%
- Brakes38 dangerous28.8%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems2 dangerous21.4%
- Steering9 dangerous19.5%
- Visibility14.8%
- Tyres40 dangerous10.4%
Is the Terrano getting worse?
The fail rate fell 5.1 points to 34% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about -1.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,606 | 19 | 39.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,007 | 20 | 38.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,316 | 21 | 36.2% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,075 | 22 | 34% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Terrano 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 Terrano in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt80 tests
- 2Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength58 tests
- 3Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn43 tests
- 4Linkage ball joints: ball joint excessively worn39 tests
- 5Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases39 tests
- 6Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play38 tests
- 7Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced38 tests
- 8Position lamp: not working36 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Terrano collects 4.14 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded226 tests
- 2Wheel bearings: has excessive play183 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine153 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm120 tests
- 5Chassis condition: corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced118 tests
- 6Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened116 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases90 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Fuel Pipe/s corroded80 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan Terrano MOT pass rate?
66% of the 1,075 Nissan Terrano first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 34% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 6.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan Terrano usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", recorded on 80 failed tests, followed by "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" and "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn". By section, body, chassis, structure appears in 54.2% of failures, suspension appears in 54.2% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 35.9% 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 33.9%. The median Nissan Terrano tested in 2025 was 22 years old with 110,614 miles.
Is the Nissan Terrano getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 5.1 points to 34% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about -1.2 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 Terrano 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 6 safety recalls naming the Nissan Terrano: Nissan Terrano recalls.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular Terrano?
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.