81,935 tests in 2025
Nissan X-Trail reliability and MOT pass rate
73% passed first time. The 27% fail rate is 4.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 9 years old with 77,454 miles.
Pass rate
73%
22.6% of all cars failed; 27% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
77,454 mi
9 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 6,925 | 10.9% |
| 6-9 years | 42,960 | 21.7% |
| 10-13 years | 14,199 | 33.2% |
| 14+ years | 17,624 | 41.5% |
What the X-Trail 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.
- Suspension742 dangerous51.1%
- Brakes5,056 dangerous31.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment40 dangerous19.7%
- Tyres4,101 dangerous19.1%
- Steering206 dangerous18%
- Body, chassis, structure187 dangerous12.4%
- Noise, emissions and leaks26 dangerous11.1%
- Visibility7 dangerous10.5%
Is the X-Trail getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2.6 points to 27.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 94,250 | 7 | 24.7% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 94,324 | 7 | 25% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 79,703 | 8 | 26.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 80,816 | 9 | 27.3% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical X-Trail 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 X-Trail in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn6,156 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3,356 tests
- 3Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play3,279 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2,237 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,784 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1,525 tests
- 7Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,474 tests
- 8Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1,211 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical X-Trail collects 3.04 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 1.6mm13,259 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick12,591 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn11,465 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9,661 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure6,741 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine4,692 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn4,421 tests
- 8Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened4,389 tests
Questions
What is the Nissan X-Trail MOT pass rate?
73% of the 81,935 Nissan X-Trail first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 27% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Nissan X-Trail usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 6,156 failed tests, followed by "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick" and "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play". By section, suspension appears in 51.1% of failures, brakes appears in 31.2% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 19.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 10.9%; at 14+ years it was 41.5%. The median Nissan X-Trail tested in 2025 was 9 years old with 77,454 miles.
Is the Nissan X-Trail getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2.6 points to 27.3% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.2 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 X-Trail 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 19 safety recalls naming the Nissan X-Trail: Nissan X-Trail recalls.
Other Nissan models
Checking a particular X-Trail?
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.