Nissan Pixo MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Pass rate, every year

78.7% Around average

42,149 tests across 5 model years, 2009–2013.

−2.3 pts vs the national average

MOT PASS RATES

How the Nissan Pixo really fares

78.7% of its MOTs pass — over 42,149 class-4 tests, 2023–2025

Pass rates

Every figure on this page comes from the DVSA's MOT test record.

The Nissan Pixo MOT pass rate is 78.7%, −2.3 percentage points below the UK average. That is 42,149 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2009 and 2013. This page lists the most common Nissan Pixo MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.

Check your postcode

MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Nissan Pixo MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.

How one model's pass rate varies by postcode →

Nissan Pixo MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Nissan Pixo passed on its first attempt in 73.7%, and its overall record sits −2.3 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Nissan Pixo in the 2023–2025 data: 42,149 tests across 5 model years (2009–2013). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

MeasureThis model
Tests analysed42,149
Overall pass rate78.7%
Passed on first attempt73.7%
Average mileage at test61,255 mi
Model years covered2009–2013 (5 years)
Versus UK national average−2.3 pts below

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Nissan Pixo MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Nissan Pixo, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Inspection section Share of failures Est. recorded instances
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 45% 6,652
Body, chassis, structure 19% 2,806
Visibility 14% 2,086
Suspension 14% 2,054
Brakes 9% 1,322

Shares are over the Nissan Pixo's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

Around 45% of the recorded Nissan Pixo failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (6.7%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (3.4%), "Stop lamp not working" (3.2%) among the Nissan Pixo's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.

Body, chassis, structure

Around 19% of the recorded Nissan Pixo failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (6.7%) among the Nissan Pixo's body, chassis, structure faults.

Visibility

Around 14% of the recorded Nissan Pixo failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (2.7%), "Wipers blade defective" (2.3%) among the Nissan Pixo's visibility faults.

Top Recorded Nissan Pixo DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Nissan Pixo, each with how many of the model's 42,149 tests it was noted on.

  • "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 2,815 Nissan Pixo tests, 6.7% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 2,806 Nissan Pixo tests, 6.7% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 1,436 Nissan Pixo tests, 3.4% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 1,430 Nissan Pixo tests, 3.4% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Stop lamp not working" (Rectified) — noted on about 1,355 Nissan Pixo tests, 3.2% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded" (Major) — noted on about 1,322 Nissan Pixo tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.

What Pixo fails on more than most

The 8 biggest of 10 failure items this model records at least 1.5 times the UK rate for. 3 have a part guide — what to buy, which brands, and what the tester looks at next time.

Share of this model's own MOT tests that record each item, against the UK rate for the same item
Failure item This model UK × UK Typical fix
Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded Brakes 27.1% 4.6% 5.9× £80–£180 part £25–£55
Wheel bearings rough when rotated Suspension 3.1% 0.6% 5.2× £20–£55
CV boot severely deteriorated Body, chassis, structure 6.7% 1.5% 4.5× £80–£250
Shock absorbers damaged to the extent that it does not function Suspension 1.8% 0.4% 4.5× £30–£75
Suspension component corroded Suspension 1.2% 0.3% 4.0× £180–£450
Coil spring corroded Suspension 12.4% 3.7% 3.4× £25–£65 part £30–£50
Stop lamp not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 4.4% 1.6% 2.8× £3–£12
Suspension pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 19.6% 8.0% 2.5× £40–£150 part £35–£75

Rates are a share of this model's own tests (42,149 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Pixo records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs

Best and Worst Nissan Pixo Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Nissan Pixo model year on record is 2013 (82.7% across 1,733 tests), and the weakest is 2010 (77.9%). The gap between them is 4.8 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Nissan Pixo reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.1 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Year Tests Pass rate First attempt Avg mileage Most common failure
2013 Pixo 1,733 82.7% 79.3% 53,772 mi Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated
2012 Pixo 6,524 79.8% 75.2% 56,917 mi Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated
2011 Pixo 7,153 79.6% 74.9% 62,455 mi Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated
2010 Pixo 14,421 77.9% 72.5% 66,746 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o
2009 Pixo 12,318 78.0% 72.6% 66,383 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Nissan Pixo Owners

These checks follow this Nissan Pixo's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Nissan Pixo.

  • the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

    Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

  • the suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”

    With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

  • the brake pipes — “rigid brake pipes excessively corroded”

    Brake pipes run under the car, usually in front of the rear wheels. Flaking or crusty metal is what fails; a light dusting of surface rust does not. Worth asking a garage to look while it is on a ramp.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Nissan Pixo. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Nissan Pixo MOT & Reliability

What is the Nissan Pixo MOT pass rate?

78.7% of the 42,149 recorded Nissan Pixo MOT tests ended in a pass, −2.3 percentage points below the national average. 73.7% of those passed on the first attempt.

Which Nissan Pixo model years pass the MOT most often?

2013 is the strongest Nissan Pixo year on record at 82.7%, while 2010 is the weakest at 77.9%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.

What are the most common Nissan Pixo MOT failures?

The most recorded Nissan Pixo failures are "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" and "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" — together around 13% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.