The picture
Ns: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 493 MOT tests, the Ns returns 72.0% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.0 mm. A missing rear reflector and exhaust system leaking round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 13,229, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
33 occurrences · 6.7% of tests
- 02
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
17 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 03
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
13 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 04
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
12 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing or inoperative
11 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
11 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 07
Headlamp not securely attached
10 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
10 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 09
A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
9 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 10
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
8 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£200–£440
If every one of this NS's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a NS?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a NS and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.