All generations and engines together · 108,919 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 45k
Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 23,473 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Front subframe bulkhead mounts on early cars (2006-2010) are known to crack, and coil springs and anti-roll bar bushes wear and creak on both generations. Owners describe clonks over speed bumps and, in a few cases, uneven front tyre wear from a broken spring. Measured MOT data for this class shows suspension as the standout fault category, and the owner reports line up with that. Bush and link work runs £100-£300; a cracked subframe is a bigger job, £500 plus.
The CVT automatic fitted to the 2013-2017 Note can judder under acceleration or fail with little warning, with some owners reporting replacement under 30,000 miles. It's flagged repeatedly as the car's weakest point and drags down used values against the manual. No recall exists; a failed unit is usually a full replacement rather than a repair, roughly £1,500-£2,500 or more.
Some 2013-on cars burn oil faster than they should, one owner reported topping up 5 litres in 5 months, with the oil turning black early too. It doesn't always trigger a warning light, so it only shows up on a dipstick check or once the level's already low. No manufacturer TSB found for this; worth checking the oil between services rather than trusting the service interval.
Air con compressors and systems fail or lose their charge more often than you'd expect for the car's age, and cars needing the newer R1234yf refrigerant cost more to re-gas than older R134a cars. Reported across the range but comes up repeatedly on 2013-on cars. No recall or TSB found; a proper repair (not just a top-up) runs roughly £250-£600.
On early 1.5 dCi diesels the EGR valve can stick, pushing exhaust gas temperatures up and taking the turbo bearings with it, and sometimes forcing oil into the induction system. Renault, who supply the engine, revised the EGR design, and reports of the fault largely dried up on cars built after that change, so it's mostly a risk on the earliest examples. A new turbo plus EGR work is a four-figure repair if it's left too long; the injection pump is also known to fail after around six years on poor-quality diesel.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Superminis), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.