Nissan

Which year Nissan Cabstar is most reliable?

Based on 28,135 vehicles (1988–2020) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Cabstar at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Cabstar at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2017–2020
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Cabstars
Below model average
1988–1989, 1992
Lower pass rate than other Cabstars — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 1989 →
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Dataset
28,135
vehicles · 1988–2020 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 1997–2003, 2005, 2012–2017
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 65.3–72.3% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2020
74.8%
118 Recommended
2019
74.2%
461 Recommended
2018
73.4%
405 Recommended
2017
72.3%
660 Recommended
2016
69.1%
1,084
2015
68.6%
995
2014
66.9%
764
2013
67.4%
707
2012
66.4%
683
2011
65.1%
528
2010
64.7%
652
2009
65.0%
518
2008
64.6%
750
2007
63.5%
913
2006
64.6%
975
2005
65.3%
1,157
2004
64.6%
1,398
2003
66.9%
1,222
2002
66.1%
1,529
2001
66.0%
1,633
2000
67.5%
1,376
1999
67.4%
1,351
1998
67.2%
1,282
1997
67.6%
1,340
1996
64.0%
1,237
1995
64.7%
1,189
1994
64.2%
1,238
1993
65.1%
839
1992
58.2%
320 Below avg
1991
61.6%
158
1990
64.2%
209
1989
56.3%
196 Below avg
1988
60.1%
248 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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