Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2021 Nissan Navara?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2021 Nissan Navara?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2021 Nissan Navara?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2021 Nissan Navara reliable?

Based on MOT data from 7,500 vehicles, the 2021 Nissan Navara has a first-time MOT pass rate of 89.7%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2021 Nissan Navara?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2021 Nissan Navara are: Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21.1% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (19.3% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (17.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2021 Nissan Navara?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

CarHunch

Get Started

Nissan Navara (2021)

7,500 real MOT outcomes analysed • 89.7% first-time pass rate

2021 Nissan Navara

CarHunch analysed 7,500 real MOT records for the 2021 Nissan Navara. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 Nissan Navara is a reliable workhorse, passing its MOT first time in 88.7% of cases—well above the UK average of 80%—and dangerous defects are uncommon at 8.8%. This is a solidly dependable truck for its age.

At under 48,000 miles on average, these Navaras show typical mileage for a three-year-old vehicle and aren't wearing out early. When failures do happen, they're rare (0.32 per vehicle), though advisories are more frequent at 1.7 per car, suggesting regular maintenance items rather than serious trouble—so budget for routine upkeep and have any advisory items checked by a trusted mechanic before they escalate.

The 2021 Nissan Navara passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (89.7% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

89.7%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

8.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.32

Over 2.3 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

43k

Middle half: 30k–61k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 89.7% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 1.7 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 7,500 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

A solid choice — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 7,500 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 21.1%

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 16.1%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 14.2%

Oil leak, but not excessive · Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction · …

Suspension & steering 7.6%

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken · Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2021.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 7,500 Nissan Navara cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Nissan Navara

Based on MOT data from 7,500 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 8.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 125,950 Nissan Navara vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 32.8%

41,345

Grey 22.8%

28,722

Silver 18%

22,708

Blue 10.1%

12,687

White 9.9%

12,506

Red 2.8%

3,523

Yellow 1.4%

1,777

Green 1.2%

1,449

Bronze 0.6%

716

Beige 0.3%

343

Orange 0.1%

111

Brown 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Nissan Navara vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

42,929

typical

30,115

low mileage

61,430

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Nissan Navara vehicles fall between 30,115 and 61,430 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 30,115 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 30,115–61,430 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Nissan Navaras sit.

⚠ Over 82,930 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

MOT History Averages

2.3

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.32

Avg failures per vehicle

1.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Nissan Navara: All Navara years → Which year to buy? →

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022

Or browse all models: Nissan →

Compare with another model

See how the 2021 Nissan Navara stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?