Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2017 Nissan Note?

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 2017 Nissan Note?

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 2017 Nissan Note?

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 2017 Nissan Note reliable?

Based on MOT data from 5,198 vehicles, the 2017 Nissan Note has a first-time MOT pass rate of 89.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2017 Nissan Note?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2017 Nissan Note are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (40% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (35.6% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (26.7% 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 2017 Nissan Note?

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.

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Nissan Note (2017)

5,198 real MOT outcomes analysed • 89.5% first-time pass rate

2017 Nissan Note

CarHunch analysed 5,198 real MOT records for the 2017 Nissan Note. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2017 Nissan Note is more reliable than average, with an 89.5% first-time pass rate that significantly beats the UK average of 80%—though nearly one in five examples have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is worth taking seriously. Petrol models edge ahead of diesels (90% versus 87.7% pass rates), suggesting better longevity in the petrol lineup.

These cars are running relatively low mileage for their age, with a median of just 28,805 miles, so you're likely looking at genuine family runabouts rather than high-use fleet vehicles. The typical Note picks up 0.86 failures and 5.8 advisories per test, indicating minor wear rather than structural problems—but when buying one used, get a pre-purchase inspection that specifically checks for brake and suspension issues, which dominate the advisory list.

The 2017 Nissan Note passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (89.5%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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

89.5%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

18.5%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.86

Over 7.2 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

29k

Middle half: 20k–39k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 89.5% 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 5.8 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 5,198 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.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 5,198 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 40%

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

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

Brake wear 21.6%

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

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

Suspension & steering 20.5%

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement · Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement

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

Other issues 10.6%

Oil leak, but not excessive · Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2017.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 5,198 Nissan Note cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.3 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

90%

Petrol

4,102 vehicles

87.7%

Diesel

1,076 vehicles

Before you buy a 2017 Nissan Note

Based on MOT data from 5,198 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 18.5% 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

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (79%)	4,102	90%	0.81
Diesel (21%)	1,076	87.7%	1.05

Colour Breakdown

Based on 179,519 Nissan Note vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 21.6%

38,715

Silver 16.6%

29,730

Black 15.8%

28,316

Red 15.6%

28,006

Grey 10.9%

19,635

White 9.3%

16,641

Beige 8.2%

14,649

Orange 1.4%

2,494

Gold 0.3%

588

Yellow 0.3%

524

Brown 0.1%

147

Maroon 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2017 Nissan Note 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.

28,805

typical

20,328

low mileage

39,401

high mileage

Half of all 2017 Nissan Note vehicles fall between 20,328 and 39,401 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 20,328 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.

✓ 20,328–39,401 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2017 Nissan Notes sit.

⚠ Over 53,191 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2017 Nissan Note — Still on the Road

Almost all 2017 Nissan Notes are still on the road.

Strong survival — 5,026 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 98% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

7.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.86

Avg failures per vehicle

5.8

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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Compare with another model

See how the 2017 Nissan Note stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?