Nissan Primera (1994)
1994 Nissan Primera
CarHunch analysed 11,388 real MOT records for the 1994 Nissan Primera. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 1994 Nissan Primera is a struggling proposition: its 62.3% first-time pass rate trails the UK average by nearly 18 percentage points, and 14.6% of these cars have recorded dangerous defects at some point—a meaningful safety concern for a vehicle now 30 years old. Petrol and diesel variants perform almost identically (62.2% and 63.1% respectively), so fuel choice won't improve your odds.
At 106,000 miles median, these Primeras show typical wear for their age, but the real issue is reliability breadth: averaging 1.77 failures and 4.1 advisories per test tells you corrosion, worn suspension, and brake issues are endemic rather than isolated problems. If you're considering one, budget for immediate work on structural and brake components, and walk away if the last MOT shows more than two failures.
What to check before buying a 1994 Nissan Primera
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a Nissan Primera
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (92%) | 10,448 | 62.2% | 1.8 |
| Diesel (8%) | 937 | 63.1% | 1.52 |
| LPG (0%) | 2 | 81.8% | 2 |
| CNG (0%) | 1 | 50% | 2 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1994 Nissan Primera vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 1994 Nissan Primera vehicles fall between 87,287 and 127,252 miles.
1994 Nissan Primera — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 24 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2022 (7% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2022.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 1994 Nissan Primera
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
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32.5%
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements
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21.2%
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded
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17.1%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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16.8%
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded
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16.2%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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15.4%
Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded
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14.6%
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
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14.1%
Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1994. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Nissan Primera?
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