Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2016 Nissan Pulsar?

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 2016 Nissan Pulsar?

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 2016 Nissan Pulsar?

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.

How many 2016 Nissan Pulsar vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

38% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2016 Nissan Pulsar reliable?

Based on MOT data from 6,375 vehicles, the 2016 Nissan Pulsar has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.6%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2016 Nissan Pulsar?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2016 Nissan Pulsar are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (45.1% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (41.6% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (36.7% 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 2016 Nissan Pulsar?

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 Pulsar (2016)

6,375 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.6% first-time pass rate

2016 Nissan Pulsar

CarHunch analysed 6,375 real MOT records for the 2016 Nissan Pulsar. 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 2016 Nissan Pulsar passes its MOT first time at 85.6%, comfortably ahead of the UK average of 80%, which is a genuinely positive sign for reliability. However, 37.7% of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point in their MOT history—well above the threshold for comfort—so structural, brake, and emission issues warrant particular attention during inspection. Petrol models are notably more robust than diesels, with an 87.3% pass rate versus 82.8%, suggesting the petrol engine is the safer choice used.

At 36,278 miles median and 44,701 average, these eight-year-old Pulsars sit in a sensible mileage sweet spot for their age, and the 1.33 average failures per vehicle indicate problems tend to be manageable rather than systemic. Before you buy, insist on a full pre-purchase inspection that specifically checks suspension, brakes, and emission controls—the advisory count of 8.4 per car suggests wear and minor faults crop up regularly, but catching them early beats inheriting someone else's deferred maintenance.

The 2016 Nissan Pulsar has a decent first-time pass rate (85.6%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 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

85.6%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

37.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.33

Over 8.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

36k

Middle half: 26k–48k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 85.6% 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 8.4 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 6,375 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.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 6,375 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 45.1%

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 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 36.7%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear 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%

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

Suspension & steering 11%

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.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2016.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 6,375 Nissan Pulsar cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 4.5 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

87.3%

Petrol

3,945 vehicles

82.8%

Diesel

2,429 vehicles

Before you buy a 2016 Nissan Pulsar

Based on MOT data from 6,375 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 37.7% 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 (62%)	3,945	87.3%	1.15
Diesel (38%)	2,429	82.8%	1.62

Colour Breakdown

Based on 22,495 Nissan Pulsar vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 21.2%

4,759

White 17.7%

3,972

Grey 17.5%

3,937

Black 16%

3,601

Red 15.4%

3,457

Silver 9.3%

2,092

Beige 1.5%

342

Bronze 1.3%

289

Purple 0.1%

Green 0.1%

Brown 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2016 Nissan Pulsar 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.

36,278

typical

26,401

low mileage

47,683

high mileage

Half of all 2016 Nissan Pulsar vehicles fall between 26,401 and 47,683 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 26,401 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.

✓ 26,401–47,683 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2016 Nissan Pulsars sit.

⚠ Over 64,372 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2016 Nissan Pulsar — Still on the Road

Almost all 2016 Nissan Pulsars are still on the road.

Strong survival — 5,881 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 96% 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

8.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.33

Avg failures per vehicle

8.4

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

1991 1992 1993 2014 2015 2017 2018

Or browse all models: Nissan →

Compare with another model

See how the 2016 Nissan Pulsar stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing