Comparison · family SUVs

Nissan Qashqai vs Land Rover Discovery Sport: which is more reliable?

The Land Rover Discovery Sport does better at the MOT, with a score of 101 against 92 for the Nissan Qashqai, comparing each with cars of the same age. Based on 669,246 real MOT tests in 2024.

By age

MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).

Age at test	Nissan Qashqai	Land Rover Discovery Sport
3–5 years	102Above average	96Below average
6–9 years	99About average	104Above average
10–14 years	83Well below average	–
15+ years	75Well below average	–

Year by year

Share that passed first time, same registration year.

Year	Nissan Qashqai	Land Rover Discovery Sport
2021	89.9%	82.9%
2020	89.7%	82.0%
2019	85.7%	82.5%
2018	82.3%	82.7%
2017	79.6%	81.8%
2016	75.7%	80.2%
2015	72.0%	80.1%

Problem areas

Failure items per 100 tests.

Area	Nissan Qashqai	Land Rover Discovery Sport
Lights & electrics	13.5	5.6
Suspension	16.7	1.9
Brakes	11.0	4.1
Tyres	6.4	6.7
Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)	5.2	3.8
Steering	6.4	0.1
Emissions & leaks	2.9	2.8
Body & chassis	4.6	0.5

Nissan Qashqai: top failures

Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play4.8%
Suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn4.4%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.9%
Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.1%
Position lamp: not working2.8%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.7%

Land Rover Discovery Sport: top failures

Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.5%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.3%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.9%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.8%
Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed1.3%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.2%

Questions

Which is more reliable, the Nissan Qashqai or the Land Rover Discovery Sport?

The Land Rover Discovery Sport does better at the MOT, with a score of 101 against 92 for the Nissan Qashqai, comparing each with cars of the same age.

Which years of the Nissan Qashqai and Land Rover Discovery Sport can be compared?

Both were tested for 7 registration years (2015–2021). The Nissan Qashqai had the higher pass rate in 3 of them and the Land Rover Discovery Sport in 4.

What fails most on each?

Nissan Qashqai: track rod end: ball joint has excessive play; suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn. Land Rover Discovery Sport: tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords; wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively.