Nissan Micra MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Micra appears in 1,593,964 MOT tests spanning model years 1983–2025, and 78.0% of them passed. Superminis of a similar age fail 23.6% of the time, so this is 1.6pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and visibility.
Best and worst Micra years
Ranked across Micra years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2022 (93.7% pass rate); the weakest is 2000 (69.2%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.2% of tests against 11.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 99,325 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.7% in the 0-30k band and 32.3% in the 150k+ band, a 21.6-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 21.9% fail against 24.5% for diesel, a 2.6-point gap across 1,593,926 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 28.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Micra model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 73 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Suspension |
| 1986 | 130 | 75.4% | 24.6% | Suspension |
| 1987 | 202 | 77.7% | 22.3% | Brakes |
| 1988 | 423 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Suspension |
| 1989 | 570 | 75.3% | 24.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 794 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 862 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 862 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 1,338 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 2,009 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 2,584 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 4,202 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 5,740 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 11,272 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 18,951 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 23,863 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 33,822 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 56,360 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 75,903 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 81,287 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 111,941 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 120,386 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 88,562 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 93,420 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 101,341 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 101,204 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 79,435 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 71,887 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 70,466 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 84,081 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 75,090 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 61,505 | 86.5% | 13.5% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 75,528 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 57,720 | 86.4% | 13.6% | Suspension |
| 2019 | 38,434 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Suspension |
| 2020 | 20,797 | 90.8% | 9.2% | Suspension |
| 2021 | 14,268 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 6,545 | 93.7% | 6.3% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 83 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.2% | 226,702 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.0% | 174,738 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.7% | 91,235 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.2% | 83,358 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.6% | 73,452 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.5% | 54,952 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 37,886 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.5% | 24,416 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 99,325 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 73,626 |
| 3 | Wipers | 72,468 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 63,837 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 63,093 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 59,156 |
| 7 | Coil spring | 48,977 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 42,508 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 28.0% | 445,500 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.6% | 423,751 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.5% | 311,184 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 158,693 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.0% | 142,885 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.2% | 115,481 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 302,250 | 10.7% |
| 30-60k | 524,395 | 19.9% |
| 60-90k | 427,412 | 26.0% |
| 90-120k | 231,371 | 29.5% |
| 120-150k | 80,400 | 31.5% |
| 150k+ | 26,290 | 32.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,552,407 | 21.9% |
| Diesel | 41,519 | 24.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 339,309 | 21.7% |
| 2022 | 328,669 | 21.5% |
| 2023 | 319,684 | 21.9% |
| 2024 | 308,152 | 22.3% |
| 2025 | 298,150 | 22.6% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Micra
- Lighting & signalling (14.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Visibility (5.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Micra?
78.0% of the 1,593,964 Nissan Micra MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.0% fail rate, across model years 1983–2025.
What does the Nissan Micra most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.2% of tests, then suspension (11.0%).
Which Micra years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 93.7% and 2000 the weakest at 69.2%, from 6,545 and 23,863 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Micra MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.3% for 150k+, a 21.6-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Micra more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 21.9% of the time against 24.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,593,964 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.