Nissan Micra MOT pass rate

In 2023, the Nissan Micra passed 64.2% of its first MOT tests, from 254,909 tests in Great Britain. That is 7.2 points below the 71.4% average for all cars, taxis and light vans.

Pass rate64.2%
Tests in 2023254,909
Average age13.3 yrs
Average mileage60,658
Rank (of 100)86

Most common Nissan Micra MOT failures

The area that failed most often was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, affecting 17.7% of tests. The red line shows the average for all cars.

Share of Nissan Micra tests failing in each area
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 17.7% vs 11.3%
  • Suspension 13.6% vs 8.9%
  • Visibility 7.0% vs 4.8%
  • Brakes 6.6% vs 6.8%
  • Tyres 5.7% vs 6.3%
  • Body, chassis, structure 4.2% vs 3.4%
  • Noise, emissions and leaks 3.0% vs 3.1%
  • Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 1.9% vs 1.0%

Average for all cars

Components that failed most often
  • Headlamp aim 5.6% vs 3.3%
  • Position lamp 5.1% vs 2.8%
  • Registration plate lamp(s) 4.6% vs 1.3%
  • Wipers 4.1% vs 2.2%
  • Headlamp 3.7% vs 2.2%
  • Coil spring 3.5% vs 2.6%
  • Pins and bushes 3.5% vs 1.4%
  • Tyres: condition 3.1% vs 3.7%

Average for all cars

Top reasons for failure

Reason for failureShare of tests
Position lamp: Not working4.7%
Registration plate lamp(s): Inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps3.9%
Wipers: Does not clear the windscreen effectively3.9%
Coil spring: Fractured or broken3.5%
Headlamp aim: Projected beam image is obviously incorrect3.2%
Pins and bushes: Pin or bush excessively worn3.1%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.4%
Ball joint excessively worn2.3%
Stop lamp: Not working1.9%
Washers: Provides insufficient washer liquid1.8%

Nissan Micra pass rate by age

The pass rate changes with age: 85.8% for cars aged 3 to 5 years and 54.7% for those aged 15 years or more. Older cars usually fail more often because parts like suspension, brakes and exhausts wear with time and mileage.

First-time pass rate by vehicle age
  • 3 to 5 years 85.8% vs 71.4%
  • 6 to 9 years 75.5% vs 71.4%
  • 10 to 14 years 63.5% vs 71.4%
  • 15 years or more 54.7% vs 71.4%

Average for all cars (71.4%)

Pass rate by fuel type

FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol248,37864.3%
Diesel6,52160.0%

Most common Nissan Micra advisories

Advisories do not fail the test, but they often become failures by the next MOT. These were noted most often:

Share of tests with an advisory in each area
  • Tread depth 15.6%
  • Pins and bushes 14.2%
  • Tyres: condition 14.1%
  • Brake discs 9.4%
  • Coil spring 7.9%
  • Engine oil leaks 6.0%
  • Vehicle 5.0%
  • Brake pads 4.9%

See MOT advisories explained for what to do about them.

How we worked this out

These figures come from DVSA's anonymised MOT testing data for 2023, covering every class 4 MOT test in Great Britain (cars, taxis and light vans). We count normal tests only, not retests. A test counts as a first-time pass if the vehicle passed without any repairs. Tests where defects were fixed at the test centre within an hour (PRS) count as fails, in line with DVSA's own statistics. Failure areas show the share of tests with at least one failure in that area, so the figures add up to more than the fail rate.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, Open Government Licence v3.0. Model names are as recorded at the test.

Other Nissan models

Similar popular models

See MOT pass rates for all 100 models

Frequently asked questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Micra?

In 2023, 64.2% of Nissan Micra MOT tests were passed first time, from 254,909 tests in Great Britain. The average for all cars, taxis and light vans was 71.4%.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Nissan Micra?

The most common failure area was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, which caused 17.7% of tests to fail. Next came suspension (13.6%) and visibility (7.0%).

Is the Nissan Micra reliable at its MOT?

Its first-time pass rate of 64.2% is 7.2 points below the average and ranks 86 of the 100 most-tested models. Age and mileage matter more than the model, so always check the history of the car you are buying.

How do I check a Nissan Micra's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free MOT history check. You will see every test, the mileage at each test and all failures and advisories.