Nissan Micra MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Nissan Micra MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Nissan Micra passed on its first attempt in 72.3%, and its overall record sits −3.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Nissan Micra in the 2023–2025 data: 880,356 tests across 24 model years (2000–2023). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Nissan Micra MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Nissan Micra, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Nissan Micra's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Nissan Micra DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Nissan Micra, each with how many of the model's 880,356 tests it was noted on.

• "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 26,454 Nissan Micra tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 25,763 Nissan Micra tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 24,295 Nissan Micra tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 20,369 Nissan Micra tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 19,763 Nissan Micra tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps" (Rectified) — noted on about 18,932 Nissan Micra tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Nissan Micra Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Nissan Micra model year on record is 2022 (93.8% across 5,654 tests), and the weakest is 2000 (69.4%). The gap between them is 24.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Nissan Micra reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.4 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Nissan Micra Owners

These checks follow this Nissan Micra's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Nissan Micra.

• the suspension joints — “pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

• the lights — “position lamp not working”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”

  Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Nissan Micra. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Nissan Micra MOT & Reliability