MOT performance
Nissan Micra diesel: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 12,534 MOT tests on diesel Nissan Micras in 2023–2024 (on average 10.7 years old at test, median 71,331 miles), 60.1% passed first time, against 64.1% of 490,065 petrol Nissan Micra tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, diesel Nissan Micras failed 31% more often than comparable cars — 1.31× against 1.16× for the Nissan Micra as a whole.
12,534 MOT tests on 6,475 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 60.1% | ±0.9 pts (95%), n = 12,534 |
| All Nissan Micras | 64.0% | n = 502,606 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.31× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Nissan Micra overall 1.16× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 8.7% | n = 12,534 |
| Average age at test | 10.7 years | n = 12,534 |
| Registration years covered | 2000–2020 | DVSA first-use date |
Diesel against the other Nissan Micra fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The diesel cars were tested 2.2 years younger on average than the petrol ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 490,065 | 12.9 yrs | 64.1% | +15% | 7.0% |
| Diesel | 12,534 | 10.7 yrs | 60.1% | +31% | 8.7% |
Where diesel Nissan Micras differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: diesel Nissan Micras failed 74% more often than the Nissan Micra overall, relative to comparable cars (1.29× vs 0.74×).
- Road wheels: diesel Nissan Micras failed 55% more often than the Nissan Micra overall, relative to comparable cars (1.67× vs 1.08×).
- Suspension: diesel Nissan Micras failed 51% more often than the Nissan Micra overall, relative to comparable cars (2.06× vs 1.37×).
- Body, chassis and structure: diesel Nissan Micras failed 51% less often than the Nissan Micra overall, relative to comparable cars (0.47× vs 0.97×).
| Area | Diesel (vs similar) | All Nissan Micras (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 21.5% (+106%) | 13.9% (+37%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 17.7% (+47%) | 17.6% (+35%) |
| Tyres | 7.0% (+9%) | 5.8% (Same) |
| Driver's view of the road | 6.6% (+37%) | 7.1% (+29%) |
| Brakes | 5.9% (-26%) | 6.6% (-12%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.2% (+29%) | 3.0% (-26%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 2.1% (-53%) | 4.2% (-3%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.9% (+44%) | 1.8% (+49%) |
| Steering | 1.2% (-46%) | 1.6% (-19%) |
Most common diesel Nissan Micra failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 9.18% |
| Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 6.57% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 5.05% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 4.83% |
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 3.62% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | diesel pass rate (tests) | petrol pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 78.1% (1,372) | 86.6% (28,814) |
| 5-6 | 67.3% (3,505) | 76.7% (40,460) |
| 7-8 | 63.2% (397) | 75.3% (47,884) |
| 9-10 | — | 69.3% (49,318) |
| 11-12 | 54.9% (545) | 63.5% (49,110) |
| 13-15 | 53.7% (4,728) | 60.5% (84,477) |
| 16+ | 50.9% (1,969) | 53.6% (179,608) |
Nissan Micra by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 1998 Nissan Micra · 53.5%
- 1999 Nissan Micra · 53.8%
- 2000 Nissan Micra · 51.7%
- 2001 Nissan Micra · 53.5%
- 2002 Nissan Micra · 54.1%
- 2003 Nissan Micra · 51.9%
- 2004 Nissan Micra · 51.9%
- 2005 Nissan Micra · 51.4%
- 2006 Nissan Micra · 55.0%
- 2007 Nissan Micra · 56.4%
- 2008 Nissan Micra · 59.9%
- 2009 Nissan Micra · 60.1%
- 2010 Nissan Micra · 60.6%
- 2011 Nissan Micra · 63.0%
- 2012 Nissan Micra · 64.2%
- 2013 Nissan Micra · 67.6%
- 2014 Nissan Micra · 71.8%
- 2015 Nissan Micra · 75.0%
- 2016 Nissan Micra · 77.2%
- 2017 Nissan Micra · 72.7%
- 2018 Nissan Micra · 79.1%
- 2019 Nissan Micra · 85.6%
- 2020 Nissan Micra · 89.7%
- 2021 Nissan Micra · 91.2%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific diesel Nissan Micra
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.