Nissan Micra years to avoid: 2001, 2017, 2018

Last updated · OBDCode UK editorial

Inspect most carefully: 2001, 2017, 2018. Strongest in the data: 2008 or 2009. The ranking uses 700,602 MOT test records across 22 qualifying registration-year cohorts in the 2023–2025 DVSA test extracts and compares each cohort with all UK cars of the same age. Counts are test records, not unique vehicles. Same-vehicle follow-up for common certificate lines on this model is further down: how often the same item failed the next year, and how often the car was not tested again. Fuel-type signal: diesels show an average 7.4-point pass-rate deficit on this model. That may reflect mileage and use as well as the car itself, so inspect DPF and emissions history rather than treating fuel type as a verdict.

Every Micra year, ranked

The age-adjusted MOT index sets 100 as the pass rate of all UK cars registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Higher is better. This prevents an old car being labelled a “bad year” simply because it is old.

RankYearIndexVs same-agePass rateTests
1 2008 Strong 104.1 +4.1 pts 69.2% 41,649
2 2009 Strong 103.7 +3.7 pts 70.1% 45,808
3 2010 103.0 +3.0 pts 70.4% 45,997
4 2011 102.9 +2.9 pts 72.1% 37,148
5 2021 102.4 +2.4 pts 92.8% 12,789
6 2006 102.1 +2.1 pts 66.5% 50,605
7 2015 102.1 +2.1 pts 80.8% 38,294
8 2022 102.1 +2.1 pts 93.3% 5,560
9 2007 102.0 +2.0 pts 67.1% 38,270
10 2014 101.7 +1.7 pts 77.6% 41,557
11 2012 101.1 +1.1 pts 72.3% 33,913
12 2013 100.8 +0.8 pts 74.1% 33,858
13 2016 100.7 +0.7 pts 82.0% 31,618
14 2020 99.9 -0.1 pts 89.8% 15,629
15 2004 98.9 -1.1 pts 63.2% 30,520
16 2005 98.6 -1.4 pts 63.1% 43,936
17 2019 98.2 -1.8 pts 86.6% 25,295
18 2003 97.4 -2.6 pts 62.4% 27,818
19 2002 96.6 -3.4 pts 62.3% 21,220
20 2001 Inspect 94.8 -5.2 pts 61.4% 12,273
21 2018 Inspect 92.6 -7.4 pts 79.0% 29,421
22 2017 Inspect 90.6 -9.4 pts 74.7% 37,424

Why 2001 and 2017 and 2018 rank lower

The 2001 cohort passes 61.4% of tests (-5.2 points versus same-age cars) at a median 63,208 miles, with brakes the leading failure system. The 2018 cohort passes 79.0% of tests (-7.4 points versus same-age cars) at a median 33,876 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. The 2017 cohort passes 74.7% of tests (-9.4 points versus same-age cars) at a median 37,202 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. This is population-level evidence, not a known-fault list: service history, engine version and the individual MOT record can outweigh the registration-year average.

What happened next on this model

Year rankings are age-adjusted pass rates. The figures below are a same-vehicle follow-up for certificate lines that appear often enough on this model (at least 200 cars). They are not a repair quote and they do not isolate a turbo, DSG, or clutch part.

National rankings for the not-retested gap: cars not tested again. Repair-hold rates: repairs that did not hold.

How to use this before buying

  • Rankings describe the cohort, not the car. A cherished 2001 example beats a neglected 2008 one — always run the specific reg through the free MOT history check.
  • Read the advisories. Repeated notes for the same component across years mean the owner has been ignoring it. Decode them in our advisory library.
  • Fuel matters on this model. The diesel deficit (7.4 points) usually traces to DPF and emissions kit on low-mileage use — check for P2463-type soot codes on the test drive.
  • Scan before you pay. A 2-minute OBD scan reveals stored faults the dashboard hides — see our scanner guide.

FAQs

Which Micra years should I avoid?

Based on 700,602 MOT tests adjusted against cars of the same age, 2001, 2017, 2018 are the lower-scoring outliers. That is a prompt for closer inspection, not proof that every car from those years is bad.

What is the best Micra year to buy used?

2008 and 2009 lead the age-adjusted MOT ranking. The score compares each registration year with all UK cars of the same age; the specific car's history and condition still take priority.

Is the Micra reliable overall?

Across 700,602 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 100.9 (100 equals the pass rate of all cars registered in the same year). Use the spread between years as one signal, then check the individual registration.

What data is required before a years-to-avoid guide is published?

We publish a guide only when a model has at least five registration-year cohorts old enough for a routine first MOT, each based on at least 1,500 Class 4 initial MOT tests pooled across the stated DVSA extract years, and at least 60,000 tests across those cohorts. From the models that pass those gates, this release includes the 220 models with the largest pooled samples. Retests are excluded.

How are the Strong and Inspect labels assigned?

Strong considers only the two highest-ranked registration-year cohorts and labels either one that is within 1.5 index points of the best. Inspect considers only the three lowest-ranked cohorts and labels a year only when its index is no higher than 100 and at least 2 points below the model median. Counts are MOT test records, not unique vehicles.

Methodology: index = 100 + the model-year cohort’s MOT pass-rate difference versus all UK vehicles registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Pass rate uses DVSA result codes (P + PRS) ÷ (P + PRS + F): passes and passes after rectification at the test divided by those outcomes plus failures. Class 4 initial-test records only; retests excluded; at least 1,500 records per registration-year cohort. “Strong” considers the top two cohorts within 1.5 index points of the best. “Inspect” considers only the bottom three cohorts, then requires an index no higher than 100 and at least 2 points below the model median. Counts are test records, not unique vehicles. Association is not proof of a model-year defect. Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.