Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2020 Nissan Micra?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2020 Nissan Micra?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2020 Nissan Micra?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2020 Nissan Micra reliable?

Based on MOT data from 5,177 vehicles, the 2020 Nissan Micra has a first-time MOT pass rate of 90.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2020 Nissan Micra?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2020 Nissan Micra are: Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (37% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (36.4% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (22.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2020 Nissan Micra?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Nissan Micra (2020)

5,177 real MOT outcomes analysed • 90.9% first-time pass rate

2020 Nissan Micra

CarHunch analysed 5,177 real MOT records for the 2020 Nissan Micra. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2020 Nissan Micra is significantly more reliable than average, with a 90.9% first-time pass rate compared to the UK average of 80%—a rare 11-point advantage that shows this generation is well-built. Only 9.7% of these cars have ever suffered a dangerous defect, which is reassuringly low and well below the threshold that would concern buyers.

At just over 20,000 miles median, these cars are still relatively young and lightly driven, so the 0.4 average failures per vehicle reflects their genuine durability rather than just low mileage. The 3.6 advisories per car are minor wear items you'd expect at this age—check suspension and brake components during your pre-purchase inspection, but don't let routine advisories put you off what is plainly a dependable hatchback.

The 2020 Nissan Micra passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (90.9% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

90.9%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

9.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.4

Over 3.5 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

20k

Middle half: 13k–29k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 90.9% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 3.6 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 5,177 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 5,177 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 37%

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Suspension & steering 20.7%

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement · Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement · Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil · …

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Brake wear 11%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 4.3%

Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2020.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 5,177 Nissan Micra cars.

Before you buy a 2020 Nissan Micra

Based on MOT data from 5,177 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 9.7% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (99%)	5,151	90.9%	0.4

Colour Breakdown

Based on 822,413 Nissan Micra vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Red 23.6%

194,408

Blue 20.1%

165,562

Silver 17.6%

144,497

White 10.3%

84,375

Grey 8.3%

67,892

Black 7.4%

60,469

Green 6.9%

56,922

Gold 1.7%

14,385

Purple 1.5%

12,441

Beige 1.4%

11,534

Orange 0.7%

5,530

Turquoise 0.5%

4,398

Mileage Distribution

Most 2020 Nissan Micra vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

20,094

typical

13,235

low mileage

28,588

high mileage

Half of all 2020 Nissan Micra vehicles fall between 13,235 and 28,588 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 13,235 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 13,235–28,588 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2020 Nissan Micras sit.

⚠ Over 38,593 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2020 Nissan Micra — Still on the Road

Almost all 2020 Nissan Micras are still on the road.

Strong survival — 5,066 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 100% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2022–2025.

MOT History Averages

3.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.4

Avg failures per vehicle

3.6

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Nissan Micra: All Micra years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2020 Nissan Micra stacks up against a rival.

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