How Safe Is the New Nissan MICRA? Euro NCAP Explained
Is the New Nissan MICRA Safe? Its Euro NCAP Rating Explained
The all-electric Nissan MICRA has a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating, with full marks in side impact tests. It scored 80% for adult occupants and 80% for child occupants, both at Euro NCAP's five-star level, and 77% for pedestrians and cyclists, seven points above it. Its safety assist score came within two points of five stars.
The Nissan MICRA's Euro NCAP scores
Category | MICRA score | Five-star level | |
|---|---|---|---|
Adult occupant protection | 80% | 80% | At the five-star level |
Child occupant protection | 80% | 80% | At the five-star level |
Vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists) | 77% | 70% | 7 points above |
Safety assist | 68% | 70% | Within 2 points |
Overall rating | Four stars |
Find out more about the Nissan MICRA
How close was the MICRA to five stars?
Very close. Euro NCAP awards five stars only when a car reaches the five-star level in all four of its categories, and the MICRA reached it in three. For cars tested in 2023 and 2024, that level was 80% for adult occupants, 80% for child occupants, 70% for vulnerable road users and 70% for safety assist.
How a Euro NCAP rating works - Cars are scored in four categories. To earn five stars, a car has to reach the minimum in every one of them, not just on average.
The MICRA hit 80% for both adults and children and went seven points past the bar for pedestrians and cyclists. Safety assist, which covers driver assistance systems such as automatic emergency braking and lane support, came in at 68%, two points from the five-star mark.
In other words, the MICRA's crash protection scores sit at the five-star level. The fifth star came down to one category of driver assistance tests, and a margin of two points.
Why the MICRA shares its rating with the Renault 5
The new MICRA is a close relative of the Renault 5, and the two share a practically identical structure. Euro NCAP confirmed that the Renault 5's results apply to the MICRA and ran extra MICRA tests where needed, including pedestrian tests. That extra testing is why the MICRA's pedestrian and cyclist score (77%) is a point higher than the Renault 5's (76%).
The MICRA has its own Nissan design inside and out, and comes with Nissan's warranty and servicing.
Where the MICRA shines
Nissan MICRA safety highlights What Euro NCAP's tests found the new MICRA does well.
Euro NCAP's assessment picked out a strong set of results:
- Full marks in side impacts. The MICRA scored maximum points in this part of the assessment.
- Strong protection for pedestrians and cyclists, at 77%, comfortably above the five-star level.
- Well-rated emergency braking. The automatic emergency braking system performed well in tests against other vehicles and against motorcyclists.
- Good whiplash protection in rear impacts.
- Help after a crash. An advanced eCall system alerts the emergency services automatically, and a further system helps prevent a second impact after the first.
- Family-friendly details. The front passenger airbag can be switched off for a rear-facing child seat, and the car shows the driver clearly whether it is on or off.
Good to know: Euro NCAP found that not every child seat fits the rear centre seat, so the two outer rear seats are the place for child seats. Its full report also lists the areas behind the safety assist score, and our team is happy to talk you through them on a test drive
Find out more about the Nissan MICRA
How the MICRA compares with other small cars
The MICRA has the highest pedestrian and cyclist protection score of the six small electric cars below, and matches the Renault 5 for adults and children. It is also 10 points ahead of the Hyundai Inster for adult occupant protection.
How the MICRA compares with other small cars - The highest score of these six small cars for protecting pedestrians and cyclists, level with the Renault 5 for adults and children, and ten points ahead of the Hyundai Inster for adult protection.
Car | Stars | Tested | Adult | Child | Pedestrians and cyclists | Safety assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nissan MICRA | 4 | 2024 | 80% | 80% | 77% | 68% |
Renault 5 | 4 | 2024 | 80% | 80% | 76% | 68% |
Alpine A290 | 4 | 2024 | 80% | 80% | 76% | 68% |
Renault 4 E-Tech | 4 | 2024 | 79% | 85% | 73% | 68% |
Hyundai Inster | 4 | 2025 | 70% | 81% | 70% | 67% |
BYD Dolphin Surf | 5 | 2025 | 82% | 86% | 76% | 77% |
What the table shows:
- Best in the group for pedestrians and cyclists. At 77%, the MICRA leads all six cars, including the five-star BYD Dolphin Surf.
- Level with the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 for adult and child protection.
- Ahead of the Renault 4 and Hyundai Inster for adult occupant protection.
It is worth comparing cars tested in the same period, as Euro NCAP's tests get tougher every few years. For 2026 it introduced its biggest change in more than a decade, and says 2026 ratings are not directly comparable with those from 2025 or earlier.
Five stars across the Nissan range
The JUKE, Qashqai and X-Trail all hold five-star Euro NCAP ratings. Euro NCAP stars across the Nissan range: The JUKE, Qashqai and X-Trail hold five stars. The all-new LEAF had not been rated at the time of writing.
Nissan | Stars | Tested | Adult | Child | Pedestrians and cyclists | Safety assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nissan JUKE | 5 | 2019 | 94% | 85% | 81% | 73% |
Nissan Qashqai | 5 | 2021 | 91% | 91% | 70% | 95% |
Nissan X-Trail | 5 | 2022 | 87% | 87% | 70% | 95% |
The all-new LEAF had not been rated by Euro NCAP at the time of writing; the previous-generation LEAF earned five stars in 2018.
Whichever Nissan suits you, from the compact electric MICRA to the seven-seat X-Trail, our team can talk you through the safety technology on each. If you would like a five-star small SUV, the Nissan JUKE sits in the same showroom.
Find out more about the Nissan MICRA
A MICRA safety story that goes back years
The MICRA has a strong safety record. The fifth-generation petrol MICRA, launched in 2017, earned five stars from Euro NCAP when fitted with Nissan's Safety Pack. Nissan said at the time that the pack added pedestrian recognition to the emergency braking and a lane intervention system that was a first in its class, and The Car Expert reported that the five-star rating applied to all UK models.
Euro NCAP has raised the bar a lot since then, particularly for driver assistance. Today's four-star MICRA carries far more safety technology than cars rated several years ago, which is why ratings from different years are best not compared directly.
What safety technology does the new MICRA have?
Every new MICRA has automatic emergency braking, which Euro NCAP rated well, and an advanced eCall system. From the Advance grade, it adds adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning, a rear camera and front parking sensors. The top Evolve adds ProPILOT driver assistance, which helps with steering, speed and distance on the motorway.
The best way to get a feel for it is to try it. On a test drive, ask us to show you how the lane support and adaptive cruise work and how to set them up to suit you.
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