Is a Nissan Micra a good first car?
Yes: the ordinary 1.0 to 1.2 petrol Micra in Visia or Acenta trim is one of the cheapest and easiest-to-insure first cars, starting as low as insurance group 1.
The numbers*
| Insurance group | Group 1 to 12, depending on engine and trim. Ordinary 1.0 to 1.2 petrol versions mostly sit in group 1 to 9. |
|---|---|
| Typical used price | £4,900 to £8,600 on the used market (most trims and years) |
| Road tax | £35 to £200 a year depending on registration date, since the 2017 VED reform changed how it's calculated. Most post-2017 Micras pay the current flat rate, around £190 to £200. |
| Fuel economy | 46 to 66 mpg combined on the low-group 1.0 to 1.2 petrol engines (official, combined cycle), most commonly in the mid-to-high 50s |
| Euro NCAP rating | 4 stars (Euro NCAP); adult protection 84-91%, child protection 79%, pedestrian protection 58-68% depending on generation |
Ins grp 1 Nissan Micra 1.0 Visia 5dr
- Standard
- £1,224/yr
- Telematics
- £866/yr
Standard monthly £102/mo
Ins grp 5 Nissan Micra Acenta
- Standard
- £1,536/yr
- Telematics
- £1,086/yr
Standard monthly £128/mo
Labels go by monthly insurance: Manageable up to £150, Getting pricey £151 to £200, Danger zone over £200.
Why parents like it
Parts and servicing are widely available, since the Micra has been a UK staple for decades, and the ordinary petrol engines land in some of the lowest insurance groups on the used market. Group 1 is as cheap as it gets. Every generation still commonly for sale carries a 4-star Euro NCAP rating.
Why new drivers like it
It's light, easy to place on the road, and simple to learn on, with no unnecessary complexity, and common enough on the used market that there's real choice rather than settling for the only one available.
The catch
Insurance group doesn't rise in a straight line for the Micra: real quotes show group 1 and group 5 both cheap, and a group-7 quote came in cheaper than group 5, not more expensive. The ordinary range stays manageable throughout. The higher-group N-Sport and DIG-T versions are different, so get an exact quote before choosing one.
Which version to look for
Look for the 1.0 or 1.2 petrol in Visia or Acenta trim, commonly 2013 to 2019 registration: it's the most plentiful version on the used market and sits in group 1 to 9. Avoid anything badged N-Sport, IG-T with a turbo, or the newer 1.0 DIG-T performance variants, which climb into group 11-12.
* Sources: First Car Scout vehicle listing and insurance-group data (August 2026).