Renault Clio vs Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo has the better MOT record of the two — 21.2% fail rate versus 27.2% for the Renault Clio across comparable years. The biggest single difference is suspension, where the Clio records failures noticeably more often.
27.2%
Clio fail rate
21.2%
Polo fail rate
6.02pp
Difference
Side by side
| Metric | Renault Clio | Volkswagen Polo |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests analysed | 2,247,908 | 3,845,054 |
| Pass rate | 72.8% | 78.8% |
| Fail rate | 27.2% | 21.2% |
Where they differ
| Category | Clio | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 14.5% | 8.3% |
| Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 10.8% |
| Visibility | 6.2% | 4.8% |
| Brakes | 7.7% | 6.7% |
| Tyres | 5.9% | 5.1% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.