2016 Renault Captur — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 140,404 MOT tests, the 2016 Renault Captur recorded an 85.8% pass rate. Small SUVs of a similar age fail at 14.2%, so the 2016 Captur sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (5.9%) and tyres (5.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, tread depth and headlamp aim — ball joint alone was recorded 5,025 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.0% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (14.9% vs 13.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.9% | 8,266 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.2% | 7,319 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 6,083 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.2% | 5,916 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 4,406 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 971 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 5,025 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 4,038 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,418 |
| 4 | Wipers | 3,133 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 2,173 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 2,117 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 27.8% | 39,032 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 23,046 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.6% | 10,733 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.8% | 9,560 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 5,801 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.0% | 2,803 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 30,123 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 73,708 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 30,015 | 20.3% |
| 90-120k | 5,426 | 23.9% |
| 120-150k | 875 | 26.5% |
| 150k+ | 150 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 83,816 | 14.9% |
| Petrol | 56,588 | 13.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,747 | 9.5% |
| 2022 | 27,626 | 12.3% |
| 2023 | 28,237 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 28,545 | 16.2% |
| 2025 | 29,249 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Captur
On a 2016 Captur, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (5.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (5.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Renault Capturs pass their MOT?
85.8% of the 140,404 2016 Renault Captur MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Renault Captur?
Suspension, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by tyres (5.2%).
Does the 2016 Captur get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 22.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 140,404 MOT tests. 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.