Renault Clio MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 36 model years and 2,247,908 tests, the Renault Clio passes its MOT 72.8% of the time. Against superminis of a similar age (21.7% fail rate), the Clio comes out 5.5pp worse. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst Clio years
Ranked across Clio years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 91.3% of 2022 examples pass against 67.3% of 2005 ones.
No single area dominates — suspension (14.5%) and lighting & signalling (14.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, ball joint and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 169,158 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.0% in the 0-30k band and 34.1% in the 150k+ band, a 21.1-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 9.2% fail against 27.9% for diesel, a 18.7-point gap across 480,389 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Clio model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 56 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Visibility |
| 1992 | 204 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Suspension |
| 1993 | 402 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 984 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 1,275 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 1,254 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 1,076 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 2,203 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 5,039 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 9,793 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 18,328 | 69.4% | 30.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 31,095 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 47,556 | 67.8% | 32.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 69,236 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 82,438 | 67.3% | 32.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 132,247 | 67.8% | 32.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 166,999 | 68.0% | 32.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 129,357 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 127,580 | 69.0% | 30.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 176,621 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 129,420 | 69.0% | 31.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 107,037 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 138,345 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 180,037 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 162,575 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 144,541 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 118,010 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 116,427 | 84.5% | 15.5% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 80,377 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 37,014 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 20,767 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 9,009 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 581 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.5% | 326,920 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 325,825 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.7% | 173,153 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.2% | 138,289 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.9% | 133,856 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.6% | 103,586 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.7% | 84,152 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 49,996 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 169,158 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 145,556 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 127,845 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 114,834 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 93,514 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 85,816 |
| 7 | Washers | 81,975 |
| 8 | Wipers | 75,806 |
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 | 29.1% | 655,238 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.8% | 580,665 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.9% | 380,346 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.8% | 242,412 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 229,653 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.1% | 158,772 |
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 | 280,371 | 13.0% |
| 30-60k | 669,575 | 23.7% |
| 60-90k | 693,490 | 30.7% |
| 90-120k | 418,949 | 33.3% |
| 120-150k | 140,829 | 34.1% |
| 150k+ | 41,406 | 34.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,767,496 | 27.1% |
| Diesel | 472,789 | 27.9% |
| Hybrid | 7,600 | 9.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 482,905 | 27.0% |
| 2022 | 470,027 | 26.9% |
| 2023 | 454,748 | 27.3% |
| 2024 | 430,532 | 27.3% |
| 2025 | 409,696 | 27.5% |
What to check before buying a Renault Clio
- Suspension (14.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (14.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.7% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Renault Clio?
72.8% of the 2,247,908 Renault Clio MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 27.2% fail rate, across model years 1990–2025.
What does the Renault Clio most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 14.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (14.5%).
Which Clio years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.3% and 2005 the weakest at 67.3%, from 9,009 and 82,438 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Clio MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.1% for 150k+, a 21.1-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Clio more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 9.2% of the time against 27.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,247,908 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.