Renault Espace MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 38 model years and 12,490 tests, the Renault Espace passes its MOT 69.3% of the time. That is 2.2 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 28.5%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Espace years
Ranked across Espace 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
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2005 cars pass 70.6% of the time while 2007 cars manage 67.1%, a 3.6-point spread.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (15.6%) and suspension (14.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, track rod end and ball joint — headlamp aim alone was recorded 912 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 27.8% in the 0-30k band and 32.5% in the 150k+ band, a 4.6-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 29.6% of the time against 31.0% for diesel.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 33.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Espace model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 127 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Brakes |
| 1994 | 152 | 80.9% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 118 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 128 | 66.4% | 33.6% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 112 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 158 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 162 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 206 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2002 | 603 | 66.8% | 33.2% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 446 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 767 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,011 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,260 | 68.3% | 31.8% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 2,724 | 67.1% | 32.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,619 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 1,002 | 67.6% | 32.4% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 877 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 645 | 69.2% | 30.9% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 152 | 71.0% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 34 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.6% | 1,952 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.7% | 1,841 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.5% | 1,556 |
| 4 | Steering | 7.1% | 891 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.5% | 810 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.4% | 679 |
| 7 | Visibility | 5.0% | 620 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 420 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 912 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 845 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 799 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 708 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 618 |
| 6 | Joints | 584 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 466 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 396 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 33.4% | 4,174 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.1% | 3,761 |
| 3 | Suspension | 29.5% | 3,682 |
| 4 | Other defects | 24.1% | 3,011 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 17.5% | 2,189 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 14.5% | 1,817 |
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 | 133 | 27.8% |
| 30-60k | 580 | 24.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,194 | 27.8% |
| 90-120k | 3,618 | 30.9% |
| 120-150k | 3,136 | 32.1% |
| 150k+ | 2,798 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,805 | 31.0% |
| Petrol | 2,685 | 29.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,671 | 30.7% |
| 2022 | 2,970 | 30.3% |
| 2023 | 2,418 | 30.3% |
| 2024 | 1,954 | 32.2% |
| 2025 | 1,477 | 30.1% |
What to check before buying a Renault Espace
- Lighting & signalling (15.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.7% 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.
- Brakes (12.5% 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 Espace?
69.3% of the 12,490 Renault Espace MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 30.7% fail rate, across model years 1986–2023.
What does the Renault Espace most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.6% of tests, then suspension (14.7%).
Which Espace years are best and worst for MOT results?
2005 has the best pass rate at 70.6% and 2007 the weakest at 67.1%, from 1,011 and 2,724 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Espace MOT results?
Fail rates run at 27.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.5% for 150k+, a 4.6-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Espace more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 29.6% of the time against 31.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,490 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.