2006 Renault Espace — MOT failures & pass rate
1,260 MOT tests on the 2006 Renault Espace are in this dataset, and 68.3% of them passed. That is 2.1 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 29.6%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 17.9% of tests against 13.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, ball joint and track rod end — coil spring alone was recorded 99 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 27.7% in the 30-60k band and 32.5% in the 150k+ band, a 4.8-point spread.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 34.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.3% in 2021 to 29.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 17.9% | 225 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 175 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.5% | 157 |
| 4 | Steering | 7.1% | 90 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 79 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.4% | 68 |
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 | 99 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 94 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 89 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 72 |
| 5 | Joints | 63 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 58 |
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 | 34.9% | 440 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.5% | 384 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.7% | 374 |
| 4 | Other defects | 28.3% | 357 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 18.0% | 227 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 17.6% | 222 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 47 | 27.7% |
| 60-90k | 247 | 31.2% |
| 90-120k | 364 | 28.3% |
| 120-150k | 309 | 35.9% |
| 150k+ | 283 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 997 | 32.4% |
| Petrol | 263 | 29.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 420 | 33.3% |
| 2022 | 307 | 31.9% |
| 2023 | 230 | 29.6% |
| 2024 | 181 | 32.0% |
| 2025 | 122 | 29.5% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Espace
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 17.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (17.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (13.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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
How many 2006 Renault Espaces pass their MOT?
68.3% of the 1,260 2006 Renault Espace MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Renault Espace?
Suspension, recorded in 17.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.9%).
Does the 2006 Espace get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 27.7% in the 30-60k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,260 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.