Renault Koleos MOT pass rate & common failures
The Renault Koleos appears in 21,719 MOT tests spanning model years 2006–2021, and 80.2% of them passed. That is 2.7 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Koleos years
Ranked across Koleos 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: 2018 cars pass 89.0% of the time while 2009 cars manage 68.6%, a 20.4-point spread.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.9%) and suspension (8.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, brake pads and position lamp — track rod end alone was recorded 1,175 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 34.4% versus 7.4%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 27.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.9% in 2021 to 18.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Koleos model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,944 | 69.5% | 30.4% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 6,552 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 565 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 3,809 | 86.6% | 13.4% | Brakes |
| 2018 | 5,223 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 3,530 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 54 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 1,939 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.9% | 1,928 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.1% | 1,323 |
| 4 | Steering | 4.9% | 1,070 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.3% | 934 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 774 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 679 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 452 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 1,175 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 975 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 966 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 825 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 822 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 737 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 603 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 590 |
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 | 27.6% | 5,994 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.5% | 5,530 |
| 3 | Suspension | 23.0% | 4,993 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.1% | 2,849 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 1,390 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.5% | 1,205 |
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 | 3,441 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 6,801 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 4,224 | 21.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,823 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,419 | 32.0% |
| 150k+ | 993 | 34.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 21,671 | 19.8% |
| Petrol | 48 | 27.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,262 | 20.9% |
| 2022 | 4,930 | 20.1% |
| 2023 | 4,552 | 19.7% |
| 2024 | 4,148 | 19.5% |
| 2025 | 3,827 | 18.8% |
What to check before buying a Renault Koleos
- Lighting & signalling (8.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.9% 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.
- Brakes (6.1% 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 Koleos?
80.2% of the 21,719 Renault Koleos MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 19.9% fail rate, across model years 2006–2021.
What does the Renault Koleos most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.9% of tests, then suspension (8.9%).
Which Koleos years are best and worst for MOT results?
2018 has the best pass rate at 89.0% and 2009 the weakest at 68.6%, from 5,223 and 6,552 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Koleos MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.4% for 150k+, a 27.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 21,719 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.