2017 Renault Twingo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Renault Twingo passed 87.0% of its 7,996 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 11.7% of the time, so this is 1.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.2%) and visibility (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and ball joint — wipers alone was recorded 332 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.3% once past 60-90k — 2.6× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.2% | 415 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.6% | 368 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.7% | 294 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.4% | 191 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 169 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 142 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 332 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 254 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 198 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 164 |
| 5 | Washers | 119 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 110 |
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 | 23.4% | 1,868 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.0% | 1,202 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 346 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.2% | 333 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 211 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 100 |
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 | 5,037 | 9.6% |
| 30-60k | 2,601 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 336 | 25.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,510 | 8.1% |
| 2022 | 1,605 | 11.9% |
| 2023 | 1,641 | 13.8% |
| 2024 | 1,596 | 14.3% |
| 2025 | 1,644 | 16.7% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Twingo
On a 2017 Twingo, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Visibility (4.6% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Suspension (3.7% 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.
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 2017 Renault Twingos pass their MOT?
87.0% of the 7,996 2017 Renault Twingo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Renault Twingo?
Tyres, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by visibility (4.6%).
Does the 2017 Twingo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.6% in the 0-30k band to 25.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,996 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.