2018 Renault Twingo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Renault Twingo passed 87.7% of its 4,516 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 9.7% of the time, so this is 2.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (5.4%) and tyres (5.0%) 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 236 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.2% in the 0-30k band and 24.0% in the 60-90k band, a 14.9-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 5.4% | 242 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.0% | 226 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.7% | 121 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.1% | 93 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 86 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 73 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 236 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 133 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 95 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 74 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 65 |
| 6 | Washers | 65 |
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 | 22.5% | 1,016 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.8% | 532 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.2% | 235 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.7% | 122 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 119 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 70 |
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 | 3,190 | 9.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,140 | 18.9% |
| 60-90k | 154 | 24.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 892 | 7.7% |
| 2022 | 914 | 11.7% |
| 2023 | 901 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 883 | 13.7% |
| 2025 | 926 | 16.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Twingo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 5.4% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (5.4% 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.
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Suspension (2.7% 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 2018 Renault Twingos pass their MOT?
87.7% of the 4,516 2018 Renault Twingo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Renault Twingo?
Visibility, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by tyres (5.0%).
Does the 2018 Twingo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.2% in the 0-30k band to 24.0% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,516 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.