Renault Zoe MOT pass rate & common failures
The Renault Zoe appears in 96,601 MOT tests spanning model years 2012–2025, and 83.6% of them passed. That is 4.6 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 11.8%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Zoe years
Ranked across Zoe 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
Not every year is equal — 92.0% of 2022 examples pass against 74.0% of 2013 ones.
No single area dominates — suspension (7.8%) and tyres (7.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, headlamp and tread depth — ball joint alone was recorded 6,648 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.2% once past 150k — 2.8× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.0% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Zoe model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2,091 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 5,354 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 11,120 | 76.2% | 23.8% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 9,713 | 77.9% | 22.1% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 6,590 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 11,089 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Suspension |
| 2019 | 11,111 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Suspension |
| 2020 | 19,869 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 13,362 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 6,216 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 79 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.8% | 7,553 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.3% | 7,102 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 5,046 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.2% | 2,105 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 2,035 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.4% | 392 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 291 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 258 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 6,648 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 1,913 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,690 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,632 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 1,622 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,457 |
| 7 | Linkage ball joints | 1,257 |
| 8 | Coil spring | 1,222 |
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 | 27.0% | 26,084 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.9% | 11,514 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.2% | 6,937 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.1% | 6,901 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 3,368 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 2.2% | 2,095 |
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 | 51,246 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 37,261 | 21.5% |
| 60-90k | 6,952 | 27.4% |
| 90-120k | 955 | 30.2% |
| 120-150k | 124 | 32.3% |
| 150k+ | 43 | 30.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,970 | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 11,908 | 18.6% |
| 2023 | 18,739 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 25,422 | 16.3% |
| 2025 | 31,562 | 15.6% |
What to check before buying a Renault Zoe
- Suspension (7.8% 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.
- Tyres (7.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 Zoe?
83.6% of the 96,601 Renault Zoe MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 16.4% fail rate, across model years 2012–2025.
What does the Renault Zoe most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 7.8% of tests, then tyres (7.3%).
Which Zoe years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 92.0% and 2013 the weakest at 74.0%, from 6,216 and 2,091 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Zoe MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.2% for 150k+, a 19.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 96,601 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.