2018 Renault Zoe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Renault Zoe passed 81.3% of its 11,089 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 11.3% of the time, so this is 7.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.3%) and tyres (7.8%) 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 linkage ball joints — ball joint alone was recorded 1,128 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.1% versus 13.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.3% | 1,142 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.8% | 859 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 731 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.2% | 242 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.2% | 240 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.3% | 33 |
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 | 1,128 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 326 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joints | 255 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 243 |
| 5 | Washers | 197 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 168 |
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 | 29.1% | 3,229 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.4% | 1,261 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.6% | 1,063 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.6% | 955 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 555 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.7% | 191 |
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 | 5,738 | 13.1% |
| 30-60k | 4,321 | 23.6% |
| 60-90k | 882 | 29.5% |
| 90-120k | 118 | 27.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,041 | 9.8% |
| 2022 | 2,161 | 15.6% |
| 2023 | 2,268 | 20.1% |
| 2024 | 2,318 | 23.5% |
| 2025 | 2,301 | 23.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Zoe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.3% 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 (7.8% 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 (6.6% 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
How many 2018 Renault Zoes pass their MOT?
81.3% of the 11,089 2018 Renault Zoe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Renault Zoe?
Suspension, recorded in 10.3% of tests, followed by tyres (7.8%).
Does the 2018 Zoe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.1% in the 0-30k band to 27.1% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,089 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.