2021 Renault Zoe — MOT failures & pass rate
13,362 MOT tests on the 2021 Renault Zoe are in this dataset, and 90.5% of them passed. Superminis of a similar age fail 7.8% of the time, so this is 1.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 6.3% of tests against 2.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 252 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.0% in the 0-30k band and 25.0% in the 90-120k band, a 17.0-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.5% of tests failed in 2023 against 10.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.3% | 847 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 302 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.8% | 237 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.6% | 207 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 81 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 52 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 252 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 234 |
| 3 | Washers | 171 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 145 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 99 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 73 |
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 | 23.6% | 3,154 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.4% | 1,257 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.3% | 712 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 1.8% | 234 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 190 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 107 |
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 | 9,640 | 8.0% |
| 30-60k | 3,343 | 13.0% |
| 60-90k | 329 | 16.1% |
| 90-120k | 40 | 25.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 146 | 5.5% |
| 2024 | 6,521 | 9.1% |
| 2025 | 6,692 | 10.0% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Zoe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.3% 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 (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.8% 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
How many 2021 Renault Zoes pass their MOT?
90.5% of the 13,362 2021 Renault Zoe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Renault Zoe?
Tyres, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.3%).
Does the 2021 Zoe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,362 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.