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Renault Clio years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

304,266 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2001–2022 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Renault Clio years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2001–2021. None is clearly above it. The other year can't be told apart from average.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

56.9%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 56.7% to 57.1%.

In 2025, 56.9% of the 304,266 initial MOT tests on Renault Clio cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 69.1%. That is 12.1 points below the same-age average.

Check a specific Clio

Its own MOT history, free.

Renault Clio MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2022age 37,89719,70088.2%±0.8−0.3 ptsall: 88.5%
2021age 49,21526,00084.6%±0.8−2.6 ptsall: 87.2%
2020age 510,81630,50083.3%±0.8−2.7 ptsall: 86.0%
2019age 617,24638,80073.0%±0.7−10.5 ptsall: 83.5%
2018age 719,73145,00068.7%±0.7−12.2 ptsall: 80.9%
2017age 819,22952,00063.3%±0.7−14.9 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 922,25158,80056.8%±0.7−18.1 ptsall: 74.9%
2015age 1023,92967,20055.6%±0.7−16.3 ptsall: 71.9%
2014age 1125,83974,80052.7%±0.7−15.9 ptsall: 68.6%
2013age 1219,68079,70053.2%±0.7−12.6 ptsall: 65.8%
2012age 1313,90178,50046.9%±0.9−16.6 ptsall: 63.5%
2011age 1416,23681,70046.0%±0.8−15.2 ptsall: 61.2%
2010age 1521,27585,80046.5%±0.7−12.8 ptsall: 59.3%
2009age 1614,69187,60046.5%±0.9−11.8 ptsall: 58.3%
2008age 1713,49492,00046.6%±0.9−10.6 ptsall: 57.2%
2007age 1816,06991,10047.1%±0.8−10.3 ptsall: 57.4%
2006age 1911,72690,20048.4%±1.0−8.6 ptsall: 57.0%
2005age 207,26387,50050.4%±1.2−7.2 ptsall: 57.6%
2004age 215,90987,50050.8%±1.3−7.0 ptsall: 57.8%
2003age 223,83982,80051.6%±1.6−7.1 ptsall: 58.7%
2002age 232,52882,40055.0%±2.0−4.5 ptsall: 59.5%
2001age 241,50276,60054.5%±2.6−6.6 ptsall: 61.1%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Does mileage matter?

Renault Clio first-time pass rates by the mileage at the initial test, all years together, against all vehicles of the same age and mileage.

82.2% of Renault Clio tests under 30,000 miles passed first time, against 44.4% at 120,000 miles or more. For all vehicles of the same age and mileage, the figures are 88.2% and 57.3%.

Miles at the testTestsPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles, same age and mileage
Under 30,00036,29082.2%±0.4−6.0 ptsall: 88.2%
30,000–59,99990,46864.2%±0.4−13.3 ptsall: 77.5%
60,000–89,99993,50450.6%±0.4−15.6 ptsall: 66.2%
90,000–119,99957,07645.5%±0.5−13.8 ptsall: 59.3%
120,000 or more25,99944.4%±0.7−12.8 ptsall: 57.3%

Against all vehicles of the same age and mileage, Clio tests were below average in every band shown.

Mileage is only one factor. How a car has been driven and looked after matters too. These figures show an association across all Renault Clio tests in 2025, not what mileage does to a particular car.

Mileage is the odometer reading at the initial test. Each band is compared with all vehicles first used in the same year with a reading in the same band, weighted by this model's own tests in each year. Bands need at least 1,000 tests. 929 tests (0.3%) had no usable odometer reading and are left out. How we count

Common Clio problems at the MOT

Share of the 131,083 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a Clio

Based on the areas where Renault Clio MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Suspension

    In 45.0% of failed Clio tests

    • Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
    • On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
    • The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.

  2. Lights and electrics

    In 42.9% of failed Clio tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  3. Brakes

    In 24.1% of failed Clio tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

  4. Tyres

    In 18.9% of failed Clio tests

    • Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
    • Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
    • Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a Clio's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

Renault Clio cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of Renault Clio cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 10.0% failed on tyres, against 5.9% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 34,132 and 97,705 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory10.0%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted5.9%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 13.7% of those with a tyre advisory and 13.0% of the others.

Brakes

Of Renault Clio cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 15.0% failed on brakes, against 7.3% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 27,172 and 104,641 cars.

  • With a brake advisory15.0%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted7.3%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 15.2% of those with a brake advisory and 12.7% of the others.

Suspension

Of Renault Clio cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 26.9% failed on suspension, against 18.1% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 16,394 and 114,354 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory26.9%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted18.1%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 20.2% of those with a suspension advisory and 12.1% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

Renault Clio questions

Which Renault Clio years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2001–2021. None is clearly above average. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Renault Clio reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 56.9% of initial MOT tests on Renault Clio cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 69.1%. That is 12.1 points below average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Renault Clio problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are suspension (in 45.0% of failed tests), lights and electrics (in 42.9% of failed tests) and brakes (in 24.1% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old Renault Clio?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Renault Clio cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 67,200 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific Clio's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Renault Clio

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Renault models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 12 Renault modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Renault Clio cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count