Renault Clio
From 502,539 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Clios fare better: 2020 models pass at 88.3% vs 65.2% for 1998.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened and a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 35,654 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 35,654 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 24,595 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 16,266 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 15,312 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 14,940 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 12,150 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 11,297 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 11,157 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 9,608 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 9,241 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 22.3% of Clio failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 38.4% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £128.
Renault Clio on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 25,226 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 15,793 newly registered, a net loss of 9,433. At this rate, roughly 39.9 years until none remain. Now at 49.4% of its peak (761,706 in 2007 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 324,905 | 51,446 | +4,744 | -5,750 | -1,006 |
| 2025 Q2 | 326,624 | 50,733 | +3,625 | -5,269 | -1,644 |
| 2025 Q1 | 328,023 | 50,978 | +4,226 | -6,875 | -2,649 |
| 2024 Q4 | 330,494 | 51,156 | +3,198 | -7,332 | -4,134 |
| 2024 Q3 | 334,143 | 51,641 | +4,237 | -7,411 | -3,174 |
| 2024 Q2 | 337,357 | 51,601 | +4,632 | -5,186 | -554 |
| 2024 Q1 | 337,746 | 51,766 | +4,848 | -5,976 | -1,128 |
| 2023 Q4 | 339,389 | 51,251 | +2,723 | -4,373 | -1,650 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clio Iconic Tce | Petrol | 19,306 | 11% |
| Clio Dynamique Medianav | Petrol | 14,636 | 8% |
| Clio Dynamique Tomtom 16V | Petrol | 11,498 | 7% |
| Clio Dynamique Nav Tce | Petrol | 9,952 | 6% |
| Clio Extreme | Petrol | 9,461 | 5% |
| Clio Dynamique S Nav Tce | Petrol | 9,171 | 5% |
| Clio D-Que M-Nav Energy Tce Ss | Petrol | 8,377 | 5% |
| Clio Evolution Tce | Petrol | 8,093 | 5% |
| Clio Esprit Alpine Etech Hev A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 8,060 | 5% |
| Clio D-Que M-Nav Energy Dci Ss | Diesel | 7,800 | 4% |
| Clio D-Que S M-Nav Nrg Dci S/S | Diesel | 7,656 | 4% |
| Clio Dynamique Nav | Petrol | 7,645 | 4% |
| Clio Dynamique 16V | Petrol | 7,420 | 4% |
| Clio Dynamique Nav 16V | Petrol | 7,270 | 4% |
| Clio Techno E-Tech Hev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 7,186 | 4% |
| Clio D-Que S M-Nav Nrg Tce S/S | Petrol | 7,076 | 4% |
| Clio Dynamique S Nav Dci | Diesel | 6,580 | 4% |
| Clio Rs Line Tce | Petrol | 6,251 | 4% |
| Clio Expression 16V | Petrol | 5,901 | 3% |
| Clio Techno Tce | Petrol | 5,874 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 88.3% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2019 | 81.1% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 79.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 76.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
24 earlier years
| 2016 | 71.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2015 | 69.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2014 | 68.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2013 | 69.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2012 | 63.7% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2011 | 62.8% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 62.6% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2009 | 63.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2008 | 62.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2007 | 62.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2006 | 61.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2005 | 62.2% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 62% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 62.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2002 | 64.8% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2001 | 63.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 63% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 1999 | 62% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1998 | 65.2% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1997 | 63.8% | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1996 | 73.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. |
| 1995 | 74.8% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1994 | 76.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 1993 | 75.6% | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., leaking brake pipe or connection on a hydraulic system |
Typical mileage
Half of all Clios tested had between 87,309 and 119,706 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 95,640 median miles, the Clio has 0.033 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Renault models
| Renault Captur | 80.4% |
| Renault Trafic | 69.1% |
| Renault Megane | 67.1% |
| Renault Kadjar | 81.8% |
| Renault Master | 69% |
Common questions
What is the Renault Clio MOT pass rate?
The Renault Clio has a 68.2% MOT pass rate based on 502,539 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Renault Clio?
The most common MOT failure on the Renault Clio is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 35,654 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Renault Clios are on UK roads?
There are 324,905 Renault Clios currently licensed on UK roads, with 51,446 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Renault Clio at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Renault Clio is 95,640 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 87,309 and 119,706 miles.
Buying a used Clio?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 68.2% pass rate and an average repair bill of £128 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.