Renault Espace
From 2,580 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Older Espaces fare better: 2011 models pass at 59.2% vs 63.9% for 2007.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 167 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 167 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 133 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 108 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 99 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 89 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 70 |
| warning device shows system malfunction | 61 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 59 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 57 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 53 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 21% of Espace failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 43.2% 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 £141.
Renault Espace on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 425 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 425. At this rate, roughly 8.4 years until none remain. Now at 6.9% of its peak (52,108 in 2004 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 808 | 2,768 | +0 | -48 | -48 |
| 2025 Q2 | 840 | 2,784 | +0 | -77 | -77 |
| 2025 Q1 | 911 | 2,790 | +0 | -132 | -132 |
| 2024 Q4 | 966 | 2,867 | +0 | -168 | -168 |
| 2024 Q3 | 1,041 | 2,960 | +0 | -97 | -97 |
| 2024 Q2 | 1,109 | 2,989 | +0 | -77 | -77 |
| 2024 Q1 | 1,197 | 2,978 | +0 | -89 | -89 |
| 2023 Q4 | 1,275 | 2,989 | +0 | -62 | -62 |
2 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Espace Dyn Dci 150 | Diesel | 99 | 63% |
| Espace Dyn Dci 130 | Diesel | 57 | 37% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 59.2% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 70.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2009 | 62.8% | warning device shows system malfunction, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2008 | 57.9% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
5 earlier years
| 2007 | 63.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2006 | 63.2% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2005 | 68% | headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 65.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2002 | 73.1% | an srs malfunction indicator lamp (mil) indicates a system malfunction, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all Espaces tested had between 82,000 and 130,301 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 106,680 median miles, the Espace has 0.033 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Renault models
| Renault Clio | 68.2% |
| Renault Captur | 80.4% |
| Renault Trafic | 69.1% |
| Renault Megane | 67.1% |
| Renault Kadjar | 81.8% |
Common questions
What is the Renault Espace MOT pass rate?
The Renault Espace has a 64.6% MOT pass rate based on 2,580 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Renault Espace?
The most common MOT failure on the Renault Espace is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 167 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
How many Renault Espaces are on UK roads?
There are 808 Renault Espaces currently licensed on UK roads, with 2,768 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Renault Espace at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Renault Espace is 106,680 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 82,000 and 130,301 miles.
Buying a used Espace?
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 64.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £141 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.