284,738 tests in 2025
Renault Clio reliability and MOT pass rate
63.2% passed first time. The 36.8% fail rate is 14.2 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 67,793 miles.
Pass rate
63.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 36.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
6.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
67,793 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 25,648 | 12.1% |
| 6-9 years | 72,373 | 30.6% |
| 10-13 years | 77,627 | 41.3% |
| 14+ years | 108,587 | 43.6% |
What the Clio fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension2,707 dangerous52.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment875 dangerous37.1%
- Brakes8,779 dangerous27.9%
- Tyres23,112 dangerous21.3%
- Visibility29 dangerous17.4%
- Body, chassis, structure543 dangerous16.4%
- Steering838 dangerous14.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks99 dangerous8%
Is the Clio getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.9 points to 37.7% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 352,053 | — | 35.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 336,225 | — | 36.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 274,732 | — | 37.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 273,904 | — | 37.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Clio at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Clio in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken24,463 tests
- 2Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn20,693 tests
- 3Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play11,655 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working11,533 tests
- 5Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt11,477 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect7,688 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm7,677 tests
- 8Stop lamp: not working7,354 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Clio collects 2.72 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm51,299 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure36,300 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened31,812 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded26,584 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine17,997 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick14,701 tests
- 7Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened13,635 tests
- 8Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn12,704 tests
Questions
What is the Renault Clio MOT pass rate?
63.2% of the 284,738 Renault Clio first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 36.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 6.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Renault Clio usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 24,463 failed tests, followed by "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn" and "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play". By section, suspension appears in 52.2% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 37.1% of failures, brakes appears in 27.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 12.1%; at 14+ years it was 43.6%. The median Renault Clio tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 67,793 miles.
Is the Renault Clio getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.9 points to 37.7% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Clio trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 20 safety recalls naming the Renault Clio: Renault Clio recalls.
Other Renault models
Checking a particular Clio?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.