MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Renault Clio — MOT statistics 2024

All Renault Clio variants tested in Great Britain in 2024 — 473,424 MOT tests, every generation and engine together.

MOT risk index
141.5
100 = normal for its age

This car fails its MOT about 42% more often than expected for its age.

Rank 24 of 25 families published so far · margin of error ±1 points

What this means for buyers

Checklist when viewing a used Clio:
  1. Listen for knocks over bumps — worn suspension joints are common
  2. Ask the seller about: A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
  3. Ask the seller about: A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
  4. Try every light and switch — lamps are a top failure

Top specific failures

Exact defect wording from test records, per 100 tests.

What failedper 100
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn14.29
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened9.56
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play6.96
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.51
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources6.47
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.38
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements5.04
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen4.8
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc4.45
A tyre seriously damaged3.8

Failures by component area

Lamps & electrical 42.5 Suspension 34.6 Brakes 23.5 Visibility 15.7 Tyres 13.5 Body & structure 10.9

Early warnings (advisories)

Advisories are wear the tester noted but didn't fail — what will need money soon.

Tyres 66.8 Brakes 60.2 Suspension 37.9 Non-component advisories 12.4 Emissions & leaks 9.7 Lamps & electrical 7

How it ages

3579111315171958%car age, years

Takeaway: a 10-year-old Clio has roughly a 44% chance of failing its MOT; from about age 3 it does worse than the average car.

Data table
AgeRenault ClioAll cars
311.8%10.9%
415.0%11.6%
521.5%13.5%
624.6%15.6%
729.6%18.2%
837.9%21.3%
940.8%24.4%
1043.6%27.7%
1141.7%30.6%
1251.1%33.4%
1352.6%36.0%
1452.0%38.6%
1551.2%39.9%
1652.6%41.5%
1753.1%41.5%
1853.3%42.4%
1952.3%42.2%
2049.0%37.5%

Petrol, diesel, hybrid — which ages best?

FuelTests% failing
Petrol373,23441.1%
Diesel97,20143.8%
Hybrid2,97910.4%

Where they fail most

Every dot is a postcode area — size = how many were tested there, colour = share failing. Raw rates: coastal and rural areas run older fleets and salted roads.

Kirkcaldy (KY): 53.6% failing, 3,715 testsTorquay (TQ): 53% failing, 1,637 testsDundee (DD): 51.4% failing, 3,635 testsPlymouth (PL): 50.4% failing, 4,581 testsSunderland (SR): 49.1% failing, 2,450 testsExeter (EX): 48.7% failing, 5,786 testsBrighton (BN): 48.4% failing, 4,747 testsTaunton (TA): 47.8% failing, 2,377 testsLincoln (LN): 47.7% failing, 2,341 testsBath (BA): 47.6% failing, 4,259 testsInverness (IV): 47.5% failing, 2,973 testsSwindon (SN): 47.5% failing, 3,831 testsLancaster (LA): 47.2% failing, 1,887 testsDorchester (DT): 47.1% failing, 1,909 testsHuddersfield (HD): 46.8% failing, 1,942 testsYork (YO): 46.5% failing, 3,944 testsNewport (NP): 46.4% failing, 4,986 testsPerth (PH): 46% failing, 1,133 testsHarrogate (HG): 45.6% failing, 915 testsLlandudno (LL): 45.5% failing, 5,365 testsBristol (BS): 45.5% failing, 8,099 testsSalisbury (SP): 45.4% failing, 2,336 testsBournemouth (BH): 45.1% failing, 5,022 testsPortsmouth (PO): 45% failing, 5,477 testsDarlington (DL): 45% failing, 2,426 testsEdinburgh (EH): 44.7% failing, 7,269 testsTruro (TR): 44.6% failing, 3,514 testsCardiff (CF): 44.5% failing, 11,738 testsGloucester (GL): 44.4% failing, 5,317 testsNorthampton (NN): 44.4% failing, 5,159 testsSwansea (SA): 44.2% failing, 11,453 testsStevenage (SG): 44.2% failing, 2,529 testsWorcester (WR): 44.1% failing, 2,446 testsSouthampton (SO): 43.5% failing, 3,944 testsNorwich (NR): 43.4% failing, 8,380 testsKilmarnock (KA): 43.3% failing, 4,734 testsCleveland (TS): 43.2% failing, 5,228 testsStockport (SK): 43.1% failing, 4,067 testsPaisley (PA): 43.1% failing, 3,129 testsMedway (ME): 43.1% failing, 4,203 testsMilton Keynes (MK): 43.1% failing, 3,664 testsBradford (BD): 43.1% failing, 3,889 testsStoke-on-Trent (ST): 43% failing, 6,049 testsFalkirk (FK): 42.9% failing, 3,630 testsChester (CH): 42.6% failing, 6,883 testsIpswich (IP): 42.6% failing, 5,481 testsTelford (TF): 42.6% failing, 2,074 testsNottingham (NG): 42.6% failing, 7,230 testsShrewsbury (SY): 42.5% failing, 3,082 testsAberdeen (AB): 42.5% failing, 5,524 testsLeeds (LS): 42.1% failing, 5,040 testsHull (HU): 42.1% failing, 4,286 testsManchester (M): 41.7% failing, 8,539 testsCanterbury (CT): 41.6% failing, 3,962 testsOxford (OX): 41.4% failing, 4,999 testsOldham (OL): 41.3% failing, 3,300 testsDurham (DH): 41.2% failing, 3,326 testsDoncaster (DN): 41.2% failing, 6,100 testsNewcastle (NE): 41.2% failing, 8,932 testsBlackpool (FY): 41.1% failing, 2,237 testsPeterborough (PE): 41% failing, 7,753 testsColchester (CO): 40.7% failing, 3,378 testsWigan (WN): 40.6% failing, 3,587 testsTonbridge (TN): 40.6% failing, 5,653 testsWalsall (WS): 40.4% failing, 3,859 testsRedhill (RH): 40.2% failing, 4,551 testsPreston (PR): 40.2% failing, 4,437 testsHereford (HR): 40.2% failing, 1,610 testsCambridge (CB): 40% failing, 3,233 testsHalifax (HX): 39.9% failing, 1,108 testsCoventry (CV): 39.8% failing, 5,147 testsGuildford (GU): 39.7% failing, 4,899 testsDudley (DY): 39.7% failing, 3,816 testsLeicester (LE): 39.5% failing, 6,714 testsCarlisle (CA): 39.5% failing, 2,350 testsCrewe (CW): 39.5% failing, 2,698 testsHemel Hempstead (HP): 39.3% failing, 3,515 testsWakefield (WF): 39.1% failing, 4,756 testsSheffield (S): 39% failing, 10,777 testsReading (RG): 38.7% failing, 4,414 testsLuton (LU): 38.6% failing, 1,794 testsWarrington (WA): 38.2% failing, 6,430 testsSt Albans (AL): 38.1% failing, 1,289 testsChelmsford (CM): 37.9% failing, 4,872 testsLondon N (N): 37.9% failing, 1,527 testsBlackburn (BB): 37.7% failing, 3,894 testsGlasgow (G): 37.7% failing, 15,470 testsSlough (SL): 37.4% failing, 1,724 testsLondon SE (SE): 37.3% failing, 2,833 testsBolton (BL): 37.3% failing, 3,687 testsIlford (IG): 37.2% failing, 1,068 testsKingston upon Thames (KT): 36.9% failing, 2,433 testsDumfries (DG): 36.8% failing, 1,847 testsMotherwell (ML): 36.7% failing, 5,139 testsLondon SW (SW): 36.6% failing, 1,197 testsDerby (DE): 36.5% failing, 6,068 testsBirmingham (B): 35.9% failing, 12,947 testsLiverpool (L): 35.9% failing, 5,248 testsHarrow (HA): 35.2% failing, 1,165 testsWolverhampton (WV): 34.6% failing, 4,879 testsLondon E (E): 34.4% failing, 1,746 testsLondon NW (NW): 33.3% failing, 1,469 testsDartford (DA): 33.2% failing, 2,361 testsWatford (WD): 32.2% failing, 1,564 testsRomford (RM): 31.4% failing, 2,404 testsUxbridge (UB): 31.3% failing, 1,876 testsSouthend-on-Sea (SS): 30.7% failing, 5,595 testsEnfield (EN): 30% failing, 2,551 testsBromley (BR): 29.6% failing, 1,607 testsTwickenham (TW): 29.3% failing, 2,658 testsSutton (SM): 28.8% failing, 839 testsCroydon (CR): 27% failing, 2,796 tests % failing 31% 49%
Toughest areas% failing
Kirkcaldy (KY)53.59%
Dundee (DD)51.44%
Plymouth (PL)50.36%
Sunderland (SR)49.1%
Exeter (EX)48.67%
Easiest areas% failing
Croydon (CR)26.97%
Twickenham (TW)29.35%
Enfield (EN)30.03%
Southend-on-Sea (SS)30.74%
Romford (RM)31.41%

Does the test month matter?

Takeaway: the spread between best and worst month is 4.7 percentage points — noticeable seasonality.

43.86% in month 1 J41.61% in month 2 F39.96% in month 3 M41.75% in month 4 A40.4% in month 5 M40.61% in month 6 J42.21% in month 7 J41.08% in month 8 A39.19% in month 9 S43.03% in month 10 O41.64% in month 11 N41.79% in month 12 D 45% 23%

bars: Renault Clio · dashed: all class-4 cars

Month-by-month table
MonthRenault ClioAll cars
Jan43.86%27.37%
Feb41.61%26.14%
Mar39.96%24.75%
Apr41.75%26.01%
May40.4%25.01%
Jun40.61%25.01%
Jul42.21%26.04%
Aug41.08%25.79%
Sep39.19%25.19%
Oct43.03%27.13%
Nov41.64%27.2%
Dec41.79%26.29%

Is the mileage normal?

A typical 8-year-old Clio has ~52,843 miles on the clock. Much more — ask why; much less — check for gaps in the MOT history.

369121518car age, years 119k mi 0

line: median · band: middle half of the fleet (p25–p75)

Mileage by age (p25 / median / p75)
Agep25Medianp75Tests
312,55719,36629,36814,744
416,53723,95533,87717,188
523,51232,19043,42325,839
628,24538,88951,61729,713
733,54746,17060,32628,590
839,21352,84368,97932,117
946,45561,77178,51834,970
1053,02069,20387,66738,155
1158,45974,96693,35529,520
1256,61375,13194,81320,573
1360,72079,84299,27225,140
1464,73984,681106,37333,519
1565,33086,604107,90923,815
1671,14191,455112,77923,327
1771,11891,870112,46929,114
1870,55092,371113,00222,001
1965,66688,865112,50113,172
20+59,09483,910109,12131,222

Quick answers

What most commonly fails on a Renault Clio MOT?
The most frequent specific failures in 2024 were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn; a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened; a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play.
Is the Renault Clio reliable for its age?
Across 473,424 initial tests in 2024, it fails its MOT about 42% more often than expected for its age (MOT Risk Index 141.5, where 100 = normal for its age).
Are diesel Clios worse than petrol at the MOT?
43.8% of diesel tests found a failing defect vs 41.1% of petrol.
What mileage is normal for a 8-year-old Clio?
The median is about 52,843 miles; the middle half of the fleet sits between 39,213 and 68,979.
How often are dangerous defects found on the Renault Clio?
About 17 dangerous defects were recorded per 100 initial tests in 2024 — with a dangerous defect the car legally cannot be driven away.

Compare with

Fiat 500 · 116.2Honda Jazz · 85Honda Civic · 100.7Audi A4 · 84.6

Data details & how to cite

Scope: class-4 vehicles (cars), initial tests only, outcomes pass / fail / fixed-on-the-spot at the station (PRS counts towards the failure rate — the defect was present at arrival). Index = observed initial failures ÷ failures expected for this fleet's exact age profile, ×100; margin of error is a 95% confidence interval. Covers ALL generations together — a 3-year-old and a 15-year-old are very different cars; a generation split is on the roadmap. Dataset release dvsa-2024-v1, frozen baseline. Full method: methodology.

Cite: MOT Risk Index (2026). Renault Clio MOT statistics 2024 (dvsa-2024-v1). https://motriskindex.co.uk/cars/renault-clio/ · Published 2026-07-30.