Renault Clio vs Vauxhall Corsa: which fails its MOT less?
Allowing for age, the Vauxhall Corsa fails its MOT less often than the Renault Clio.
- less often than the Renault Clio, at the same age
- 13.0%less often than the Renault Clio, at the same age
MOTs passed in 2024: Renault Clio 63.8%, Vauxhall Corsa 70.4%
Both fail more often than normal for their age.
Data: DVSA MOT results · 2024 · 1,148,523 tests
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Which fails less for its age?
Allowing for age, the Vauxhall Corsa fails less often: MOT Risk Index 118.7 against 136.1 (100 = normal for its age; difference 17.4, 95% CI 16.7–18.1).
Both fail more often than normal for their age.
| Measure | Renault Clio | Vauxhall Corsa | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passed at the first attempt, % | 57.2 | 62.5 | 2024 |
| MOT Risk Index (100 = normal) | 136.1 | 118.7 | 2024 |
| 95% interval of the index | 135.6–136.7 | 118.4–119.1 | 2024 |
| Rank among 761 models (1 = fails least for its age) | 715 | 640 | 2024 |
| First tests | 323,880 | 824,643 | 2024 |
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After defects were fixed at the test centre
63.8% of Renault Clio tests and 70.4% of Vauxhall Corsa tests passed, including defects fixed during the test. This is a different outcome from passing at the first attempt.
What explains the difference?
The clearest difference is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: against its own class and age, the Renault Clio runs +13.7 items per 100 tests and the Vauxhall Corsa +4.6, so the Vauxhall Corsa has 9.2 fewer per 100 tests (95% interval 9.1 to 9.2).
Each model is compared with its own class and age; the fleets can differ in mileage and use.
More detail
Dangerous defects and advisory items
| Measure | Renault Clio | Vauxhall Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous defects per 100 tests | 14.1 | 11.3 |
| Advisory items per 100 tests | 142.3 | 128.1 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024. A test can record several items. CSV
At what age does one of them fail more?
They change places at age 5: the difference is clear at 17 of 17 ages, and which fails less depends on the age of the car. Across the 4 yearly tests from age 4 to 7, the gaps add up to 11.7 extra failed tests per 100 for the Renault Clio (a sum of yearly rates, not the chance of one car failing).
| Age | Difference, pp | 95% interval | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | +0.5 | +0.1 to +0.9 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 4 | −2.5 | −2.9 to −2.1 | Renault Clio fails less |
| 5 | +1.9 | +1.5 to +2.3 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 6 | +5.3 | +4.9 to +5.7 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 7 | +7.0 | +6.6 to +7.5 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 8 | +7.1 | +6.6 to +7.6 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 9 | +7.5 | +7.1 to +8.0 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 10 | +7.1 | +6.6 to +7.6 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 11 | +7.6 | +7.2 to +8.1 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 12 | +8.1 | +7.7 to +8.6 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 13 | +6.3 | +5.9 to +6.8 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 14 | +5.4 | +4.9 to +5.8 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 15 | +4.9 | +4.4 to +5.4 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 16 | +4.5 | +4.0 to +5.1 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 17 | +3.2 | +2.5 to +3.8 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 18 | +1.4 | +0.6 to +2.1 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 19 | +1.1 | +0.2 to +2.0 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| Age band | Ages included | Renault Clio, % | Vauxhall Corsa, % | Difference, pp | 95% interval | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | 3–5 | 20.1 | 20.5 | −0.3 | −0.5 to −0.2 | Renault Clio fails less |
| 6–10 | 6–10 | 40.6 | 34.0 | +6.6 | +6.5 to +6.7 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| 11+ | 11–20+ | 53.4 | 47.3 | +6.1 | +5.9 to +6.2 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,413,899 (initial tests at shared ages) · Method: difference of two proportions per age, Bonferroni-corrected for 17 ages; age bands pool the published ages with an unadjusted 95% interval, and the same car can appear at more than one age, so that interval is somewhat narrow · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Where do their MOT failures diverge?
The clearest difference is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: against its own class and age, the Renault Clio runs +13.7 items per 100 tests and the Vauxhall Corsa +4.6, so the Vauxhall Corsa has 9.2 fewer per 100 tests (95% interval 9.1 to 9.2).
| Component group | Renault Clio vs its class | Vauxhall Corsa vs its class | Gap, Renault Clio minus Vauxhall Corsa | 95% interval | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | +13.7 | +4.6 | +9.2 | +9.1 to +9.2 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| Suspension | +10.9 | +4.5 | +6.4 | +6.3 to +6.5 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| Brakes | +3.3 | +0.6 | +2.7 | +2.6 to +2.7 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | −0.9 | +1.7 | −2.6 | −2.7 to −2.6 | Renault Clio fails less |
| Tyres | +1.5 | −0.5 | +2.0 | +1.9 to +2.0 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
| Visibility | +3.6 | +1.8 | +1.8 | +1.8 to +1.9 | Vauxhall Corsa fails less |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,609,489 (initial tests) · Method: each model's failure items per 100 tests against the rate expected for its own class and age; Poisson interval; the age standard leaves the model out and is treated as fixed; items in the same test are treated as independent, so the interval is slightly narrow · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If one fails, which is more likely to fail again?
A failure carries about the same extra risk of failing again on both: 9.3 percentage points on the Renault Clio, 8.7 on the Vauxhall Corsa.
| Measure | Renault Clio | Vauxhall Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| After a failed test, % | 45.6 | 40.8 |
| After a passed test, % | 36.3 | 32.1 |
| Extra risk carried by a failure, pp | 9.3 | 8.7 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 584,617 (tests after a fail) · Method: test chains of the same vehicles; cars sold or scrapped after a fail drop out · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What do six years of MOTs show about the two?
The biggest gap in advisories turning into fails is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 36.6% on the Renault Clio against 27.1% on the Vauxhall Corsa failed on the same item at the next MOT.
| Component | Renault Clio | Vauxhall Corsa | Difference, pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 36.6 | 27.1 | +9.4 |
| Suspension | 31.2 | 22.4 | +8.7 |
| Steering | 24.7 | 16.9 | +7.8 |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 8.6 | 3.9 | +4.7 |
| Brakes | 17.2 | 12.9 | +4.3 |
| Visibility | 15.3 | 12.5 | +2.8 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 14.5 | 17.0 | −2.5 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.7 | 9.0 | −2.3 |
| Tyres | 11.2 | 9.6 | +1.5 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 4.6 | 3.9 | +0.7 |
| Measure | Renault Clio | Vauxhall Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| Repaired and passed the same day | 43.2% | 48.7% |
| Passed 1–10 days later | 54.0% | 48.7% |
| Median retest delay | 1.0 days | 1.0 days |
| Failures per 10,000 miles | 0.815 | 0.681 |
| Three-test clean streak | 28.8% | 33.7% |
| Same advisory repeated 3+ times | 36.2% | 31.7% |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,068,432 (tracked advisories) · Method: same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT; common publishable components only · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Recalls, other countries and running costs, side by side
DVSA lists 24 recall campaigns matched to the Renault Clio and 58 to the Vauxhall Corsa; more campaigns do not by themselves mean a less reliable car. Abroad, compare each model with that country's own average, because pass rates do not carry across rulebooks. Repair bills are catalogue estimates, not quotes.
| Measure | Renault Clio | Vauxhall Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| DVSA recall campaigns listed | 24 | 58 |
| Finland Katsastus: fails, % (national average 26.3%) | 36.4 (9,865 inspections) | 25.8 (8,362 inspections) |
| Netherlands APK: fails, % (national average 50.8%) | 54.9 (120,379 inspections) | 56.0 (140,070 inspections) |
| Norway PKK: fails, % (national average 33.7%) | 41.8 (2,167 inspections) | 36.5 (5,444 inspections) |
| Expected MOT repair bill, £ (estimate) | £136 | £95 |
| Repair bill range, £ (catalogue range, not a 95% interval) | £136–£259 | £95–£181 |
Source: DVSA vehicle recalls register (OGL v3.0); Statens vegvesen PKK (CC BY 4.0), Traficom Katsastus (CC BY 4.0), RDW APK (CC0), adapted; UK repair price catalogue · Window: register as published; inspections 2024 · n = 286,287 (inspections abroad) · Method: recall campaigns matched by make and model, licensed-fleet denominator where available; abroad, samples below 500 suppressed and each model set against that country's own average, with no difference taken across countries; repair bill = chance of failing each item × its most common UK repair price, a catalogue estimate · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV · licences and full notice
How to cite this comparison
MOT Risk Index (2026). Renault Clio vs Vauxhall Corsa: MOT statistics 2024 (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 25 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/compare/renault-clio-vs-vauxhall-corsa/
How the MOT Risk Index and every figure on this page are calculated: methodology.
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Renault Clio vs Vauxhall Corsa: quick answers
Is the Renault Clio or the Vauxhall Corsa more reliable?
Allowing for age, the Vauxhall Corsa fails less often: MOT Risk Index 118.7 against 136.1 (100 = normal for its age; difference 17.4, 95% CI 16.7–18.1).
Does the Renault Clio or the Vauxhall Corsa fail more MOTs?
42.8% of Renault Clio first tests and 37.5% of Vauxhall Corsa first tests failed in 2024. These raw rates do not allow for age; the MOT Risk Index does.
Which should I buy, the Renault Clio or the Vauxhall Corsa?
If MOT reliability decides it, the evidence favours the Vauxhall Corsa. Still check the individual car's MOT history: these figures describe whole model populations.