Renault Twingo MOT failure rate and common faults
23,628 Renault Twingo cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 38.6% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 33.3% of the time, which makes the Renault Twingo 16% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
38.6%
failed first time
23,628 MOT tests in 2025
+16%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 33.3%
173 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
125.9
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 119.1
What fails on a Renault Twingo MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Renault Twingo MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 79.7 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 59.9 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 41.5 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 40.9 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 36.4 |
| Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits | Engine, emissions and leaks | 34.2 |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 25.3 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 23.7 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 21.8 |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts | 21.2 |
Renault Twingo MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 797 | 20.9% | 19.1% | 33,700 |
| 2017 | 1,397 | 23.4% | 21.8% | 35,900 |
| 2016 | 2,944 | 31.1% | 25.1% | 44,100 |
| 2015 | 5,048 | 33.4% | 28.1% | 52,200 |
| 2014 | 897 | 36.7% | 31.4% | 54,800 |
| 2013 | 947 | 44.8% | 34.3% | 61,200 |
| 2012 | 1,231 | 42.3% | 36.6% | 67,900 |
| 2011 | 2,307 | 49.0% | 38.8% | 75,000 |
| 2010 | 3,718 | 44.7% | 40.7% | 75,600 |
| 2009 | 1,448 | 45.2% | 41.8% | 78,100 |
| 2008 | 2,277 | 47.7% | 42.9% | 87,300 |
Advisories to look for in a Renault Twingo's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Renault Twingo, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge284.5
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing174.8
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened138.1
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material134.1
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive89.0
- Linkage pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement72.1
Checking a used Renault Twingo before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Renault Twingo fails more often than average on suspension, engine, emissions and leaks and windscreen, wipers and mirrors. Start there.
Suspension
Drive over speed bumps with the radio off and listen for knocks. Look at the car side on: a corner sitting lower than the others often means a broken coil spring.
Engine, emissions and leaks
Start the car from cold and watch the exhaust for smoke, look underneath for oil or fuel leaks, and make sure the engine warning light comes on with the ignition and goes out once the engine runs.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
Look for chips or cracks in the driver's line of sight, and test the wipers and washers. Windscreen damage in the swept area is an MOT failure.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Renault Twingo MOT questions
What is the Renault Twingo MOT failure rate?
38.6% of Renault Twingo cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 23,628 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 33.3% of the time, so the Renault Twingo was 16% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Renault Twingo MOT?
Suspension caused the most failure items, at 267 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded 79.7 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Renault Twingo year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2017 registrations did best: 23.4% failed against an average of 21.8% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Renault Twingo will pass?
No. These are averages across every Renault Twingo tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Renault models
- Renault Clio42.9% failed
- Renault Captur24.0% failed
- Renault Trafic40.5% failed
- Renault Megane44.7% failed
- Renault Kadjar26.4% failed
- Renault Kangoo45.2% failed
Ranked close to the Renault Twingo
- Ford Galaxyrank 170
- Hyundai i30rank 171
- Nissan Pulsarrank 172
- Tesla Model 3rank 174
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Renault Twingo cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.