Car
Renault Clio
72.5%
pass rate across 1,261,250 tests
63.2% first-time pass rate
Renault Clio vs Vauxhall Corsa
The two cars compared on 4,574,498 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Vauxhall Corsa
77.3%
pass rate across 3,313,248 tests
71.4% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Vauxhall Corsa has the stronger MOT record
Across 4,574,498 tests, the Vauxhall Corsa has the stronger first-time record: 71.4% against 63.2%, a 8.2-point gap. On all MOTs the Vauxhall Corsa is ahead at 77.3% versus 72.5%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Vauxhall Corsa is −2.7 points against its expected rate, the Renault Clio −6.6. A typical repair bill is similar: £30–£80 for the Renault Clio and £21–£56 for the Vauxhall Corsa; at their pass rates that is roughly £812–£2,197 versus £469–£1,270 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Vauxhall Corsa is Engine oil leaking excessively at 11.0% of tests, up to £700 to fix.
- First-time pass: 63.2% vs 71.4%.
- All MOTs: 72.5% vs 77.3%.
- Like-for-like: −6.6 vs −2.7 points.
- Typical repair bill: £30–£80 vs £21–£56.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 66.8% vs 71.6%.
| Measure | Clio | Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 1,261,250 | 3,313,248 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 72.5% | 77.3% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 63.2% | 71.4% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | −8.5 pts | −3.7 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −6.6 pts | −2.7 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 67,255 mi | 64,976 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 95.2% | 2023 · 95.6% |
| Worst model year | 2006 · 67.9% | 2003 · 68.4% |
| Typical repair bill | £30–£80 | £21–£56 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £812–£2,197 | £469–£1,270 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Petrol 78% | Petrol 92% |
| Variants recorded | 9 | 4 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Clio
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded 10.0% £80–£180
- Ball joint excessively worn 10.0% £18–£45
- Track rod end excessive play 6.5% £18–£45
- Coil spring fractured or broken 6.3% £25–£65
Corsa
- Engine oil leaking excessively 11.0% £200–£700
- Shock absorber leaking 9.0% £30–£75
- Exhaust system leaking 5.8% £45–£120
- Sub-frame corroded 5.3% £180–£450
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | Clio | Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 73.9% · 88,171 tests | 80.0% · 269,467 tests |
| 2017 | 78.0% · 72,142 tests | 81.8% · 180,431 tests |
| 2018 | 82.0% · 70,168 tests | 84.5% · 176,877 tests |
| 2019 | 84.4% · 58,558 tests | 87.2% · 155,977 tests |
| 2020 | 88.1% · 32,019 tests | 89.9% · 134,852 tests |
| 2021 | 89.9% · 17,043 tests | 90.1% · 66,466 tests |
| 2022 | 91.5% · 5,928 tests | 91.5% · 26,298 tests |
| 2023 | 95.2% · 105 tests | 95.6% · 341 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | Clio | Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 86.8% · 134,942 tests | 88.2% · 442,263 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 76.2% · 369,083 tests | 80.2% · 1,045,803 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 69.5% · 399,678 tests | 74.4% · 1,041,121 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 66.8% · 244,470 tests | 71.6% · 568,901 tests |
| 120k+ | 66.1% · 109,281 tests | 70.6% · 210,517 tests |
What to check before you buy
Renault Clio
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded — 10.0% of tests, £80–£180 to put right.
- Ball joint excessively worn — 10.0% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2006 at 67.9%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Vauxhall Corsa
- Engine oil leaking excessively — 11.0% of tests, £200–£700 to put right.
- Shock absorber leaking — 9.0% of tests, £30–£75 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2003 at 68.4%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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