Used car guide · 2019–2024

Renault Clio Mk5: best and worst years, and what goes wrong

How every year of the Renault Clio Mk5 did at its MOT in 2025 compared with other cars the same age, the weak spots that keep coming up, and what to check before you buy one. From 45,735 MOT tests.

2023best year: 93% pass first time, 1 points above all 2023 cars
2020weakest year: 83% pass first time, 3 points below all 2020 cars
Braking performancethe weak spot that shows up in 2 different years

Year by year

First-time MOT pass rate for each year of the Renault Clio Mk5, against all cars registered the same year. Older cars fail more, so the comparison with cars the same age is what matters.

60%80%100%2019: 73% pass first time (all 2019 cars: 84%) 73% 2019*2020: 83% pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%) 83% 20202021: 85% pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%) 85% 20212022: 88% pass first time (all 2022 cars: 89%) 88% 20222023: 93% pass first time (all 2023 cars: 92%) 93% 2023
This model, first-time pass rate All cars registered that year · * changeover year: some cars are the previous or next generation
YearPass first timeAll cars that yearStands outMOT tests
2019*73%84% -11Tyre condition 2.1× usual17,257
202083%86% -3Suspension arm bushes and joints 3.7× usual10,817
202185%87% -2Wipers 1.9× usual9,212
202288%89% -1Braking performance 4.2× usual7,902
202393%92% +1Nothing unusual547

Weak spots across the Renault Clio Mk5

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year of this generation. Repeat findings like these are much less likely to be chance.

  • Braking performanceup to 4.2× usual

    Stands out in 2 years: 2022, 2021.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting each car's main test of the year (not retests). A weak spot needs at least 30 cars flagged and must stay 1.5× the usual rate even at the cautious end of a 95% confidence range. Generation years are approximate: cars registered in a changeover year (*) can be either generation. How we score

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