Renault Espace MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 1,179 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 51.9% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 49.7% of cars aged 10–14 years passed first time, against 52.2% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Renault Espace?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10–14 years | 185 | 49.7% |
| 15–30 years | 987 | 52.2% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Renault Espace to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Brake Performance — 8.7% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Steering Linkage Components — 8.1% of tests. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Headlamp Aim — 7.9% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Suspension Arms — 7.7% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Anti-roll Bars — 6.2% of tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
- Transmission — 6.1% of tests. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Renault Espace are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 756 licensed and 2,963 SORN vehicles in the Renault Espace generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Renault Espace
Before you buy
- Brake Performance — 8.7% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Steering Linkage Components — 8.1% of tests in 2024. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Headlamp Aim — 7.9% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Suspension Arms — 7.7% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 95% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 13,867. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Espace — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Renault models
- Renault Clio — 55.9% pass
- Renault Captur — 75.7% pass
- Renault Megane — 54.3% pass
- Renault Trafic — 56% pass
- Renault Kadjar — 77.3% pass
- Renault Kangoo — 53.6% pass
See every Renault model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Renault Espace MOT pass rate?
51.9% of 1,179 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Renault Espace passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Espace fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are brake performance (8.7% of tests), steering linkage components (8.1% of tests), headlamp aim (7.9% of tests), suspension arms (7.7% of tests).
How many Renault Espace are left in the UK?
756 were licensed and 2,963 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Espace is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.