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Renault

Clio Play Sce

1,663 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Clio Play Sces pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 7.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

85.2%

Pass-after-fix

3.7%

Fail

10.5%

Avg miles

21,987

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

ULEZ compliant

Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.

UK ULEZ & CAZ guide →

Performance by cohort

2 year bands · 1,663 tests

Pass rate drops 1.7 points across the cohorts — recent Clio Play Sce examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.

2018–2020 cohort 829

Pass

86.0%

Fail

10.1%

PRS

3.5%

Avg mileage at test

23,485 mi

2021+ cohort 834

Pass

84.3%

Fail

10.8%

PRS

3.8%

Avg mileage at test

20,494 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Clio Play Sce: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 623 MOT tests, the Clio Play Sce returns 87.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is wipers that don't clear the screen. A defective wiper blade and brake pads worn below 1.5 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 18,648, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 3–18

Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.

Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →

3–18

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

  1. 01

    Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

    50 occurrences · 3.0% of tests

  2. 02

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    25 occurrences · 1.5% of tests

  3. 03

    Wiper blade defective

    24 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  4. 04

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    23 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  5. 05

    A tyre cords visible or damaged

    22 occurrences · 1.3% of tests

  6. 06

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    19 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  7. 07

    A tyre seriously damaged

    15 occurrences · 0.9% of tests

  8. 08

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    8 occurrences · 0.5% of tests

  9. 09

    Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn

    7 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

  10. 10

    Obligatory mirror or device slightly damaged or loose

    7 occurrences · 0.4% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 5 failures

£260£585

If every one of this Clio Play Sce's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.7-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Renault Clio Play Sce makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.

Best band to buy

86.0%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 86.0% — a 1.7-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: does not clear the windscreen effectively, pin or bush excessively worn — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.

Band to be cautious about

84.3%

2021+ registration

On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 84.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 86.0% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: does not clear the windscreen effectively, has ply or cords exposed, and less than 1.5 mm thick. Average mileage on test for this band is 20,494 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (86.0% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (84.3% pass). That's a 1.7-point spread across 834 older tests and 829 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

Get a quote →

Owner reports · Honest John

What owners actually report.

Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.

What's good

Trendy looks, an impressive cabin and low running costs mean the Renault Clio is a very desirable little car, even if it's not quite as refined as a Volkswagen Polo.

Where it falls short

Hybrid models are expensive. Limited engine line-up. Firm ride on 17-inch alloy wheels.

Recent owner-reported faults

  1. 5 May 2021

    Report of automatic gearbox failure on 2020 Clio. The car went into overdrive twice in the space of a week. Then, on a motorway journey, a red stop sign flashed and the gearbox failed. Transmission is being repaired under warranty. Compare new Renault Clio deals Buy new from £16,134(list price from £17,995) View offers

Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 1 reports indexed

Buying or keeping a Clio Play Sce?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a Clio Play Sce and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.