Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 207,851 tests

Pass rate climbs 18.7 points across the cohorts — newer Megane examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 197,201

Pass

66.0%

Fail

28.0%

PRS

5.4%

Avg mileage at test

96,072 mi

2018–2020 cohort 9,327

Pass

83.0%

Fail

12.4%

PRS

4.0%

Avg mileage at test

43,116 mi

2021+ cohort 1,323

Pass

84.7%

Fail

12.2%

PRS

2.3%

Avg mileage at test

33,458 mi

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

Generations on file · 4

Renault Megane · UK market

Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.

The picture

65.5% pass rate — springs and ball joints are the problem

Fractured spring components are the Megane's top MOT failure, followed by number plate lamps and steering ball joint wear with excessive free play. At 65.5% across 157,610 tests and an average mileage of 90,764, the Megane's pass rate sits in the lower range for a family hatch. By 90,000 miles, the suspension geometry is doing exactly what age and French roads teach it to do.

Owner reports confirm the pattern. Front suspension drop link joints were found separating on two different Meganes — one a 2016 dCi at 25,000 miles, another a 2017 TCe at just 15,000 miles — discovered only when tyres were being changed. High-mileage 1.5 dCi Sports Tourers used on 80-mile daily runs reported ongoing issues across multiple warranty visits. The tester will go straight for the spring condition and ball joint play on any Megane approaching six figures. Get both checked before the car goes in.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 12–26

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 →

12–26

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

11,409 occurrences · 5.5% of tests
02

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

10,603 occurrences · 5.1% of tests
03

A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play

9,889 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
04

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

6,640 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
05

Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

6,625 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
06

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

6,365 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
07

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

5,635 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
08

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

5,035 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
09

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

4,795 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
10

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

4,640 occurrences · 2.2% 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

£256–£790

If every one of this Megane'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 18.7-point gap between bands means the year you buy Renault Megane has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

84.7%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 84.7% — a 18.7-point improvement. Tests in this band average 33,458 miles — roughly 63K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: does not clear the windscreen effectively, has a serious fluid leak — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

66.0%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 66.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 84.7% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, fractured or broken, and ball joint has excessive play. Average mileage on test for this band is 96,072 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (84.7% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (66.0% pass). That's a 18.7-point spread across 197,201 older tests and 1,323 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.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

H7 / W21W bulb pack

A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.

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My Motor World · affiliate

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Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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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.

Where it falls short

Owner reports (2 entries) flag recurring problems with gearbox/clutch, suspension, tyre wear.

Recent owner-reported faults

2 Sep 2019
Report of front suspension drop link joints separating and needing replacing on two different Renault Meganes when jacked up to replace the front tyres. One, a 2016 1.5 dCi 110 auto at 25,000 miles. The other a 2017/67 Megane 1.2 TCe at 15,000 miles. [![Image 24: Missed the April 15 Tax Deadline? The IRS Still Offers Debt Forgiveness [See How to Qualify]](https://images.outbrainimg.com/transform/v3/eyJpdSI6ImM5NTFiY2UwOTE0MjYyMDllNjFjNDJkNzFhYWY4NmU2YzNkNjFiODFlY2Y2MjEyZWEzNjViZDFjMmFhZGFkMDIiLCJ3Ijo0MDAsImgiOjMwMCwiZCI6MS4wLCJjcyI6MCwiZiI6NH0.webp)Missed the April 15 Tax Deadline? The IRS Still Offers Debt Forgiveness [See How to Qualify]freshstartinfo.org](https://freshstartinfo.org/tax-relief-options/?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=programmatic&utm_campaign=Monthly+Deadline&utm_content=0040c3af2b90b0947883aaa6a2c344c348&camp_id=0096ea30c26a360a1fc372308e87d6d6d7&creative_id=0040c3af2b90b0947883aaa6a2c344c348&brand=FSI&source=OUT&adset_id={{section_id}}&obcid=0096ea30c26a360a1fc372308e87d6d6d7&obOrigUrl=true) Ask a Pro: "I'm 65 With $1.1M In An IRA. What's My Retirement Budget?"This quiz matches nearly 50,000 people each month with vetted financial advisors.SmartAsset Learn More Why AI Brings Speech Clarity That Old Hearing Aids Just Can’t Match Understand speech in noise effortlessly AudioNova Top 5 Mouse Repellents for 2026 Expert Product Review Learn More People Born 1941-1971 Are Due A Large Surprise TheConsumerGuide Learn More Stop Wasting Groceries: The Fridge Mistake Most Households Make Consumer Check Sponsored North Charleston: AudioNova is giving free 30-minute hearing checks complete this short quiz to schedule your free hearing test AudioNova [![Image 31: Find Senior Women Who Bring The Spark [See Who's Online]](https://images.outbrainimg.com/transform/v3/eyJpdSI6ImUzNDY5NWJhMzA0NzRhODZiMzJlYzFmNTJkNTM3ZDIxMzZiMWM1MTMzZTBhNDVkNTJkZjQ0ZWFhZDQ2ZTY3YWIiLCJ3Ijo0MDAsImgiOjMwMCwiZCI6MS4wLCJjaCI6LTc1NDE0MjE0NiwiY3MiOjAsImYiOjR9.webp)Sponsored Find Senior Women Who Bring The Spark [See Who's Online] Read more It all starts with a message.amorelation.com](https://amorelation.com/land/sp/17f2ebbb?utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium=ua&utm_campaign=OBN_Amorelation_USA_All_Native_EU2_NewU_aOBX25_WL-exclude2_Creo-t_Text-t_mua_20Apr&campaign_id=004aea76c4e6e4694169bd0cc89a5ab731&utm_content=Find+Senior+Women+Who+Bring+The+Spark+%5BSee+Who%27s+Online%5D&partner=outbrain_datingsmatch&OutbrainClickId={{ob_click_id}}&subid={{ob_click_id}}&ad_id=00b3c19bfc65a0cbf37f87168b7a2dc38a&publisher_name={{publisher_name}}&section_name={{section_name}}&publisher_id={{publisher_id}}&ad_name={{ad_name}}&obOrigUrl=true) Sponsored The Ingredient Plumbers Use to Clear Clogged Drains Instantly Trending Deal Journal Sponsored The 2026 Hyundai Palisade: the SUV that redefines the driving experience caffeinecommons.com Click Here Sponsored Chemist Reveals A Trick For Removing Mold Stains In Seconds For Ever! (Today Only $25)Consumer World * Terms and Conditions * Privacy * Cookies * Advertise on this site * Contact * Mobile) Website of the Year 2016, 2017 & 2018
13 Apr 2019
Report of 2017 Renault Megane GT 1.6 dCi Sports Tourer bought it from Renault Cannock at 9 months old, with 5,000 miles, now with 25,000 miles and under the 4 year warranty until May 2021. Used for an 80 mile a day round trip cross country 3 days a week and many trips across the country for work, doing 20k miles a year. In January 2019 caught in heavy traffic felt like the clutch was shortening into the footwell. The gear change become shorter and stiffer, the clutch becomes shorter again and it was impossible to change gear. The car then stalled. At this point all the systems failed, then the car shut itself down, applied the electronic handbrake and went dead. Car spent over a week at Renault Whitchurch and it returned fine. A electronic box next to the battery had blown and had to be replaced. Then on Thursday 10th April 2019 same thing happened again. This time there was also lots of clutch smell. The recovery man tried to put a new fuse into the electronic box by the battery and it blew a 50 - 70amp fuse. The car was recovered to Renault Romford where it now sits.

Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 2 reports indexed

Recall history

28 UK recalls on record.

The Megane has 28 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Megane?

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 Megane 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.