Renault
2,682 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Zoe I GT Line ZE 50s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 12.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.9%
Pass-after-fix
1.7%
Fail
8.0%
Avg miles
23,352
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,682 tests
Pass rate climbs 4.0 points across the cohorts — newer Zoe I GT Line ZE 50 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
89.3%
Fail
8.4%
PRS
1.9%
Avg mileage at test
24,239 mi
Pass
93.2%
Fail
5.8%
PRS
0.7%
Avg mileage at test
18,700 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,353 MOT tests, the Zoe I Gt Line Ze 50 returns 89.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A tyre with the cords showing and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 18,888, 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
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 →
16–22
out of 50
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A tyre seriously damaged
63 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
39 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
38 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
17 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Wiper blade defective
14 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
12 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
7 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
7 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
5 occurrences · 0.2% 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 3 failures
£140–£235
If every one of this Zoe I GT Line ZE 50'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 →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 4.0-point gap between bands means the year you buy Renault Zoe I GT Line ZE 50 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
93.2%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 93.2% — a 4.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 18,700 miles — roughly 6K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm — 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
89.3%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 89.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 93.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, has ply or cords exposed, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 24,239 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (93.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (89.3% pass). That's a 4.0-point spread across 2,253 older tests and 429 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Owner reports · Honest John
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
Regenerative braking recovers practically all of the energy otherwise wasted during braking, without any significant impact on ZOE’s on-road dynamics. The car offers a smooth drive with no jarring electric motor braking.
Where it falls short
Initially, in the UK, monthly battery hire costs from £70 (9,000 miles/36 month contract), inclusive of comprehensive breakdown assistance (which covers flat batteries).
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 Zoe I GT Line ZE 50 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.
