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Renault Captur vs Vauxhall Mokka: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Renault Captur is the more reliable used buy: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 4.2 percentage points ahead of the Vauxhall Mokka on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 43,207 real tests across every generation on the road, not a survey. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Renault Captur
Pass rate79.2%
Age-matched national82.0%
Difference-2.8
Tests16,580
Vauxhall Mokka
Pass rate74.0%
Age-matched national81.0%
Difference-7.0
Tests26,627

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Renault Capturs registered 2013–2022 and Vauxhall Mokkas registered 2013–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Renault Captur

Mk1 2013–2019 and Mk2 2020–on · small crossover SUV

The Renault Captur’s weak spot on DVSA’s data is the early Mk1. Cars built January 2013 to March 2015 are in a 31,320-vehicle recall for front wheel liners that can rub the brake hoses (R/2015/067), and 2013–2015 registrations pass the MOT 6 to 11 points below all cars registered the same year. Mk2 cars built September 2022 to July 2025 are in an injection-software recall (R/2026/094). What Car? owners report mostly electrical faults.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2015/067recall
    Loss of braking efficiency
    31,320 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 January 2013 and 31 March 2015
    Large recall — 31,320 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2026/094recall
    Injection Computer Software Update
    16,996 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 September 2022 and 11 July 2025
    Large recall — 16,996 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Electrics — sat-nav, air-con and controls (Mk1)moderate
    What Car? says owners reported non-engine electrical faults most often, notably with the sat-nav and air-con systems and their controls, most fixed free under warranty, plus faulty warning lights and occasional engine faults, and mixed experiences with dealers.
    2013–2019 Mk1
    Check: Work every control on the sat-nav and air-con, check no warning light stays on after start-up, and ask what warranty work the car has had.
  • Electrics — infotainment, warning lights and keyless entry (Mk2)moderate
    What Car? readers reported malfunctioning infotainment and faulty dashboard warning lights most often on the Mk2, a few problems with keyless entry (doors failing to lock or unlock properly) and isolated gearbox faults on automatics.
    2020-on Mk2
    Check: Lock and unlock the car with the key card several times, test the touchscreen and phone pairing, and drive an automatic through its gears from cold.
Typical asking price:
£3,000–£9,495, median £5,995 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 8 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
No sourced real-world figure for the Captur, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at.
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2020, 2021
Years to avoid:
2013, 2014, 2015
Used Renault Capturs for saleFull Captur fault guideUsed Renaults

Also compare:

Vauxhall Mokka

Mk1 and Mokka X 2012–2019, Mk2 and Mokka Electric 2021–on · small crossover

The two Mokka generations are different cars with different risks, and the engine matters more than the year. On the 2012–2019 car the 1.6 CDTi diesel timing chain is the expensive one; on the 2021-on car it is the 1.2 PureTech wet timing belt, which Stellantis has since extended warranty cover for. Everything else is ordinary. Check the recall history by registration first — there are DVSA recalls on both generations, including a Takata airbag campaign.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2025/511recall
    Vauxhall cross carline Driver’s Airbag - Takata
    174,846 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 15 December 2011 and 6 June 2018
    Large recall — 174,846 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2021/063recall
    The brake pedal may potentially stick as a result of high vehicle interior temperatures
    62,957 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 30 May 2012 and 26 June 2019
    Large recall — 62,957 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Engine — 1.2 PureTech wet timing belt (2021-on petrol)critical
    The belt runs in engine oil. Owners and workshops report the belt degrading and shedding material, and a rattle or a low-oil-pressure warning is the point at which it becomes expensive.
    2021-on petrol · £1,000–£2,500 for the belt job, far more if it has already failed
    Check: Ask for evidence the belt has been done and at what mileage, and ask the selling dealer whether the car is covered by the Stellantis extended warranty on this engine. Stellantis both extended cover and set up a compensation route after the problem became widely reported, which tells you how common it became — but we hold no failure rate for it, so treat this as a question to ask rather than a fault the car has.
  • Engine — 1.6 CDTi diesel timing chain (2015–2019)critical
    Rattle on start-up that fades, or a chain noise under load.
    2015–2019 diesel · £1,200–£2,500
    Check: Cold-start the car yourself and never accept "it is already warm". We hold no frequency figure for it, and no recall for it, so judge it on the service history and what you hear.
Typical asking price:
£3,480–£12,470, median £5,990 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 8 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
38–45 mpg real-world for the 1.4 Turbo petrol; the 1.6 CDTi diesel returns more on a run
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Electric versions: one first registered from 1 April 2025 pays the £440/year supplement in years 2–6 only if it listed at over £50,000 new; one registered before then never does, whatever it cost.
Best years:
2022, 2023
Years to avoid:
2012, 2013
Used Vauxhall Mokkas for saleFull Mokka fault guideUsed Vauxhalls

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Renault Captur

Good for: Buyers who want a small crossover and will check the recall record on a 2013–2015 car, and the electrics and warranty history on any Captur.

Less good for: Anyone buying a 2013–2015 Mk1 without proof that the brake-hose inspection was done, or a recent Mk2 without confirming the injection-software update.

Vauxhall Mokka

Good for: Buyers who want a high driving position and a small footprint, and who will check the engine and its belt or chain history before the price.

Less good for: Anyone buying a 2021-on PureTech petrol without evidence of the belt history, or an early diesel without a full service record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Mokka?
The Renault Captur. Measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 4.2 percentage points ahead of the Vauxhall Mokka on first-time MOT passes, across 43,207 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Renault Captur and the Vauxhall Mokka compare?
79.2% of Renault Capturs pass their MOT first time (16,580 tests in DVSA's records) and 74.0% of Vauxhall Mokkas pass their MOT first time (26,627 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Renault Captur's age average 82.0% and cars of the Vauxhall Mokka's age 81.0% — so the Renault Captur runs 2.8 points worse than its age group and the Vauxhall Mokka runs 7.0 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka should I avoid?
Renault Captur: The front wheel-arch liner and brake-hose recall R/2015/067 covers Mk1 cars built 1 January 2013 to 31 March 2015, and DVSA’s MOT table rates 2013, 2014 and 2015 registrations below all cars registered those years (by 11.3, 7.6 and 6.2 points). The Mk1 also had five small recalls on later builds (wheel hubs, catalytic converter welds, a seat-belt bolt, alternator wiring and dipped headlights), each covering a few dozen cars at most. Vauxhall Mokka: The earliest cars have the highest mileages and the least remaining warranty. Open recall exposure is not what separates them: the Takata airbag recall R/2025/511 (174,846 vehicles built 15 December 2011 to 6 June 2018) and the brake-pedal recall R/2021/063 (built 30 May 2012 to 26 June 2019) cover 2017–2018 Mokka X cars as fully as 2012–2013 ones. The 1.6 CDTi diesel across the first generation is the single most expensive thing to get wrong.
Is the Renault Captur or the Vauxhall Mokka cheaper to run?
On fuel it depends on the engine. Renault Captur: No sourced real-world figure for the Captur, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at. Vauxhall Mokka: 38–45 mpg real-world for the 1.4 Turbo petrol; the 1.6 CDTi diesel returns more on a run. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. The electric versions (Mokka Electric (Mokka-e)) pay the same £200/year standard rate since 1 April 2025 (electric cars were exempt before then), with the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 only on one first registered from 1 April 2025 that listed at over £50,000 new. Any Renault Captur or Vauxhall Mokka registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.