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Renault Captur vs Volkswagen T-Roc: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Volkswagen T-Roc is the more reliable used buy: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 7.3 percentage points ahead of the Renault Captur on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 25,846 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
Volkswagen T-Roc
Pass rate92.9%
Age-matched national88.4%
Difference+4.5
Tests9,266

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Renault Capturs registered 2013–2022 and Volkswagen T-Rocs registered 2018–2022.

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:

Volkswagen T-Roc

first generation 2017–2026 · small crossover SUV

The Volkswagen T-Roc passes the MOT above the average for its age in every registration year with enough tests (2018–2022), and DVSA lists no recall of 10,000 or more vehicles: the largest, R/2022/074 (engine covers that could come loose), is one 7,579-vehicle total shared with the Golf 8, Tiguan and Arteon. What Car? scored the T-Roc 99% in 2025, but owners of diesels reported AdBlue and particulate-filter faults and owners of petrols infotainment and door-lock faults. Launch-year cars carry several small recalls.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/074recall
    Engine compartment covers could come loose from their attachment
    7,579 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 5 September 2020 and 17 February 2022
    Smaller recall — 7,579 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2019/005recall
    The bonded joint between the upper and lower section of the rear spoiler may be faulty
    6,830 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 29 January 2018 and 12 June 2018
    Smaller recall — 6,830 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Diesel — AdBlue and particulate-filter faultsmajor
    What Car? says owners of diesel T-Rocs most often reported faulty AdBlue systems and diesel particulate filter problems, often with warning lights and repeated visits to the dealer.
    Diesel T-Rocs
    Check: Check for any warning light after start-up, ask for the AdBlue and particulate-filter history, and look at the invoices for any visit to a dealer for either.
  • Petrol — infotainment and door-lock faultsminor
    What Car? says owners of petrol T-Rocs reported occasional problems with the infotainment system and door locks: minor, but not always quickly resolved.
    Petrol T-Rocs
    Check: Work the touchscreen, Bluetooth and every door lock, and, as What Car? advises, make sure a DSG automatic changes gear smoothly without hesitation or juddering.
Typical asking price:
not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:
No sourced real-world figure for the T-Roc, 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:
2019, 2020
Used Volkswagen T-Rocs for saleFull T-Roc fault guideUsed Volkswagens

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.

Volkswagen T-Roc

Good for: Buyers who want a small SUV with a strong MOT record and few large recalls, and who will check a launch-year car by registration.

Less good for: Anyone buying a diesel T-Roc without its AdBlue and particulate-filter history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Renault Captur or the Volkswagen T-Roc?
The Volkswagen T-Roc. Measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 7.3 percentage points ahead of the Renault Captur on first-time MOT passes, across 25,846 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 Volkswagen T-Roc compare?
79.2% of Renault Capturs pass their MOT first time (16,580 tests in DVSA's records) and 92.9% of Volkswagen T-Rocs pass their MOT first time (9,266 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Renault Captur's age average 82.0% and cars of the Volkswagen T-Roc's age 88.4% — so the Renault Captur runs 2.8 points worse than its age group and the Volkswagen T-Roc runs 4.5 points better 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 Volkswagen T-Roc 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. Volkswagen T-Roc: No year is named: DVSA’s MOT table rates every T-Roc registration year above all cars registered that year (2018 by 7.4 points). Launch-year cars carry five small recalls: R/2018/066 (an owner’s manual supplement, built November 2017 to January 2018), R/2018/301 and R/2020/112 (electric parking brake software, built October 2017 to June 2018), R/2019/005 (rear spoiler bond, January to June 2018) and R/2018/352 (rear seat backrest weld, May to August 2018), so check the car by registration.
Is the Renault Captur or the Volkswagen T-Roc 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. Volkswagen T-Roc: No sourced real-world figure for the T-Roc, 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. 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. Any Renault Captur 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.