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Renault Clio vs Vauxhall Corsa: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Vauxhall Corsa does better at its MOT: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 6.8 percentage points ahead of the Renault Clio on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 126,526 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. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict; the common faults below cover the rest.

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 Clio
Pass rate62.7%
Age-matched national74.5%
Difference-11.8
Tests32,125
Vauxhall Corsa
Pass rate71.0%
Age-matched national76.0%
Difference-5.0
Tests94,401

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Renault Clios registered 2002–2022 and Vauxhall Corsas registered 2001–2022.

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 Clio

Mk4 2012–2019, Mk5 2019+ · supermini hatchback

The Renault Clio is one of the UK's most popular superminis. The Mk4 (2012–2019) is reliable but has a known timing belt replacement requirement on 1.5 dCi diesel engines and documented EGR valve fouling. The Mk5 (2019+) with the 1.0 TCe turbopetrol and optional E-Tech full hybrid is significantly more modern and reliable overall. Key concerns: EDC dual-clutch gearbox reliability on Mk4, clutch wear on manual diesels, and infotainment updates needed on early Mk5. Best buy: 2021+ Mk5 1.0 TCe manual. Worst: Mk4 with high-mileage diesel and EDC auto.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2016/192recall
    Wipers may not perform as intended
    68,552 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 November 2012 and 31 July 2015
    Large recall — 68,552 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2015/136recall
    Reduction in braking performance
    49,748 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 5 March 2013 and 2 April 2015
    Large recall — 49,748 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Timing belt — 1.5 dCi diesel (Mk4)critical
    No warning — belt fails without symptoms; catastrophic engine damage results
    Mk4 2012–2019 (1.5 dCi diesel) · Follow the service book; Dacia UK, whose Duster uses the same Renault 1.5 dCi family, says to change the belt if the car is more than 5 years old or has done over 70,000 miles · £400–£650 preventative kit; £2,000–£4,000 engine if belt snaps
    Check: Verify belt change in service history. The Renault 1.5 dCi is an interference engine. No record means budget for immediate replacement before buying.
  • EDC dual-clutch gearbox judder (Mk4)major
    Shudder from standstill; hesitant 1st-to-2nd change; jerky slow-speed behaviour
    Mk4 2012–2019 (EDC automatic) · Often from 25,000 miles on; worsens with age · £300–£800 re-learn and fluid change; £1,500–£2,800 mechatronic or replacement
    Check: Test at walking pace in traffic and from cold. The Mk4 EDC is the weakest part of the car. If buying automatic Mk4, only accept a price that reflects the gearbox risk. Mk4 manual is far more reliable.
Typical asking price:
£3,995–£10,495, median £6,495 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
46–54 mpg (1.0 TCe petrol, real-world UK); 51–63 mpg (1.5 dCi diesel)
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:
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Years to avoid:
2013, 2014, 2015
Used Renault Clios for saleFull Clio fault guideUsed Renaults

Also compare:

Vauxhall Corsa

Mk5 (E) 2014–2019, Mk6 (F) 2019+ · supermini / city hatch

The Vauxhall Corsa Mk6 (2019+) uses the PSA 1.2 PureTech engine, which is efficient but runs its timing belt in engine oil — the "wet belt" that has caused engine failures across Peugeot, Citroën and Vauxhall. Stellantis cut the interval to 6 years or 62,000 miles, so what matters is whether the belt has been done, not the model year. The older Mk5 (2014–2019) with the 1.4 non-turbo petrol avoids the issue; its Easytronic automated-manual is the main risk. Best-buy: Mk5 1.4 manual, or a Mk6 with a documented belt change.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/046recall
    The customer might not be alerted to a malfunction of the turn indicator
    66,176 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 28 August 2019 and 31 May 2021
    Large recall — 66,176 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2019/070recall
    The lambda control might not be robust/precise enough at high speed
    53,981 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 5 January 2018 and 9 April 2019
    Large recall — 53,981 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • 1.2 PureTech wet timing belt (Mk6)critical
    Oil level dropping between services; rattle or whine on cold start; engine warning light; in the worst case sudden oil-pressure loss and engine failure
    2019–2023 Mk6 (1.2 PureTech petrol — the wet belt was phased out for a chain from 2023) · Belt is due at 6 years or 62,000 miles, whichever comes first — failures cluster on cars that passed it · £450–£850 at a UK independent for the belt including cleaning the oil pick-up; £4,000+ if the belt has already shed debris and starved the engine
    Check: This engine runs its timing belt submerged in engine oil. As the belt ages it sheds rubber particles, and those particles block the oil pick-up strainer — so the belt does not usually snap, it starves the engine instead. Ask one question: has the belt been changed, and is there an invoice? Stellantis revised the interval down to 6 years or 62,000 miles with annual oil changes on the correct 5W-30, so a 2019–2020 car is at or past it now. Pull the dipstick and treat a low level as a red flag. Stellantis also runs a UK compensation portal covering qualifying wet-belt repairs paid for between January 2022 and December 2024, and a warranty extension of up to 10 years / 112,000 miles on these engines — worth checking before you accept any quote.
  • Easytronic automated-manual (Mk5)major
    Hesitation and shuddering in slow traffic; clutch actuator warning; slow gearchanges
    Mk5 with Easytronic (not the 5-speed manual) · 50,000+ miles · £600–£1,200 clutch actuator + clutch plate; full Easytronic overhaul £1,500+
    Check: Test drive in stop-start traffic only. Smooth clutch engagement on pull-away is the test. Any shudder = actuator worn. Check exactly which gearbox is fitted — Easytronic vs manual via VIN.
Typical asking price:
£3,499–£12,490, median £6,750 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
1.2 PureTech: 40–49 mpg. 1.4 N/A (Mk5): 36–44 mpg
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:
2023
Years to avoid:
2019, 2020
Used Vauxhall Corsas for saleFull Corsa fault guideUsed Vauxhalls

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Renault Clio

Good for: First-time buyers and young drivers seeking low running costs. City and suburban driving. Buyers who want proven reliability on a small budget. Mk5 E-Tech hybrid for fuel economy.

Less good for: Buyers who need an automatic gearbox and want reliability — avoid the Mk4 EDC. Rural drivers who need more ground clearance. High-mileage diesel buyers doing short journeys.

Vauxhall Corsa

Good for: First-time buyers on a budget; urban commuters; buyers wanting low running costs. The Mk5 1.4 manual is the most forgiving used car buy in the UK under £10,000.

Less good for: Anyone considering a 2019–2020 Mk6 1.2 PureTech without confirmed service history — the wet timing belt risk is real. Buyers needing a car primarily for motorway miles (too small for comfort).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Renault Clio or the Vauxhall Corsa?
On the MOT measure, the Vauxhall Corsa: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 6.8 percentage points ahead of the Renault Clio on first-time MOT passes, across 126,526 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. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Renault Clio and the Vauxhall Corsa compare?
62.7% of Renault Clios pass their MOT first time (32,125 tests in DVSA's records) and 71.0% of Vauxhall Corsas pass their MOT first time (94,401 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Renault Clio's age average 74.5% and cars of the Vauxhall Corsa's age 76.0% — so the Renault Clio runs 11.8 points worse than its age group and the Vauxhall Corsa runs 5.0 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 Clio and Vauxhall Corsa should I avoid?
Renault Clio: Early Mk4 (2013–2015) UK examples suffer from EDC dual-clutch gearbox judder, EGR fouling on diesel, and 1.5 dCi timing belt neglect. These are the most problematic Clios to buy used. Vauxhall Corsa: 2019–2020 Mk6 cars are now past the revised 6-year/62,000-mile belt interval, and this is the failure that matters: the belt degrades in the oil, the debris blocks the oil pick-up, and the engine is starved rather than the belt snapping. A car of these years with no belt invoice is carrying an open-ended risk, and repair once debris has circulated runs well beyond the cost of the belt itself.
Is the Renault Clio or the Vauxhall Corsa cheaper to run?
On fuel the Renault Clio has the edge: its most economical version returns up to 63 mpg, against up to 49 mpg for the Vauxhall Corsa, on the figures in our model guides. 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 Clio or Vauxhall Corsa 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.