MOT comparison

Volkswagen Polo Mk5 vs Renault Clio Mk3

How the Volkswagen Polo Mk5 (6R/6C) (2009–2017) and the Renault Clio Mk3 (2005–2012) do at their MOTs, compared at the same mileage so a high-mileage car is never measured against a low-mileage one.

Volkswagen Polo Mk5 (6R/6C)

3,657,175

MOT tests compared · built 2009–2017

Passes more often in 15 of 15 mileage bands

Renault Clio Mk3

2,935,876

MOT tests compared · built 2005–2012

Passes more often in 0 of 15 mileage bands

MOT pass rate by mileage

Share of MOTs passed first time, at the mileage recorded at the test.

Volkswagen Polo Mk5 Renault Clio Mk3

Under 10,000 miles 93.5% vs 90.4%

87,256 and 46,268 MOTs

10,000–20,000 miles 89.3% vs 84.3%

340,843 and 197,658 MOTs

20,000–30,000 miles 83.9% vs 76.6%

508,882 and 303,847 MOTs

30,000–40,000 miles 79.1% vs 68.8%

529,377 and 340,516 MOTs

40,000–50,000 miles 74.5% vs 61.6%

482,311 and 340,368 MOTs

50,000–60,000 miles 70.2% vs 55.5%

417,499 and 327,606 MOTs

60,000–70,000 miles 66.5% vs 51.0%

346,703 and 304,065 MOTs

70,000–80,000 miles 63.2% vs 47.6%

276,467 and 272,543 MOTs

80,000–90,000 miles 60.4% vs 45.4%

212,421 and 231,335 MOTs

90,000–100,000 miles 58.0% vs 44.1%

157,129 and 183,284 MOTs

100,000–125,000 miles 55.1% vs 43.0%

208,805 and 261,561 MOTs

125,000–150,000 miles 52.8% vs 42.9%

66,814 and 91,111 MOTs

150,000–175,000 miles 52.6% vs 42.9%

17,234 and 26,268 MOTs

175,000–200,000 miles 52.2% vs 42.5%

4,105 and 6,919 MOTs

200,000–250,000 miles 53.8% vs 45.0%

1,329 and 2,527 MOTs

Parts that fail more often

Only differences that hold across at least half of the mileage bands we could compare, and that are far too large to be chance, are listed. How we decide

Volkswagen Polo Mk5 fails more often on

Shock absorbers

Fails about 6 times as often as the Renault Clio Mk3: 3.8% of MOTs against 0.83%.

In 12 of 15 mileage bands · Springs & Shocks
Engine management light

Fails about 3 times as often as the Renault Clio Mk3: 2.5% of MOTs against 0.67%.

In 12 of 15 mileage bands · Dashboard Warning Lights
Rear service brake

Fails about 5 times as often as the Renault Clio Mk3: 1.8% of MOTs against 0.51%.

In 10 of 15 mileage bands · Braking System

Renault Clio Mk3 fails more often on

Front coil spring

Fails about 5 times as often as the Volkswagen Polo Mk5: 5.9% of MOTs against 1.3%.

In 14 of 15 mileage bands · Springs & Shocks
Stop lamp

Fails about 7 times as often as the Volkswagen Polo Mk5: 3.9% of MOTs against 0.59%.

In 14 of 15 mileage bands · Lights & Signals

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Check a car's MOT Compare the Volkswagen Polo Mk5 with another model

These are differences in real MOT results, not engineering verdicts. Owner mix differs between models (some are more often taxis, first cars or rural cars), which is why every figure compares cars at the same mileage. How we compare cars.

MOT records: DVSA MOT history, which contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See this the other way round.