Used comparison · 2025 DVSA data
Ford Fiesta vs Renault Clio
Two long-running superminis with deep used supply, so condition and history matter far more than the badge.
Across 1,658,578 initial MOT tests in 2025, the Ford Fiesta passed 72.78% against 62.96% for the Renault Clio. That is a wide gap by the standards of this data, and worth weighing.
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Head to head on the MOT record
| Measure | Ford Fiesta | Renault Clio |
|---|---|---|
| First-time MOT pass rate | 72.78% | 62.96% |
| Tests in 2025 | 1,355,783 | 302,795 |
| Average mileage at test | 71,345 | 71,008 |
| Average age at test | 11.6 years | 12.1 years |
| Most common fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Diesel share of tests | 12.16% | 20.62% |
The UK average across all cars in this data is 77.3%. The Ford Fiesta sits below it by 4.5 points, and the Renault Clio sits below it by 14.3 points.
Which one holds up better as it ages
This is the part that matters when you are buying used. A headline pass rate mixes three-year-old cars in with fifteen-year-old ones. Split by age, you can see what each model actually does over time.
| Age at test | Ford Fiesta | Renault Clio |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years | 91.51% | 87.61% |
| 6 to 10 years | 80.01% | 67.5% |
| 11 years and over | 65.6% | 56.85% |
The Ford Fiesta gives up less as it gets older. Between the youngest and oldest brackets it loses 25.9 percentage points against 30.8 for the Renault Clio, a difference of 4.9 points. On a ten-year-old example that is the figure to weigh, not the headline number.
What each one fails on
These are the areas testers recorded most often across every failed 2025 test for each model. Read them as a viewing checklist for that model, not as a fault list for any particular car.
Ford Fiesta
- Suspension 25.22%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 23.72%
- Tyres 13.97%
- Brakes 11.01%
- Noise, emissions and leaks 7%
Share of all recorded failure items.
Full Ford Fiesta failure detailRenault Clio
- Suspension 25.42%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 22.78%
- Brakes 16.29%
- Tyres 10%
- Visibility 7.19%
Share of all recorded failure items.
Full Renault Clio failure detailBoth models fail most often on suspension, which is normal for cars of this age and tells you what to look at on either. The difference between them is in what comes next on each list.
The specific items testers wrote down
One level deeper than the category. These are the individual defects recorded most often on each model.
Ford Fiesta
- Ball joint ball joint excessively worn
- Stop lamp not working
- Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
Renault Clio
- Coil spring fractured or broken
- Ball joint ball joint excessively worn
- Position lamp not working
What this comparison cannot tell you
Everything above describes two models across the whole UK fleet. It says nothing about the one car in the advert you are looking at. Two Fiestas of the same year and mileage can be worth thousands apart because of things that never appear in MOT data:
- Outstanding finance. If a lender still has an agreement recorded against the car, that claim does not disappear because you paid the seller.
- Insurance write-off history. A Cat S or Cat N marker is permanent, changes what the car is worth, and does not appear on the V5C.
- Stolen markers. A car recorded as stolen can be seized even from a buyer who bought it honestly.
- Mileage history. The readings taken at every MOT are the clearest way to spot a clocked odometer.
- Previous keepers. An unusual number of keepers for the age of the car is worth asking about.
A Carpeep car history check reports all of those against the registration, plus tax status, import and export markers, scrapped status and the recorded vehicle identity, in one £15 report.
Check the car you are about to buy
One registration, one report. Finance, write-off, stolen, mileage, keepers, MOT and tax.
Read more on each car
- Buying a used Ford Fiesta Buying guide, MOT record and what to check
- Buying a used Renault Clio Buying guide, MOT record and what to check
Other comparisons with these cars
- Ford Fiesta vs Vauxhall Corsa
- Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo
- Ford Fiesta vs Toyota Yaris
- Vauxhall Corsa vs Renault Clio
- Peugeot 208 vs Renault Clio
Ford Fiesta vs Renault Clio FAQs
Is the Ford Fiesta or the Renault Clio more likely to pass its MOT?
The Ford Fiesta passed 72.78% of its initial MOT tests in the DVSA 2025 data against 62.96% for the Renault Clio, a gap of 9.8 percentage points. That is a fleet-wide average, not a prediction about the specific car you are looking at.
Does a higher MOT pass rate mean a more reliable car?
No. An MOT records whether a vehicle met the roadworthiness standard on the day it was tested. It does not test the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it does not measure how often a car breaks down. Pass rates are useful for comparing how two models are holding up across the whole UK fleet, and nothing more than that.
Which is cheaper to keep on the road, the Ford Fiesta or the Renault Clio?
This data does not price servicing or repairs, so it cannot answer that directly. What it does show is what each model most often fails on, which is a fair guide to where the money goes. The Ford Fiesta fails most often on suspension. The Renault Clio fails most often on suspension.
How do I check the actual Ford Fiesta I have found?
Enter its registration. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, insurance write-off markers, stolen markers, the mileage recorded at every MOT, previous keepers, tax and MOT status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report. None of that appears in model-level MOT statistics.
MOT figures aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.