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Renault Grand Espace Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Renault Grand Espace car check

Is the Renault Grand Espace reliable? We analysed 167,170 real MOT tests across 12,195 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 167,170 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
66.7%
Typical Mileage
83,958mi
Annual Mileage
7,518mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
28yrs

The Renault Grand Espace is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include track rod end ball joint has excessive play, tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Renault Grand Espace.

Renault Grand Espace Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Renault Grand Espace. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Renault Grand Espace MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Renault Grand Espace to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

73.8%
2012
71.4%
2011
69.8%
2010
68.2%
2009
67.3%
2008
67.2%
2007
67.3%
2006
67.4%
2005
66.4%
2004
67.8%
2003
65.8%
2002
65.4%
2001
63.3%
2000
63.5%
1999
65.2%
1998

Renault Grand Espace Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Renault Grand Espace fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 9,269
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 8,240
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 4,803
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 4,490
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 3,497
coil spring broken 3,253
constant velocity joint gaiter insecurely mounted to its housing 3,096
position lamp(s) not working 3,078
Registration plate lamp not working 2,998
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 2,718

Renault Grand Espace Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Renault Grand Espace owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
4,758 mi/yr
Typical
7,518 mi/yr
Average
8,608 mi/yr
Heavy usage
10,826 mi/yr

Renault Grand Espace MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Renault Grand Espace year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2012 1,326 73.8% 49,154 78,677 113,672
2011 4,386 71.4% 55,608 80,534 111,389
2010 4,603 69.8% 55,599 83,171 117,189
2009 4,324 68.2% 61,968 93,263 124,883
2008 10,831 67.3% 56,756 85,569 116,526
2007 17,427 67.2% 59,860 88,970 120,990
2006 12,379 67.3% 56,506 81,415 109,049
2005 23,904 67.4% 52,198 75,265 101,311
2004 20,342 66.4% 49,208 72,044 97,584
2003 13,208 67.8% 47,498 70,794 96,877
2002 15,853 65.8% 58,355 83,609 110,963
2001 16,340 65.4% 65,508 88,771 113,911
2000 10,379 63.3% 74,295 98,992 126,865
1999 7,361 63.5% 83,090 105,538 131,148
1998 4,429 65.2% 96,817 120,692 146,161

How Long Does a Renault Grand Espace Last?

Based on 12,195 Renault Grand Espace vehicles on UK roads.

Average
12.0 years
Median
12.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
28 years

Renault Grand Espace Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Renault Grand Espace MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
83,958 mi
75th Percentile
112,604 mi
95th Percentile
160,558 mi
Max Recorded
1,201,890 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Renault Grand Espace

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2012

73.8% MOT pass rate from 1,326 tests

Year to avoid
2000

63.3% MOT pass rate from 10,379 tests

The best year to buy a used Renault Grand Espace is 2012, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 73.8% across 1,326 tests. The 2000 model year has the lowest pass rate at 63.3% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Renault Grand Espace Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Renault Grand Espace THIS CAR 66.7% 167,170 83,958 mi 28 yrs
Renault Clio 67.1% 14,729,048 62,807 mi 33 yrs
Renault Megane 67.3% 7,306,346 70,453 mi 30 yrs
Renault Laguna 64.6% 2,783,232 89,257 mi 32 yrs
Saab 9000 Cse 66% 66,427 129,814 mi 33 yrs

Compared to the Renault Clio (67.1% pass rate) and the Renault Megane (67.3% pass rate), the Renault Grand Espace trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Renault Grand Espace?

The Renault Grand Espace has an overall MOT pass rate of 66.7% across 167,170 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Renault Grand Espace are track rod end ball joint has excessive play (9,269 recorded failures), tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (8,240), and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (4,803). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Renault Grand Espace owner drives around 7,518 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Renault Grand Espace models stay on UK roads for around 28 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Renault Grand Espace — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Renault Grand Espace reliable?
Based on 167,170 MOT tests, the Renault Grand Espace has a 66.7% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Renault Grand Espace?
The most common MOT failures are track rod end ball joint has excessive play, tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Renault Grand Espace do per year?
The typical Renault Grand Espace does around 7,518 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Renault Grand Espace last?
Most Renault Grand Espace models stay on UK roads for around 28 years based on our analysis of 12,195 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Renault Grand Espace?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Renault Grand Espace?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Renault Grand Espace is 2012 with a 73.8% pass rate across 1,326 tests.