Renault Megane years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2015

Last updated · OBDCode UK editorial

Inspect most carefully: 2013, 2014, 2015. Strongest in the data: 2002. The ranking uses 302,967 MOT test records across 20 qualifying registration-year cohorts in the 2023–2025 DVSA test extracts and compares each cohort with all UK cars of the same age. Counts are test records, not unique vehicles. Same-vehicle follow-up for common certificate lines on this model is further down: how often the same item failed the next year, and how often the car was not tested again. Fuel-type signal: diesels show an average 3.0-point pass-rate deficit on this model. That may reflect mileage and use as well as the car itself, so inspect DPF and emissions history rather than treating fuel type as a verdict.

Every Megane year, ranked

The age-adjusted MOT index sets 100 as the pass rate of all UK cars registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Higher is better. This prevents an old car being labelled a “bad year” simply because it is old.

RankYearIndexVs same-agePass rateTests
1 2002 Strong 99.8 -0.2 pts 65.4% 4,361
2 2003 97.9 -2.1 pts 62.9% 2,328
3 2001 97.6 -2.4 pts 64.2% 2,821
4 2018 95.3 -4.7 pts 81.7% 5,809
5 2020 94.9 -5.1 pts 84.8% 3,035
6 2017 94.2 -5.8 pts 78.2% 14,091
7 2004 94.2 -5.8 pts 58.4% 3,261
8 2019 94.0 -6.0 pts 82.4% 7,455
9 2016 93.5 -6.5 pts 74.8% 14,355
10 2005 93.2 -6.8 pts 57.6% 6,393
11 2008 92.2 -7.8 pts 57.3% 15,875
12 2007 91.9 -8.1 pts 57.0% 17,105
13 2006 91.9 -8.1 pts 56.3% 10,314
14 2009 89.6 -10.4 pts 56.1% 25,371
15 2010 89.4 -10.6 pts 56.8% 45,478
16 2011 88.7 -11.3 pts 57.9% 37,660
17 2012 88.0 -12.0 pts 59.2% 26,017
18 2015 Inspect 87.1 -12.9 pts 65.9% 19,172
19 2013 Inspect 86.4 -13.6 pts 59.7% 21,183
20 2014 Inspect 83.3 -16.7 pts 59.2% 20,883

Why 2013 and 2014 and 2015 rank lower

The 2015 cohort passes 65.9% of tests (-12.9 points versus same-age cars) at a median 76,737 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. The 2013 cohort passes 59.7% of tests (-13.6 points versus same-age cars) at a median 90,120 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. The 2014 cohort passes 59.2% of tests (-16.7 points versus same-age cars) at a median 84,642 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. This is population-level evidence, not a known-fault list: service history, engine version and the individual MOT record can outweigh the registration-year average.

What happened next on this model

Year rankings are age-adjusted pass rates. The figures below are a same-vehicle follow-up for certificate lines that appear often enough on this model (at least 200 cars). They are not a repair quote and they do not isolate a turbo, DSG, or clutch part.

National rankings for the not-retested gap: cars not tested again. Repair-hold rates: repairs that did not hold.

How to use this before buying

  • Rankings describe the cohort, not the car. A cherished 2013 example beats a neglected 2002 one — always run the specific reg through the free MOT history check.
  • Read the advisories. Repeated notes for the same component across years mean the owner has been ignoring it. Decode them in our advisory library.
  • Fuel matters on this model. The diesel deficit (3.0 points) usually traces to DPF and emissions kit on low-mileage use — check for P2463-type soot codes on the test drive.
  • Scan before you pay. A 2-minute OBD scan reveals stored faults the dashboard hides — see our scanner guide.

FAQs

Which Megane years should I avoid?

Based on 302,967 MOT tests adjusted against cars of the same age, 2013, 2014, 2015 are the lower-scoring outliers. That is a prompt for closer inspection, not proof that every car from those years is bad.

What is the best Megane year to buy used?

2002 lead the age-adjusted MOT ranking. The score compares each registration year with all UK cars of the same age; the specific car's history and condition still take priority.

Is the Megane reliable overall?

Across 302,967 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 92.7 (100 equals the pass rate of all cars registered in the same year). Use the spread between years as one signal, then check the individual registration.

What data is required before a years-to-avoid guide is published?

We publish a guide only when a model has at least five registration-year cohorts old enough for a routine first MOT, each based on at least 1,500 Class 4 initial MOT tests pooled across the stated DVSA extract years, and at least 60,000 tests across those cohorts. From the models that pass those gates, this release includes the 220 models with the largest pooled samples. Retests are excluded.

How are the Strong and Inspect labels assigned?

Strong considers only the two highest-ranked registration-year cohorts and labels either one that is within 1.5 index points of the best. Inspect considers only the three lowest-ranked cohorts and labels a year only when its index is no higher than 100 and at least 2 points below the model median. Counts are MOT test records, not unique vehicles.

Methodology: index = 100 + the model-year cohort’s MOT pass-rate difference versus all UK vehicles registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Pass rate uses DVSA result codes (P + PRS) ÷ (P + PRS + F): passes and passes after rectification at the test divided by those outcomes plus failures. Class 4 initial-test records only; retests excluded; at least 1,500 records per registration-year cohort. “Strong” considers the top two cohorts within 1.5 index points of the best. “Inspect” considers only the bottom three cohorts, then requires an index no higher than 100 and at least 2 points below the model median. Counts are test records, not unique vehicles. Association is not proof of a model-year defect. Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.