Vauxhall Corsa vs Renault Clio
Figures updated
The Vauxhall Corsa and Renault Clio are two of the UK's most popular superminis. We compare the Corsa F (2019–) and the Clio V (2019–) on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,207,460 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Vauxhall Corsa for the better MOT record and more performance, or the Renault Clio for the bigger boot and lower fuel costs.
- New prices start within £405 of each other.
- The Renault Clio has the biggest boot: 391 litres, 82 more than the Vauxhall Corsa.
- Euro NCAP safety: Vauxhall Corsa 4 stars (2019), Renault Clio 5 stars (2019). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- The Vauxhall Corsa has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Renault Clio fails its MOT about 13% more often.
- The Renault Clio is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £84 a year less than the Vauxhall Corsa at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Vauxhall Corsa: it fails on them 2.4 times as often as the average car.
- Watch the steering on a Renault Clio: it fails on them 2.9 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Vauxhall CorsaCorsa F (2019–), 5-door hatchback | Renault ClioClio V (2019–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £20,590 to £34,445July 2026 price list | £20,995 to £24,995July 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 309 litres / 1,118 | 391 litres / 1,069 (best) |
| Length | 4,060mm | 4,053mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,765mm | – |
| Height | 1,433mm | 1,439mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 75–136 PS | 90–145 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 8.2–11.2 sec (best) | 9.3–12.2 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2019) | ★★★★★ (2019) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Electric, Petrol | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 47.9–65.9 mpg | 52.3–67.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 96–132 g/km | 95–121 g/km |
| Electric range | 206–258 miles | – |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.5p a litre, today's UK average | £1,015 (57.6 mpg) | £931 (62.8 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | – | £1,005 (67.3 mpg) |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | £548 (4 mi/kWh) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £548 (electric) | £931 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 80Well below average (best) | 71Well below average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 35.3% (best) | 42.9% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 15.4% | 13.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 19.7% (best) | 24.5% |
| Failed at 10 years old | 41.5% (best) | 45.3% |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (5.2% of tests) | Ball joint (8.1% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (2.4×), Exhaust and emissions (1.7×) | Steering (2.9×), Seat belts and airbags (2.0×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 896,932 | 310,528 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Supermini | Supermini |
| Owners' average miles a year | 6,800 | 6,700 |
| On sale | 2019 on | 2019 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault Clio more reliable?
The Vauxhall Corsa. Like for like on age and mileage, the Renault Clio fails its MOT about 13% more often (reliability scores 80 and 71, where 100 is average). 35.3% of Vauxhall Corsas and 42.9% of Renault Clios failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault Clio?
They're almost the same length (4,060mm and 4,053mm). The Renault Clio has the bigger boot: 391 litres against 309.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault Clio?
New prices start at much the same level: £20,590 for the Vauxhall Corsa and £20,995 for the Renault Clio.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault Clio?
Comparing petrol versions, the Renault Clio costs about £84 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£931 against £1,015), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault Clio?
Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Corsa 4 stars (2019) and the Renault Clio 5 stars (2019). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Vauxhall Corsa or the Renault Clio?
Pick the Vauxhall Corsa for the better MOT record and more performance, or the Renault Clio for the bigger boot and lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.