Renault Twizy
Registered from 2012 to 2020.
About this model
The Renault Twizy is a two-seat electric microcar designed and marketed by Renault. It is classified in Europe as either a light or heavy quadricycle depending on the output power, which is either 4 kW (5.4 hp) for the 45 model or 13 kW (17 hp) for the 80 model, both names reflecting its top speed in km/h. Originally manufactured in Valladolid, Spain, production was moved to Busan in South Korea in March 2019 to meet increased demand in Asia. In July 2023 it was announced that production of the Twizy was to end in September 2023; it is to be replaced by the new Mobilize Duo.
From the Wikipedia article Renault Twizy, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2012 electric. 32 of 183 tests failed, 17%.
Better than 68% of 2012 cars. The typical one fails 21%, across 925 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 69% | 22 |
| Lights and electrics | 38% | 12 |
| Steering | 22% | 7 |
| Visibility | 13% | 4 |
| Suspension | 9% | 3 |
| Body and structure | 6% | 2 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Indicator or hazard warning switch inoperative
- Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Where it stands out against its peers
- Brakes: failed more often than 99% of 2012 cars — 69% of its 32 failed tests, where an ordinary 2012 car has 27%.
- Steering: failed more often than 91% of 2012 cars — 22% of its 32 failed tests, where an ordinary 2012 car has 5%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 69% of its failures
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative
- Steering — 22% of its failures
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Suspension — 9% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 38% of its failures
- Indicator or hazard warning switch inoperative
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Visibility — 13% of its failures
- Body and structure — 6% of its failures