2017 Renault Kadjar 1.2L Petrol · SW17 HHG

A clean five-year pass streak on the DVSA record places this Kadjar in a strong roadworthiness category, with no advisories, failures, or component defects recorded across consecutive tests from 2021 through 2025. The 2025-09-23 pass with no defects is the latest confirmation of this trend, and the consistency of clean outcomes back to the 2021 test suggests the vehicle has not yet developed the corrosion, suspension wear, or braking system deterioration that commonly begin surfacing on Renault products of this generation once they pass the seven-to-eight-year mark. A record devoid of advisories is unusual for a crossover of this age and indicates that, at minimum, the items most often flagged on Kadjars rear axle bushes, front lower wishbones, and underbody corrosion around the subframe mounting points have not yet reached MOT intervention thresholds. With 71,964 miles accumulated over approximately nine years, the vehicle is running at an average of around 7,996 miles annually, which is consistent with typical mixed private and commuter use rather than long-distance motorway work or heavy urban stop-start duty. There are no significant gaps in the testing record, with annual tests consistently performed in late September from 2021 onwards, confirming continuous road use rather than extended periods of standing. The mileage progression between tests is steady, meaning the engine, transmission, clutch, and turbocharger have not been subjected to unusually high thermal or load cycling. Mechanically, this usage profile points to moderate wear on consumables rather than the accelerated degradation seen on high-mileage examples, though the 72,000-mile threshold does place the timing belt, water pump, and automatic gearbox fluid service into the territory where proactive replacement is advisable regardless of MOT status. Because the MOT history shows no advisories to guide component-specific inspection, the test drive and pre-purchase check should concentrate on the areas where Kadjars of this vintage typically begin to show wear just below the advisory threshold. Listen for clonking or knocking from the front suspension over speed humps and uneven surfaces, which would indicate worn front lower wishbone bushes or anti-roll bar drop links; these are known weak points on the platform and tend to deteriorate before they are flagged at test. Check for steering vagueness or a wandering sensation at speed, which can point to worn front strut top mounts or tired rear axle bushes. With the vehicle at operating temperature, watch for any blue-grey smoke from the exhaust under hard acceleration, as the 1.2 TCe and 1.5 dCi engines in this generation can develop turbocharger oil seal wear beyond 60,000 miles, and listen for any rattling or timing chain slack on cold start which would indicate the chain stretch that affects these units. Brake feel should also be evaluated carefully despite the clean MOT record, as the rear drums on certain Kadjar variants can develop binding or uneven wear without this being recorded at test. On a quiet stretch of road, apply light and then firm pedal pressure and listen for any grinding, squealing, or judder through the steering wheel, which would suggest front disc lipping or pad wear close to the replacement threshold. Inspect the underside for any fresh underseal applied over corrosion, particularly around the rear wheel arches, subframe, and brake pipe runs, as Kadjars are known for surface corrosion developing in these areas before it becomes an MOT failure. Finally, confirm that all warning lamps extinguish promptly after start, that the climate control produces consistently cold air, and that the infotainment and parking sensors function correctly, as electrical gremlins in the CAN-bus system are a recurring complaint on this model and would not necessarily appear in the MOT record.