Which Citroen models fail their MOT most
33.6% of Citroen cars fail first time, against 24.5% across every make. That is 9.1 points worse than average, measured over 773,078 DVSA tests on 20 models.
Every Citroen in the data
Sorted by how many tests each one contributes, so the models most people actually buy come first. A linked row has a page of its own.
| Model | Years | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| C4 | 2014–2017 | 68,508 | 34.3% |
| C3 | 2010–2013 | 65,784 | 44% |
| C1 | 2014–2017 | 59,331 | 21% |
| Berlingo | 2014–2017 | 58,100 | 41% |
| C1 | 2010–2013 | 55,898 | 32.4% |
| C3 | 2014–2017 | 51,280 | 27.7% |
| DS3 | 2010–2013 | 47,814 | 48.7% |
| Berlingo | 2018–2021 | 40,698 | 31% |
| Berlingo | 2010–2013 | 40,474 | 46.8% |
| C4 | 2010–2013 | 36,872 | 44.5% |
| C3 | 2018–2021 | 34,372 | 13.3% |
| DS3 | 2014–2017 | 27,354 | 43.8% |
| C3 Aircross | 2018–2021 | 23,795 | 13.2% |
| Dispatch | 2014–2017 | 16,170 | 40.5% |
| C1 | 2018–2021 | 15,761 | 12% |
| C5 | 2018–2021 | 11,824 | 15.4% |
| C4 Cactus | 2018–2021 | 11,370 | 18.7% |
| C4 Grand Picasso | 2014–2017 | 11,225 | 30% |
| C4 Cactus | 2014–2017 | 9,846 | 30% |
| Dispatch | 2010–2013 | 9,188 | 49.6% |
| Dispatch | 2018–2021 | 8,639 | 29% |
| C4 | 2018–2021 | 7,752 | 18.8% |
| DS4 | 2010–2013 | 7,287 | 44.6% |
| Nemo | 2010–2013 | 7,112 | 41.7% |
| C3 Picasso | 2014–2017 | 5,768 | 25.6% |
| C4 Picasso | 2014–2017 | 5,241 | 23.3% |
| Nemo | 2014–2017 | 5,163 | 41.1% |
| Relay | 2014–2017 | 4,833 | 29.6% |
| Grand C4 Picasso | 2010–2013 | 3,420 | 50.3% |
| DS4 | 2014–2017 | 3,412 | 37.6% |
| C4 Grand Picasso | 2018–2021 | 3,317 | 23.5% |
| DS5 | 2010–2013 | 2,970 | 39.9% |
| Relay | 2010–2013 | 2,923 | 35.6% |
| C5 | 2010–2013 | 2,887 | 37% |
| C3 Flair + Puretech S/S | 2018–2021 | 2,319 | 9.4% |
| Dispatch 1000 En-Prise Bhdi Ss | 2018–2021 | 2,248 | 23.4% |
| Spacetourer | 2018–2021 | 2,123 | 22.2% |
How a Citroen ages
The same manufacturer at three ages. Every make gets worse with age; what differs is how steeply, and that is the part worth knowing before you choose between a cheaper older one and a dearer newer one.
2018–2021
19.6%
164,218 tests
2014–2017
32.6%
326,231 tests
2010–2013
43%
282,629 tests
Best and worst in the range
Least likely to fail
- 12% C1 2018–2021
- 13.2% C3 Aircross 2018–2021
- 13.3% C3 2018–2021
Most likely to fail
- 49.6% Dispatch 2010–2013
- 48.7% DS3 2010–2013
- 46.8% Berlingo 2010–2013
Cohorts with at least 5,000 tests only, so a rare model cannot top either list on thin evidence.
What actually fails on a Citroen
Pooled across the whole range and weighted by test count. One model's worst fault is a fact about that model; the same fault across the range is a fact about the make.
- 3.7% Drive shafts constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
- 3.7% Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
- 3.2% Coil spring fractured or broken
- 2.9% Tyres tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
- 2.3% Position lamp not working
- 1.8% Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment not working
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Check the actual Citroen you're looking at
This page is the make. Type the registration and you get that car's own MOT history, its mileage record, its tax status and the questions to ask the seller before you travel.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023. Class 4 standard tests only. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Citroen and its marks are the property of their owner and are used here to identify the manufacturer this page is about.