MOT performance
Citroen C3 petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 257,361 MOT tests on petrol Citroen C3s in 2023–2024 (on average 9 years old at test, median 45,921 miles), 69.3% passed first time, against 57.5% of 147,533 diesel Citroen C3 tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Citroen C3s failed 21% more often than comparable cars — 1.21× against 1.26× for the Citroen C3 as a whole.
257,361 MOT tests on 134,158 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 69.3% | ±0.2 pts (95%), n = 257,361 |
| All Citroen C3s | 65.0% | n = 404,896 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.21× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Citroen C3 overall 1.26× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 6.7% | n = 257,361 |
| Average age at test | 9 years | n = 257,361 |
| Registration years covered | 2002–2022 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Citroen C3 fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The petrol cars were tested 1.9 years younger on average than the diesel ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 257,361 | 9 yrs | 69.3% | +21% | 6.7% |
| Diesel | 147,533 | 10.9 yrs | 57.5% | +33% | 10.1% |
Where petrol Citroen C3s differ
No single MOT area stands out: the petrol Citroen C3's difference from the model (-4% on the adjusted failure ratio) is spread across the test.
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Citroen C3s (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 14.5% (+53%) | 16.9% (+61%) |
| Suspension | 8.7% (+21%) | 10.5% (+21%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 6.1% (+130%) | 7.6% (+141%) |
| Tyres | 6.0% (+6%) | 6.7% (+11%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 5.3% (+16%) | 5.7% (+24%) |
| Brakes | 5.1% (-7%) | 6.3% (-1%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.9% (+47%) | 3.8% (+38%) |
| Steering | 2.1% (+50%) | 3.0% (+70%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.0% (+29%) | 1.0% (+20%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.2% (-33%) | 0.2% (-32%) |
| Road wheels | 0.2% (-38%) | 0.2% (-33%) |
Most common petrol Citroen C3 failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.16% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 3.12% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.73% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.58% |
| Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Body, chassis and structure | 2.51% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 87.8% (43,083) | 81.5% (2,084) |
| 5-6 | 79.5% (52,145) | 73.6% (10,727) |
| 7-8 | 71.0% (29,943) | 67.2% (21,361) |
| 9-10 | 63.3% (26,716) | 60.9% (28,864) |
| 11-12 | 57.0% (25,772) | 53.3% (38,120) |
| 13-15 | 53.2% (30,277) | 49.5% (36,516) |
| 16+ | 51.0% (37,259) | 48.6% (9,606) |
Citroen C3 by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2002 Citroen C3 · 49.5%
- 2003 Citroen C3 · 48.3%
- 2004 Citroen C3 · 49.2%
- 2005 Citroen C3 · 50.1%
- 2006 Citroen C3 · 52.6%
- 2007 Citroen C3 · 51.6%
- 2008 Citroen C3 · 51.4%
- 2009 Citroen C3 · 50.7%
- 2010 Citroen C3 · 51.8%
- 2011 Citroen C3 · 53.6%
- 2012 Citroen C3 · 55.9%
- 2013 Citroen C3 · 60.5%
- 2014 Citroen C3 · 65.0%
- 2015 Citroen C3 · 68.4%
- 2016 Citroen C3 · 71.0%
- 2017 Citroen C3 · 76.7%
- 2018 Citroen C3 · 81.8%
- 2019 Citroen C3 · 86.3%
- 2020 Citroen C3 · 90.0%
- 2021 Citroen C3 · 90.9%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific petrol Citroen C3
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.