MOT performance
Citroen C5 petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 15,370 MOT tests on petrol Citroen C5s in 2023–2024 (on average 4.5 years old at test, median 28,049 miles), 81.7% passed first time, against 68.0% of 26,780 diesel Citroen C5 tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Citroen C5s failed 22% more often than comparable cars — 1.22× against 1.09× for the Citroen C5 as a whole.
15,370 MOT tests on 7,829 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 81.7% | ±0.6 pts (95%), n = 15,370 |
| All Citroen C5s | 73.2% | n = 42,756 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.22× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Citroen C5 overall 1.09× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 5.9% | n = 15,370 |
| Average age at test | 4.5 years | n = 15,370 |
| Registration years covered | 2001–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Citroen C5 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 5.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 26,780 | 10 yrs | 68.0% | +5% | 8.8% |
| Petrol | 15,370 | 4.5 yrs | 81.7% | +22% | 5.9% |
Where petrol Citroen C5s differ
- Lights, reflectors and electrical: petrol Citroen C5s failed 48% more often than the Citroen C5 overall, relative to comparable cars (1.95× vs 1.32×).
- Brakes: petrol Citroen C5s failed 30% more often than the Citroen C5 overall, relative to comparable cars (1.32× vs 1.02×).
- Driver's view of the road: petrol Citroen C5s failed 25% less often than the Citroen C5 overall, relative to comparable cars (0.61× vs 0.82×).
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Citroen C5s (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 8.0% (+95%) | 12.4% (+32%) |
| Tyres | 5.7% (+19%) | 6.4% (+9%) |
| Brakes | 3.8% (+32%) | 6.3% (+2%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 2.1% (-39%) | 3.7% (-18%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 1.7% (+89%) | 5.1% (+63%) |
| Suspension | 1.4% (-31%) | 6.4% (-14%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.9% (-8%) | 2.7% (+10%) |
Most common petrol Citroen C5 failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.64% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 2.25% |
| Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 2.04% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 1.61% |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 1.54% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 84.0% (10,836) | 84.3% (7,051) |
| 5-6 | 77.1% (1,062) | 79.3% (661) |
| 7-8 | — | 73.7% (615) |
| 9-10 | — | 67.4% (1,177) |
| 11-12 | — | 63.7% (2,380) |
| 13-15 | 62.1% (414) | 55.5% (8,255) |
| 16+ | 53.6% (802) | 55.9% (4,305) |
Citroen C5 by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2008 Citroen C5 · 54.3%
- 2009 Citroen C5 · 55.8%
- 2010 Citroen C5 · 57.5%
- 2019 Citroen C5 · 82.6%
- 2020 Citroen C5 · 85.5%
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 C5
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.