Citroen C2: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Citroen C2 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 16.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 10,950 individual Citroen C2 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 60% first-time pass rate means roughly 40 in every 100 Citroen C2s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Citroen C2 tested had covered 83,707 miles and was built around 2007.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Citroen C2 sits 16.7 points below the national average, ranked 1,952 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Citroen C2 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Citroen C2s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Citroen C2

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 8.5% of tests (9.03x the national rate for this defect)
2. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 3.2% of tests (7.85x the national rate for this defect)
3. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 4.4% of tests (7.36x the national rate for this defect)
4. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 6.6% of tests (4.28x the national rate for this defect)
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.1% of tests (4.1x the national rate for this defect)
6. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.6% of tests (3.48x the national rate for this defect)
7. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.1% of tests (3.01x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 5.3% of tests (2.88x the national rate for this defect)
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 4.1% of tests (2.42x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 4.6% of tests (2.41x the national rate for this defect)

From 10,946 DVSA-tracked Citroen C2 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.64% of these flagged Citroen C2 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Citroen C2

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Citroen C2 before it actually fails on it.

1. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 8.7% of tests (6.36x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 7.8% of tests (5.13x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 4.8% of tests (3.82x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 10.6% of tests (3.73x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 4.4% of tests (3.47x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 6.7% of tests (3.36x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 16.8% of tests (3.02x the national rate for this advisory)
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 13.5% of tests (2.85x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 7.2% of tests (2.71x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 8.8% of tests (1.7x the national rate for this advisory)

From 10,946 DVSA-tracked Citroen C2 tests, 2024.

Citroen C2 pass rate by model year

From its 2004 to its 2009 model year, the Citroen C2's first-time pass rate has risen 2.4 points, from 58.2% to 60.6%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Citroen C2 year:

• 2004 Citroen C2 - 58.2% first-time pass, 1,245 tests
• 2005 Citroen C2 - 58.9% first-time pass, 1,619 tests
• 2006 Citroen C2 - 62.1% first-time pass, 1,697 tests
• 2007 Citroen C2 - 62.1% first-time pass, 1,976 tests
• 2008 Citroen C2 - 61.4% first-time pass, 1,746 tests
• 2009 Citroen C2 - 60.6% first-time pass, 2,154 tests
• 2010 Citroen C2 - 57.6% first-time pass, 269 tests

Citroen C2 by fuel type

The Citroen C2's two most-tested fuel types split by 2.8 points: petrol passes first time 61% of the time (9,296 tests) against 58.2% for diesel (1,541 tests).

• Petrol Citroen C2 - 61% first-time pass, 9,296 tests
• Diesel Citroen C2 - 58.2% first-time pass, 1,541 tests

Other Citroen models

• Citroen C3 - 70.4%
• Citroen Berlingo - 68.3%
• Citroen C1 - 75.1%
• Citroen C4 - 66%
• Citroen Ds3 - 60.4%
• Citroen Dispatch - 66.2%
• Citroen Xsara - 58%
• Citroen C3 Aircross - 86.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Chrysler Pt Cruiser - 60.1%
• Chrysler-Jeep Grand Voyager - 60.1%
• Volkswagen Fox - 60%
• Fiat Seicento - 60%
• Peugeot 4007 - 59.9%
• Fiat Stilo - 59.9%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate