Diesel Citroen C3: MOT pass rate
64.9% of diesel Citroen C3s pass the MOT first time, measured across 67,325 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 86,113.
Diesel against the other Citroen C3 versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 74.2% | 116,199 |
| Diesel | 64.9% | 67,325 |
| All Citroen C3 | 70.8% | 183,530 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.
On the Citroen C3 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 74.2%, and this diesel version sits 5.9 points below the 70.8% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel Citroen C3 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel Citroen C3 had covered 86,113 miles at test, against 56,609 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Citroen C3 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other Citroen C3 fuel types
- Petrol Citroen C3 - 74.2%