Citroen Nemo: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Citroen Nemo fails its first MOT more often than the average UK vehicle, by 12.3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 14,047 individual Citroen Nemo tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 64.4% first-time pass rate means roughly 36 in every 100 Citroen Nemos 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 Nemo tested had covered 102,221 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Citroen Nemo sits 12.3 points below the national average, ranked 1,876 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 Nemo 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 Nemos at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Citroen Nemo

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 8.1% of tests (41.7x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 8.6% of tests (3.77x the national rate for this defect)
3. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 2.5% of tests (2.78x the national rate for this defect)
4. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 4.1% of tests (2.42x the national rate for this defect)
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.2% of tests (2.35x the national rate for this defect)
6. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2.7% of tests (2.12x the national rate for this defect)
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3.3% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this defect)
9. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.4% of tests (1.78x the national rate for this defect)
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 5.5% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)

From 14,032 DVSA-tracked Citroen Nemo tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.89% of these flagged Citroen Nemo defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Citroen Nemo

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 Nemo before it actually fails on it.

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 6.7% of tests (14.04x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 3.4% of tests (3.08x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 15.5% of tests (2.78x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3.1% of tests (2.3x the national rate for this advisory)
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 9.2% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 6.5% of tests (1.66x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 35.5% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.5% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory)
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 18.1% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 15.6% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory)

From 14,032 DVSA-tracked Citroen Nemo tests, 2024.

Citroen Nemo pass rate by model year

From its 2008 to its 2017 model year, the Citroen Nemo's first-time pass rate has risen 10.8 points, from 60.4% to 71.2%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Citroen Nemo year:

• 2008 Citroen Nemo - 60.4% first-time pass, 495 tests
• 2009 Citroen Nemo - 62% first-time pass, 2,224 tests
• 2010 Citroen Nemo - 63.5% first-time pass, 2,283 tests
• 2011 Citroen Nemo - 64.8% first-time pass, 1,202 tests
• 2012 Citroen Nemo - 65.8% first-time pass, 1,410 tests
• 2013 Citroen Nemo - 65.4% first-time pass, 1,387 tests
• 2014 Citroen Nemo - 65% first-time pass, 1,595 tests
• 2015 Citroen Nemo - 67.5% first-time pass, 1,683 tests
• 2016 Citroen Nemo - 67.6% first-time pass, 1,015 tests
• 2017 Citroen Nemo - 71.2% first-time pass, 483 tests

Citroen Nemo by fuel type

The Citroen Nemo's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.4 points: diesel passes first time 64.9% of the time (13,008 tests) against 65.3% for petrol (897 tests).

• Diesel Citroen Nemo - 64.9% first-time pass, 13,008 tests
• Petrol Citroen Nemo - 65.3% first-time pass, 897 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

• Daihatsu Charade - 64.7%
• Honda Stream - 64.6%
• Great Wall Steed - 64.6%
• Volvo C70 - 64.4%
• Peugeot Bipper - 64.3%
• Daihatsu Terios - 64.3%

If this van 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