Citroen Unknown: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Citroen Unknown passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 8.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 679 individual Citroen Unknown tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 85.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 15 in every 100 Citroen Unknowns presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Citroen Unknown tested had covered 30,683 miles and was built around 2018.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Citroen Unknown sits 8.4 points above the national average, ranked 1,237 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 Unknown 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 Unknowns at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Citroen Unknown

1. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 3.3% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
2. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.1% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this defect)
3. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.4% of tests
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2% of tests
5. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.5% of tests
6. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.3% of tests
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.3% of tests
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.2% of tests
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.1% of tests
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.1% of tests

From 1,160 DVSA-tracked Citroen Unknown tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.11% of these flagged Citroen Unknown defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Citroen Unknown

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 Unknown before it actually fails on it.

1. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.2% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 15.9% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 11.8% of tests, also fails
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 7.7% of tests, also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.2% of tests
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 3.7% of tests, also fails
7. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.8% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.7% of tests
9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.4% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.3% of tests

From 1,160 DVSA-tracked Citroen Unknown tests, 2024.

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

• BMW 318 - 85.1%
• Ford Transit Custom 320limitd Eblue - 85.1%
• Vauxhall Corsa Energy S/S - 85.1%
• Audi Rs6 - 85.1%
• Land Rover Discovery Sport R-Dyn Se D A - 85%
• Land Rover Discovery Sport R-Dyn Hse D A - 85%

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?

Embed this data

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Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Citroen Unknown's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/citroen-unknown"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/citroen-unknown.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Citroen Unknown most common MOT failure: Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen (3.3% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate