Citroen C3 MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Citroen C3 in Great Britain in 2025 — 189,352 tests. Figures cover every C3 first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the C3 ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
65.2%
7.1 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
189,352
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
7.4%
of C3 first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
56,250
middle half: 41,250–76,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Citroen C3 cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 272,649 Citroen C3 cars that were taxed or on SORN: 258,376 taxed and 14,273 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Citroen C3 vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures. DVLA's count for the C3 also includes the C3 Aircross and C3 Picasso, which the licensing data does not record under names of their own, so it is wider than the MOT figures above.

Still taxed, end of 2025
258,376
94.8% of the 272,649 C3 cars taxed or on SORN; 214 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
14,273
declared off the road by their keepers — 5.2% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed C3 cars peaked at 264,206 at the end of 2024 and has since fallen by 5,830 (2.2%) to 258,376 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 2,505 at the end of 2014 to 14,273 at the end of 2025, up 469.8%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed C3 cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

0100k200k300k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed C3 cars, year 2014: 223kTaxed C3 cars, year 2015: 229kTaxed C3 cars, year 2016: 231kTaxed C3 cars, year 2017: 239kTaxed C3 cars, year 2018: 248kTaxed C3 cars, year 2019: 257kTaxed C3 cars, year 2020: 255kTaxed C3 cars, year 2021: 254kTaxed C3 cars, year 2022: 257kTaxed C3 cars, year 2023: 260kTaxed C3 cars, year 2024: 264kTaxed C3 cars, year 2025: 258k258k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed C3 cars
2014223,192
2015228,778
2016230,991
2017239,057
2018247,936
2019256,862
2020254,680
2021254,026
2022257,132
2023260,252
2024264,206
2025258,376

C3 cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

05k10k15k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)C3 cars on SORN, year 2014: 3kC3 cars on SORN, year 2015: 4kC3 cars on SORN, year 2016: 6kC3 cars on SORN, year 2017: 7kC3 cars on SORN, year 2018: 8kC3 cars on SORN, year 2019: 9kC3 cars on SORN, year 2020: 11kC3 cars on SORN, year 2021: 11kC3 cars on SORN, year 2022: 11kC3 cars on SORN, year 2023: 12kC3 cars on SORN, year 2024: 13kC3 cars on SORN, year 2025: 14k14k
View this chart as a table
YearC3 cars on SORN
20142,505
20154,119
20166,166
20177,363
20188,431
20199,485
202010,844
202110,891
202210,946
202311,822
202412,967
202514,273

Which model years survive

Taxed C3 cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 258,376 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 2 taxed C3 cars have no recorded year of manufacture and are not in the table, so the rows add up to 258,374. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed C3 cars
20257,3262.8%
202416,3736.3%
202315,0805.8%
202212,5734.9%
202112,1904.7%
202012,1104.7%
201922,7228.8%
201824,0339.3%
201719,1597.4%
201610,5754.1%
201512,1004.7%
201413,5105.2%
201312,9205.0%
201213,7265.3%
201113,7025.3%
201015,6406.1%
20097,5362.9%
20083,5411.4%
20073,6301.4%
20063,1191.2%
All other build years (seven years, each under 1%)6,8092.6%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model names C3, C3 MAX under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the C3 ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, C3 vs all cars, 2025.

Citroen C3All cars
40%50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Citroen C3, vehicle age 3: 91.8%Citroen C3, vehicle age 4: 89.2%Citroen C3, vehicle age 5: 86.7%Citroen C3, vehicle age 6: 81.2%Citroen C3, vehicle age 7: 76.2%Citroen C3, vehicle age 8: 71.6%Citroen C3, vehicle age 9: 67.1%Citroen C3, vehicle age 10: 65.3%Citroen C3, vehicle age 11: 61.5%Citroen C3, vehicle age 12: 58.3%Citroen C3, vehicle age 13: 55.5%Citroen C3, vehicle age 14: 53.5%Citroen C3, vehicle age 15: 51.5%Citroen C3, vehicle age 16: 49.9%Citroen C3, vehicle age 17: 51.1%Citroen C3, vehicle age 18: 51.2%Citroen C3, vehicle age 19: 52.6%Citroen C3, vehicle age 20: 50.5%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%All cars 57.6%Citroen C3 50.5%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)C3 testsC3 pass rateAll cars
37,27891.8%88.5%
48,28789.2%87.2%
57,84886.7%86.0%
613,55781.2%83.5%
715,40176.2%80.9%
815,61071.6%78.2%
98,78567.1%74.9%
1012,03465.3%71.9%
1113,62161.5%68.6%
1213,09558.3%65.8%
1314,15455.5%63.5%
1414,31753.5%61.2%
1516,57851.5%59.3%
168,18949.9%58.3%
174,04851.1%57.2%
184,26351.2%57.4%
193,66252.6%57.0%
203,08750.5%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The C3's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the C3 beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

C3 aheadC3 behind
-10-5+0+5+10Age 3: +3.3 points vs the average car3Age 4: +2.0 points vs the average carAge 5: +0.7 points vs the average car5Age 6: -2.3 points vs the average carAge 7: -4.7 points vs the average car7Age 8: -6.6 points vs the average carAge 9: -7.8 points vs the average car9Age 10: -6.6 points vs the average carAge 11: -7.1 points vs the average car11Age 12: -7.5 points vs the average carAge 13: -8.0 points vs the average car13Age 14: -7.7 points vs the average carAge 15: -7.8 points vs the average car15Age 16: -8.4 points vs the average carAge 17: -6.1 points vs the average car17Age 18: -6.2 points vs the average carAge 19: -4.4 points vs the average car19Age 20: -7.1 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+3.3
4+2.0
5+0.7
6-2.3
7-4.7
8-6.6
9-7.8
10-6.6
11-7.1
12-7.5
13-8.0
14-7.7
15-7.8
16-8.4
17-6.1
18-6.2
19-4.4
20-7.1

The C3 fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the C3 fleet still in use.

05k10k15k20kAge 3: 7k3Age 4: 8kAge 5: 7k5Age 6: 13kAge 7: 15k7Age 8: 15kAge 9: 8k9Age 10: 12kAge 11: 13k11Age 12: 13kAge 13: 14k13Age 14: 14kAge 15: 16k15Age 16: 8kAge 17: 4k17Age 18: 4kAge 19: 3k19Age 20: 3k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
37,278
48,287
57,848
613,557
715,401
815,610
98,785
1012,034
1113,621
1213,095
1314,154
1414,317
1516,578
168,189
174,048
184,263
193,662
203,087

What a C3 fails on

Where the failure items land when a C3 fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment32.2%
Suspension17.8%
Brakes10.9%
Body, chassis, structure10.2%
Tyres9.6%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.7%
Visibility6.6%
Steering4.0%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (98.0% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a C3, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 29.3% of advisories29.3%Brakes: 25.2% of advisories25.2%Suspension: 19.4% of advisories19.4%Body, chassis, structure: 8.1% of advisories8.1%Noise, emissions and leaks: 5.2% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 4.4% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionBody, chassis, structureNoise, emissions and leaksNon-component advisories
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres29.3%
Brakes25.2%
Suspension19.4%
Body, chassis, structure8.1%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.2%
Non-component advisories4.4%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid C3?

First-time pass rate for the two most-tested C3 fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 69.7% of 126,528 tests69.7%Petrol126,528 testsDiesel: 56.2% of 62,818 tests56.2%Diesel62,818 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol126,52869.7%
Diesel62,81856.2%

What mileage is normal for a C3?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) C3; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical C3 (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 18,750 miles (middle half 13,750–26,250)Age 4: typical 26,250 miles (middle half 18,750–36,250)Age 5: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 21,250–43,750)Age 6: typical 38,750 miles (middle half 28,750–51,250)Age 7: typical 46,250 miles (middle half 33,750–58,750)Age 8: typical 51,250 miles (middle half 38,750–66,250)Age 9: typical 51,250 miles (middle half 36,250–66,250)Age 10: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 41,250–76,250)Age 11: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 46,250–83,750)Age 12: typical 71,250 miles (middle half 53,750–93,750)Age 13: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 58,750–98,750)Age 14: typical 86,250 miles (middle half 66,250–108,750)Age 15: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 68,750–113,750)Age 16: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 66,250–111,250)Age 17: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 58,750–98,750)Age 18: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 58,750–101,250)Age 19: typical 76,250 miles (middle half 56,250–98,750)Age 20: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 58,750–101,250)78k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
313,75018,75026,250
418,75026,25036,250
521,25031,25043,750
628,75038,75051,250
733,75046,25058,750
838,75051,25066,250
936,25051,25066,250
1041,25056,25076,250
1146,25063,75083,750
1253,75071,25093,750
1358,75078,75098,750
1466,25086,250108,750
1568,75091,250113,750
1666,25088,750111,250
1758,75078,75098,750
1858,75078,750101,250
1956,25076,25098,750
2058,75078,750101,250

What fails at each age

The C3's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresBrakesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentBody, chassis, structureVisibilityNoise, emissions and leaksSuspensionEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres26.8%
3-5 yrsBrakes26.1%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment20.7%
3-5 yrsBody, chassis, structure7.4%
3-5 yrsVisibility6.9%
3-5 yrsEverything else12.1%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment23.0%
6-9 yrsTyres15.8%
6-9 yrsBrakes13.8%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks13.5%
6-9 yrsSuspension13.4%
6-9 yrsEverything else20.5%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment25.0%
10-13 yrsSuspension18.8%
10-13 yrsBody, chassis, structure12.1%
10-13 yrsBrakes12.0%
10-13 yrsTyres11.1%
10-13 yrsEverything else21.0%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment27.4%
14+ yrsSuspension23.5%
14+ yrsBrakes11.5%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure10.4%
14+ yrsTyres8.2%
14+ yrsEverything else19.0%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.