Citroen Ax
From 886 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.. The top issue, 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, caused 41 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| 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 | 41 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 39 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 35 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 23 |
| lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 23 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 22 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 20 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 20 |
| emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 20 |
| a position lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp | 19 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 31.7% of Ax failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 22.1% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £153.
Fuel type matters
Diesel versions pass at 76.1% while Petrol versions pass at 69.9%, a 6 percentage point gap.
Citroen Ax on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 95 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 1 newly registered, a net loss of 94. At this rate, roughly 20.4 years until none remain. Now at 1.1% of its peak (186,820 in 1997 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 211 | 1,752 | +0 | -16 | -16 |
| 2025 Q2 | 218 | 1,761 | +0 | -8 | -8 |
| 2025 Q1 | 214 | 1,773 | +1 | -32 | -31 |
| 2024 Q4 | 220 | 1,798 | +0 | -39 | -39 |
| 2024 Q3 | 256 | 1,801 | +0 | -23 | -23 |
| 2024 Q2 | 269 | 1,811 | +0 | -16 | -16 |
| 2024 Q1 | 268 | 1,828 | +0 | -0 | +0 |
| 2023 Q4 | 268 | 1,828 | +0 | -13 | -13 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 63.5% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, emissions test unable to be completed |
| 1995 | 74.4% | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1994 | 71.7% | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1993 | 66.7% | lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, a position lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp |
Typical mileage
Half of all Axs tested had between 26,637 and 87,935 miles on the clock.
At 42,379 median miles, the Ax has 0.069 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Citroen models
| Citroen C3 | 71.4% |
| Citroen Berlingo | 67.9% |
| Citroen C4 | 68.9% |
| Citroen C1 | 74.9% |
| Citroen Ds3 | 66.5% |
Common questions
What is the Citroen Ax MOT pass rate?
The Citroen Ax has a 70.8% MOT pass rate based on 886 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Citroen Ax?
The most common MOT failure on the Citroen Ax is 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, which caused 41 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
How many Citroen Axs are on UK roads?
There are 211 Citroen Axs currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,752 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Citroen Ax at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Citroen Ax is 42,379 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 26,637 and 87,935 miles.
Buying a used Ax?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 70.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £153 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 31.7% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.