Citroen C4
From 233,244 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer C4s fare better: 2021 models pass at 89.6% vs 64.5% for 2005.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 10,952 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 10,952 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 10,372 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 7,395 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 7,102 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 6,078 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 5,948 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 5,465 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 5,268 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 5,012 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 4,754 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 22.9% of C4 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 31.4% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £120.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old C4 passes its MOT 81% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 73.4%, a 7.6 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 67.6%. With an average repair bill of £120 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a C4 that's past its third birthday.
Citroen C4 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 12,120 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2,795 newly registered, a net loss of 9,325. At this rate, roughly 20.4 years until none remain. Now at 82.4% of its peak (231,003 in 2018 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 177,960 | 12,428 | +371 | -2,907 | -2,536 |
| 2025 Q2 | 180,762 | 12,162 | +1,172 | -2,829 | -1,657 |
| 2025 Q1 | 182,679 | 11,902 | +773 | -3,152 | -2,379 |
| 2024 Q4 | 185,372 | 11,588 | +479 | -3,232 | -2,753 |
| 2024 Q3 | 188,470 | 11,243 | +744 | -3,058 | -2,314 |
| 2024 Q2 | 190,938 | 11,089 | +634 | -2,785 | -2,151 |
| 2024 Q1 | 193,112 | 11,066 | +2,250 | -2,900 | -650 |
| 2023 Q4 | 194,246 | 10,582 | +1,887 | -2,701 | -814 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| C4 Cactus Flair Bluehdi | Diesel | 5,716 | 9% |
| C4 Cactus Flair Puretech S/S | Petrol | 4,849 | 8% |
| C4 Cactus Flair Puretech | Petrol | 3,962 | 7% |
| C4 Cactus Feel Bluehdi | Diesel | 3,797 | 6% |
| C4 Cactus Feel Puretech | Petrol | 3,465 | 6% |
| E-C4 Shine + | Battery Electric | 3,396 | 6% |
| C4 Grand Picasso Vtr+ Hdi | Diesel | 3,227 | 5% |
| C4 Gr Picasso Flair Bluehdi Ss | Diesel | 3,124 | 5% |
| C4 Vtr+ Hdi 91 | Diesel | 3,079 | 5% |
| C4 Gr Picasso Excl + Bluehdi A | Diesel | 2,828 | 5% |
| C4 Picasso Vtr + Hdi | Diesel | 2,711 | 4% |
| C4 Grand Picasso Vtr+ Hdi S-A | Diesel | 2,686 | 4% |
| C4 Gr Picasso Flr Bluehdi Ss A | Diesel | 2,681 | 4% |
| C4 Vtr+ Hdi | Diesel | 2,551 | 4% |
| C4 Gr Picasso Feel Bluehdi S/S | Diesel | 2,419 | 4% |
| C4 Grand Picasso Excl Bluehdi | Diesel | 2,110 | 3% |
| C4 Cactus Flair Puretech S/S A | Petrol | 2,093 | 3% |
| C4 Sense + Puretech S/S | Petrol | 2,070 | 3% |
| C4 Cactus Flair Puretech Ss Sa | Petrol | 2,020 | 3% |
| C4 Shine + Puretech S/S Auto | Petrol | 1,895 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89.6% | a wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 81% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 2019 | 82.5% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2018 | 80.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
13 earlier years
| 2017 | 78% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2016 | 73.4% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2015 | 71.3% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2014 | 69.5% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2013 | 67.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2012 | 67.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 66.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 62.9% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2009 | 62% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 60.3% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2007 | 61.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 61.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2005 | 64.5% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all C4s tested had between 65,365 and 113,092 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 84,205 median miles, the C4 has 0.037 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Citroen models
| Citroen C3 | 71.4% |
| Citroen Berlingo | 67.9% |
| Citroen C1 | 74.9% |
| Citroen Ds3 | 66.5% |
| Citroen Relay | 70.2% |
Common questions
What is the Citroen C4 MOT pass rate?
The Citroen C4 has a 68.9% MOT pass rate based on 233,244 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Citroen C4?
The most common MOT failure on the Citroen C4 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 10,952 failures. Other common issues include a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
How many Citroen C4s are on UK roads?
There are 177,960 Citroen C4s currently licensed on UK roads, with 12,428 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Citroen C4 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Citroen C4 is 84,205 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 65,365 and 113,092 miles.
Buying a used C4?
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 68.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £120 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.