Mercedes-Benz Citan
From 32,208 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Citans fare better: 2019 models pass at 73.1% vs 67.4% for 2013.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play. The top issue, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, caused 1,501 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 transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 1,501 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,221 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 1,123 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 1,007 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 998 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 972 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 881 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 776 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 713 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 685 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 15.2% of Citan failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 37.3% 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 £110.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 86.2% while Diesel versions pass at 70%, a 16 percentage point gap.
Mercedes-Benz Citan on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 1,937 newly registered in the past year with 360 leaving, a net gain of 1,577. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 23,113 | 1,163 | +638 | -118 | +520 |
| 2025 Q2 | 22,662 | 1,094 | +555 | -62 | +493 |
| 2025 Q1 | 22,184 | 1,079 | +299 | -101 | +198 |
| 2024 Q4 | 22,061 | 1,004 | +445 | -79 | +366 |
| 2024 Q3 | 21,770 | 929 | +346 | -142 | +204 |
| 2024 Q2 | 21,588 | 907 | +597 | -78 | +519 |
| 2024 Q1 | 21,153 | 823 | +309 | -214 | +95 |
| 2023 Q4 | 21,101 | 780 | +360 | -60 | +300 |
19 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citan 109 Cdi Blueefficiency | Diesel | 7,866 | 34% |
| Citan 109 Cdi | Diesel | 3,503 | 15% |
| Citan 111 Cdi | Petrol | 2,248 | 10% |
| Citan 109 Pure Cdi | Diesel | 2,042 | 9% |
| Citan 110 Progressive D | Diesel | 1,776 | 8% |
| Citan 110 D | Diesel | 1,090 | 5% |
| Citan 109 Cdi Bluefcy Dualiner | Diesel | 847 | 4% |
| Citan 109 Cdi Traveliner | Diesel | 791 | 3% |
| Citan 109 Cdi Dualiner | Diesel | 568 | 2% |
| Citan 110 Premium D | Diesel | 393 | 2% |
| Citan 110 Premium D Auto | Diesel | 370 | 2% |
| Citan 110 Pro D | Diesel | 281 | 1% |
| Citan 110 Pro D Auto | Diesel | 235 | 1% |
| Citan 108 Cdi | Diesel | 234 | 1% |
| Citan 111 Pure Cdi | Diesel | 218 | <1% |
| Citan 111 Cdi Sport | Diesel | 215 | <1% |
| Citan 112 | Diesel | 91 | <1% |
| Citan 109 Cdi Sport | Diesel | 56 | <1% |
| Citan 110 Progressive D Auto | Diesel | 55 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 73.1% | stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 71.1% | stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2017 | 70.6% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 69.8% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
3 earlier years
| 2015 | 69.2% | a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2014 | 69% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2013 | 67.4% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
Typical mileage
Half of all Citans tested had between 50,086 and 111,603 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 77,059 median miles, the Citan has 0.039 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mercedes-Benz models
Common questions
What is the Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT pass rate?
The Mercedes-Benz Citan has a 70.2% MOT pass rate based on 32,208 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Citan?
The most common MOT failure on the Mercedes-Benz Citan is a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which caused 1,501 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Mercedes-Benz Citans are on UK roads?
There are 21,355 Mercedes-Benz Citans currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,162 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mercedes-Benz Citan at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mercedes-Benz Citan is 77,059 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 50,086 and 111,603 miles.
Buying a used Citan?
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 70.2% pass rate and an average repair bill of £110 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.