2,276 tests in 2025
Citroen 2cv reliability and MOT pass rate
78.1% passed first time. The 21.9% fail rate is 0.7 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 38 years old with 58,533 miles.
Pass rate
78.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 21.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
58,533 mi
38 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 3 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 2 | — |
| 14+ years | 2,270 | 21.9% |
What the 2cv fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment25 dangerous61.2%
- Suspension21 dangerous29.3%
- Body, chassis, structure14 dangerous28.3%
- Brakes42 dangerous26.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous22.5%
- Visibility18.9%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems3 dangerous12.4%
- Tyres50 dangerous7.8%
Is the 2cv getting worse?
The fail rate fell 3.2 points to 21.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 0 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,822 | 35 | 25.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,683 | 36 | 23.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 2,154 | 37 | 22.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,274 | 38 | 21.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 2cv at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 2cv in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rear fog lamp: not working98 tests
- 2Non catalyst emissions: emissions carbon monoxide content excessive80 tests
- 3Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced53 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working53 tests
- 5Individual direction indicators: not working50 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect50 tests
- 7Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt48 tests
- 8Headlamp aim: too low45 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 2cv collects 2.47 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine364 tests
- 2Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn163 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure115 tests
- 4Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases104 tests
- 5Wheel bearings: rough when rotated100 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm92 tests
- 7Swivel pins and bushes: swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn90 tests
- 8Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded80 tests
Questions
What is the Citroen 2cv MOT pass rate?
78.1% of the 2,276 Citroen 2cv first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 21.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Citroen 2cv usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rear fog lamp: not working", recorded on 98 failed tests, followed by "Non catalyst emissions: emissions carbon monoxide content excessive" and "Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 61.2% of failures, suspension appears in 29.3% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 28.3% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 21.9%. The median Citroen 2cv tested in 2025 was 38 years old with 58,533 miles.
Is the Citroen 2cv getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 3.2 points to 21.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 0 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 2cv trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Citroen models
Checking a particular 2cv?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.