159,328 tests in 2025
Citroen C4 reliability and MOT pass rate
69.3% passed first time. The 30.7% fail rate is 8.1 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 10 years old with 74,503 miles.
Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions. The electric version has its own page: Citroen E-C4.
Pass rate
69.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 30.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
74,503 mi
10 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 13,081 | 13.8% |
| 6-9 years | 59,068 | 25.8% |
| 10-13 years | 62,838 | 35% |
| 14+ years | 24,125 | 41% |
What the C4 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.
- Suspension738 dangerous39%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment248 dangerous35.1%
- Brakes7,065 dangerous24.4%
- Body, chassis, structure314 dangerous24%
- Tyres12,298 dangerous23.6%
- Visibility16 dangerous14.1%
- Steering579 dangerous12.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks58 dangerous9.4%
Is the C4 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 4.8 points to 31.5% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 192,004 | — | 26.7% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 182,827 | — | 28.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 151,298 | — | 30.9% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 152,723 | — | 31.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical C4 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 C4 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt8,843 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4,996 tests
- 3Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn4,951 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick4,693 tests
- 5Coil spring: fractured or broken4,622 tests
- 6Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play4,356 tests
- 7Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps3,573 tests
- 8Stop lamp: not working3,519 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical C4 collects 2.61 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.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm33,325 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened22,178 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn15,582 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick14,711 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure13,031 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine9,481 tests
- 7Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt6,062 tests
- 8Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn5,944 tests
Questions
What is the Citroen C4 MOT pass rate?
69.3% of the 159,328 Citroen C4 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 30.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 7.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Citroen C4 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", recorded on 8,843 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn". By section, suspension appears in 39% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 35.1% of failures, brakes appears in 24.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 13.8%; at 14+ years it was 41%. The median Citroen C4 tested in 2025 was 10 years old with 74,503 miles.
Is the Citroen C4 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 4.8 points to 31.5% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
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 C4 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 53 safety recalls naming the Citroen C4: Citroen C4 recalls.
Other Citroen models
Checking a particular C4?
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.