11,628 tests in 2025
Citroen Nemo reliability and MOT pass rate
64% passed first time. The 36% fail rate is 13.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 13 years old with 100,524 miles.
Pass rate
64%
22.6% of all cars failed; 36% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
100,524 mi
13 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1,458 | 31.1% |
| 10-13 years | 5,168 | 35.5% |
| 14+ years | 5,002 | 38% |
What the Nemo 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.
- Suspension126 dangerous60%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment23 dangerous38.7%
- Tyres1,263 dangerous24.6%
- Visibility7 dangerous18.4%
- Body, chassis, structure45 dangerous16.4%
- Brakes209 dangerous16.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks23 dangerous14.8%
- Steering16 dangerous9.1%
Is the Nemo getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2.6 points to 36% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16,542 | 10 | 33.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 15,495 | 11 | 35.7% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 12,425 | 12 | 35.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 11,626 | 13 | 36% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Nemo 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 Nemo in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken1,011 tests
- 2Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush566 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm439 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working390 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed372 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction283 tests
- 7Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect270 tests
- 8Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn260 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Nemo collects 2.88 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 1.6mm2,565 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,965 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,499 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn966 tests
- 5Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened831 tests
- 6Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened794 tests
- 7Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak666 tests
- 8Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush544 tests
Questions
What is the Citroen Nemo MOT pass rate?
64% of the 11,628 Citroen Nemo first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 36% 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 Nemo usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 1,011 failed tests, followed by "Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, suspension appears in 60% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 38.7% of failures, tyres appears in 24.6% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 38%. The median Citroen Nemo tested in 2025 was 13 years old with 100,524 miles.
Is the Citroen Nemo getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2.6 points to 36% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 6.8 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 Nemo 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 5 safety recalls naming the Citroen Nemo: Citroen Nemo recalls.
Other Citroen models
Checking a particular Nemo?
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.