18,421 tests in 2025
Citroen Xsara reliability and MOT pass rate
59.4% passed first time. The 40.6% fail rate is 18.0 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 19 years old with 100,263 miles.
Pass rate
59.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 40.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
8.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
100,263 mi
19 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 2 | — |
| 10-13 years | 1 | — |
| 14+ years | 18,418 | 40.7% |
What the Xsara 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 equipment89 dangerous46.3%
- Suspension159 dangerous43.8%
- Body, chassis, structure166 dangerous34.3%
- Brakes532 dangerous24%
- Tyres1,527 dangerous18.7%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems3 dangerous18.4%
- Steering16 dangerous15%
- Noise, emissions and leaks26 dangerous13.4%
Is the Xsara getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.6 points to 40.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 44,031 | 16 | 41.2% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 34,417 | 17 | 41.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 23,416 | 18 | 41.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 18,174 | 19 | 40.6% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Xsara 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 Xsara in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced1,072 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,052 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working986 tests
- 4Stop lamp: not working910 tests
- 5Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn738 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect701 tests
- 7Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength618 tests
- 8Integral vehicle structure condition: corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced557 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Xsara collects 3.17 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 1.6mm3,746 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure2,571 tests
- 3Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine2,510 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2,148 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,690 tests
- 6Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases1,286 tests
- 7Registration plates: inscription illegible997 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)956 tests
Questions
What is the Citroen Xsara MOT pass rate?
59.4% of the 18,421 Citroen Xsara first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 40.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 8.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Citroen Xsara usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced", recorded on 1,072 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 46.3% of failures, suspension appears in 43.8% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 34.3% 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 40.7%. The median Citroen Xsara tested in 2025 was 19 years old with 100,263 miles.
Is the Citroen Xsara getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.6 points to 40.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 1.1 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 Xsara 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 8 safety recalls naming the Citroen Xsara: Citroen Xsara recalls.
Other Citroen models
Checking a particular Xsara?
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.