Citroen C3 Aircross MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 8 model years and 134,358 tests, the Citroen C3 Aircross passes its MOT 90.1% of the time. That is effectively the same as small SUVs of a similar age (9.0% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
Best and worst C3 Aircross years
Ranked across C3 Aircross years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2022 (94.3% pass rate); the weakest is 2017 (87.3%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — tyres (3.6%) and brakes (3.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake discs, brake pads and joints — brake discs alone was recorded 3,040 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.9% in the 0-30k band and 18.2% in the 120-150k band, a 11.3-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (12.1% vs 9.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every C3 Aircross model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5,239 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2018 | 53,536 | 88.8% | 11.3% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2019 | 43,433 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 15,220 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 9,558 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 7,107 | 94.3% | 5.7% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 256 | 96.1% | 3.9% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.6% | 4,830 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.4% | 4,570 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 3,394 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 3,156 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 1,858 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 952 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 927 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 457 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake discs | 3,040 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,669 |
| 3 | Joints | 2,635 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,105 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 2,001 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,515 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 1,142 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 1,002 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.4% | 32,780 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.3% | 32,605 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.0% | 8,023 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.8% | 6,433 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.0% | 2,656 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.3% | 1,708 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 76,983 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 50,049 | 13.4% |
| 60-90k | 6,734 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 511 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 44 | 18.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 124,895 | 9.7% |
| Diesel | 9,463 | 12.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,927 | 6.6% |
| 2022 | 22,406 | 7.7% |
| 2023 | 27,775 | 9.7% |
| 2024 | 32,504 | 11.1% |
| 2025 | 39,746 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a Citroen C3 Aircross
- Tyres (3.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (3.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Body, structure & corrosion (2.5% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Citroen C3 Aircross?
90.1% of the 134,358 Citroen C3 Aircross MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.9% fail rate, across model years 2017–2024.
What does the Citroen C3 Aircross most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.6% of tests, then brakes (3.4%).
Which C3 Aircross years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 94.3% and 2017 the weakest at 87.3%, from 7,107 and 5,239 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect C3 Aircross MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 18.2% for 120-150k, a 11.3-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel C3 Aircross more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 9.7% of the time against 12.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 134,358 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.