2020 Citroen C3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Citroen C3 passed 92.5% of its 25,911 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 8.8% of the time, so this is 1.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.7%) and tyres (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, brake discs and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 445 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.2% once past 90-120k — 3.7× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 7.4% fail against 10.5% for diesel, a 3.0-point gap across 25,911 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.1% of tests failed in 2022 against 8.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 965 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.9% | 765 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.2% | 565 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.2% | 315 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 276 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 150 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 445 |
| 2 | Brake discs | 326 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 321 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 300 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 235 |
| 6 | Washers | 208 |
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 | 18.6% | 4,824 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.9% | 4,372 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 1,439 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.9% | 761 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.8% | 715 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 466 |
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 | 16,406 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 8,235 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,158 | 14.9% |
| 90-120k | 104 | 19.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 25,205 | 7.4% |
| Diesel | 706 | 10.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 388 | 5.1% |
| 2023 | 8,584 | 6.3% |
| 2024 | 8,412 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 8,512 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2020 C3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.9% 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 (2.2% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Citroen C3s pass their MOT?
92.5% of the 25,911 2020 Citroen C3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Citroen C3?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.7% of tests, followed by tyres (2.9%).
Does the 2020 C3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 19.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 25,911 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.