2018 Citroen C4 Cactus — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Citroen C4 Cactus passed 86.0% of its 31,049 recorded MOT tests. Against small SUVs of a similar age (9.9% fail rate), the 2018 C4 Cactus comes out 4.1pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.8%) and visibility (6.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,634 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.6% versus 8.9%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 13.7% of the time against 14.9% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 2,099 |
| 2 | Visibility | 6.3% | 1,961 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 1,324 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.6% | 821 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 768 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.2% | 684 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,634 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 997 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 916 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 822 |
| 5 | Washers | 762 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 460 |
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 | 24.5% | 7,608 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.2% | 5,343 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 2,344 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 2,168 |
| 5 | Suspension | 6.2% | 1,920 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 1,065 |
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 | 12,363 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 14,989 | 16.2% |
| 60-90k | 3,266 | 20.9% |
| 90-120k | 359 | 26.7% |
| 120-150k | 51 | 21.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 24,719 | 13.7% |
| Diesel | 6,330 | 14.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,981 | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 6,091 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 6,269 | 14.9% |
| 2024 | 6,285 | 16.4% |
| 2025 | 6,423 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 C4 Cactus
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (6.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
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 2018 Citroen C4 Cactuss pass their MOT?
86.0% of the 31,049 2018 Citroen C4 Cactus MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Citroen C4 Cactus?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by visibility (6.3%).
Does the 2018 C4 Cactus get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 21.6% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 31,049 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.