2019 Citroen C4 Cactus — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 18,073 MOT tests, the 2019 Citroen C4 Cactus recorded an 87.5% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (8.8% fail rate), the 2019 C4 Cactus comes out 3.7pp worse. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (6.6%) and lighting & signalling (6.0%) 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 headlamp — wipers alone was recorded 977 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.5% in the 0-30k band and 19.1% in the 90-120k band, a 10.6-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.5pp more often than petrol ones (13.8% vs 12.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 6.6% | 1,200 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.0% | 1,084 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.5% | 629 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.4% | 441 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 344 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.1% | 207 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 977 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 495 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 454 |
| 4 | Washers | 438 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 398 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 267 |
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 | 22.9% | 4,139 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.7% | 3,205 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 1,224 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 1,025 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.3% | 779 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 658 |
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 | 8,811 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 8,003 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,166 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 89 | 19.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 14,654 | 12.2% |
| Diesel | 3,419 | 13.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 182 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 4,372 | 7.8% |
| 2023 | 4,442 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 4,551 | 15.1% |
| 2025 | 4,526 | 16.0% |
What to check before buying a 2019 C4 Cactus
On a 2019 C4 Cactus, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (6.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.5% 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 2019 Citroen C4 Cactuss pass their MOT?
87.5% of the 18,073 2019 Citroen C4 Cactus MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Citroen C4 Cactus?
Visibility, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.0%).
Does the 2019 C4 Cactus get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 19.1% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,073 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.