2021 Citroen Ë-C4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,693 MOT tests, the 2021 Citroen Ë-C4 recorded an 86.9% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (8.3% fail rate), the 2021 Ë-C4 comes out 4.7pp worse. Failures cluster in visibility, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: visibility, recorded in 7.5% of tests against 3.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, washers and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 770 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.8% versus 10.0%.
The diesel cars hold up better: 11.8% fail against 13.3% for petrol, a 1.5-point gap across 11,686 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 14.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 7.5% | 881 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.9% | 453 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.5% | 407 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.6% | 307 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 249 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 62 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 770 |
| 2 | Washers | 397 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 262 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 233 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 183 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 179 |
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 | 21.6% | 2,527 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.6% | 2,053 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.1% | 712 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.4% | 628 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 401 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 159 |
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 | 6,556 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 4,633 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 451 | 20.0% |
| 90-120k | 42 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,639 | 13.3% |
| Diesel | 2,047 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 217 | 7.4% |
| 2024 | 5,675 | 12.4% |
| 2025 | 5,789 | 14.0% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Ë-C4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 7.5% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (7.5% 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.
- Suspension (3.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- 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 2021 Citroen Ë-C4s pass their MOT?
86.9% of the 11,693 2021 Citroen Ë-C4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Citroen Ë-C4?
Visibility, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by suspension (3.9%).
Does the 2021 Ë-C4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,693 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.