Citroen Saxo MOT pass rate & common failures
30,374 MOT tests on the Citroen Saxo (1996–2020) give it a 69.8% pass rate. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (29.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 16.5% of all tests — 3.7 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 3,467 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 22.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.9% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 30.2% of the time against 30.8% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 25.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.3% in 2021 to 29.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Saxo model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 120 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1997 | 902 | 68.7% | 31.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1998 | 855 | 69.0% | 31.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1999 | 1,221 | 68.0% | 32.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2000 | 4,158 | 68.5% | 31.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 7,935 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 8,079 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 6,596 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 502 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 5,021 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.8% | 3,895 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.5% | 3,501 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 10.0% | 3,038 |
| 5 | Suspension | 9.5% | 2,886 |
| 6 | Visibility | 7.2% | 2,187 |
| 7 | Steering | 4.6% | 1,402 |
| 8 | Tyres | 4.3% | 1,320 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 3,467 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 2,484 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 2,311 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 1,678 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 1,583 |
| 6 | Joints | 1,582 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 1,572 |
| 8 | Headlamp aim | 1,567 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 25.3% | 7,679 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.8% | 7,528 |
| 3 | Suspension | 21.2% | 6,448 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.7% | 5,380 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 17.7% | 5,367 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.9% | 3,908 |
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 | 1,843 | 22.1% |
| 30-60k | 9,046 | 27.6% |
| 60-90k | 10,512 | 31.9% |
| 90-120k | 6,208 | 32.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,031 | 32.5% |
| 150k+ | 645 | 32.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 29,555 | 30.2% |
| Diesel | 819 | 30.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,135 | 31.3% |
| 2022 | 7,190 | 30.3% |
| 2023 | 5,703 | 29.6% |
| 2024 | 4,642 | 29.8% |
| 2025 | 3,704 | 29.0% |
What to check before buying a Citroen Saxo
- Lighting & signalling (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.8% 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 (11.5% 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 Saxo?
69.8% of the 30,374 Citroen Saxo MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 30.2% fail rate, across model years 1996–2020.
What does the Citroen Saxo most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.5% of tests, then brakes (12.8%).
How much does mileage affect Saxo MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.9% for 150k+, a 10.8-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Saxo more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 30.2% of the time against 30.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 30,374 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.