2017 Skoda Citigo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Skoda Citigo passed 89.8% of its 34,866 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.5 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.0%) and visibility (4.8%) 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 1,567 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.9% in the 0-30k band and 30.0% in the 150k+ band, a 23.1-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 1,728 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.8% | 1,681 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.8% | 988 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.4% | 832 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.0% | 693 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 303 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,567 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,030 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 641 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 575 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 474 |
| 6 | Washers | 468 |
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 | 24.6% | 8,558 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.5% | 4,363 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.9% | 2,071 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.7% | 1,980 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 968 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 218 |
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 | 17,486 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 13,812 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,972 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 462 | 25.8% |
| 120-150k | 102 | 27.5% |
| 150k+ | 30 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,799 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 6,922 | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 7,000 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 6,994 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 7,151 | 12.9% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Citigo
On a 2017 Citigo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.8% 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 (2.8% 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 2017 Skoda Citigos pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 34,866 2017 Skoda Citigo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Skoda Citigo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by visibility (4.8%).
Does the 2017 Citigo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 30.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 34,866 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.