2018 Skoda Citigo — MOT failures & pass rate
28,829 MOT tests on the 2018 Skoda Citigo are in this dataset, and 92.3% of them passed. Against city cars of a similar age (9.7% fail rate), the 2018 Citigo comes out 2.0pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.4%) and visibility (4.0%) 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 1,093 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.9% versus 5.1%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 1,260 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.0% | 1,142 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.5% | 714 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.0% | 573 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 304 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 130 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,093 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 876 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 441 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 350 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 323 |
| 6 | Washers | 313 |
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 | 21.1% | 6,076 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.7% | 3,075 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.8% | 1,675 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.2% | 1,196 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 727 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 150 |
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 | 18,557 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 8,684 | 11.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,309 | 15.7% |
| 90-120k | 225 | 22.7% |
| 120-150k | 43 | 20.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,627 | 4.3% |
| 2022 | 5,676 | 5.6% |
| 2023 | 5,872 | 8.4% |
| 2024 | 5,756 | 9.3% |
| 2025 | 5,898 | 10.7% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Citigo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.0% 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 (2.5% 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 2018 Skoda Citigos pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 28,829 2018 Skoda Citigo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Skoda Citigo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by visibility (4.0%).
Does the 2018 Citigo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 20.9% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 28,829 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.