2019 Skoda Citigo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Skoda Citigo passed 94.5% of its 19,254 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.3%) and visibility (2.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and washers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 577 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.4% versus 3.6%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 18.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 628 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.4% | 465 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.1% | 399 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 309 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 149 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.1% | 28 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 577 |
| 2 | Wipers | 310 |
| 3 | Washers | 226 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 183 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 116 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 102 |
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 | 18.1% | 3,477 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.6% | 1,840 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 1,059 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.1% | 595 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 371 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 144 |
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 | 13,533 | 3.6% |
| 30-60k | 4,955 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 646 | 17.2% |
| 90-120k | 98 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 178 | 2.8% |
| 2022 | 4,768 | 3.4% |
| 2023 | 4,774 | 4.7% |
| 2024 | 4,696 | 6.2% |
| 2025 | 4,838 | 7.7% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Citigo
On a 2019 Citigo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (3.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.4% 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 (2.1% 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 Skoda Citigos pass their MOT?
94.5% of the 19,254 2019 Skoda Citigo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Skoda Citigo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by visibility (2.4%).
Does the 2019 Citigo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.6% in the 0-30k band to 19.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,254 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.