How reliable is the Citroen C2 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Citroen C2, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 52.9% across 8,206 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Citroen C2?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 24.2% of all Citroen C2 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Citroen C2 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 83,806 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Citroen C2 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Citroen C2 cars tested, 86% are petrol, 14% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Citroen C2 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 8,206 recorded MOT tests of the Citroen C2, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 8,206 MOT tests, 52.9% of Citroen C2 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Citroen C2 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, which appears in 24.5% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 83,806 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

52.9%unadjusted, not comparable8,206 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the C2. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 8,206 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Citroen C2 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired24.5%
793 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
2.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc15.1%
488 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
3.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen12.0%
390 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning11.3%
365 occurrencesLamp not working explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.9%
353 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning10.7%
347 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.7%
346 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
8.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced10.2%
329 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements9.9%
320 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
10.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.5%
309 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Citroen C2 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements24.2%
1,985 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured18.7%
1,538 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged18.6%
1,530 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users17.1%
1,400 tests
5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened13.2%
1,081 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.7%
879 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
7.Number plate inscription missing or illegible7.8%
642 testsRegistration plate missing, insecure or illegible explained
8.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired7.5%
619 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained

What gets tested

The C2 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 83,806
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol85.8%
Diesel14.2%

Check a specific Citroen C2

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Citroen models

Citroen C3 — 63.9% adjusted
Citroen Berlingo — 61.9% adjusted
Citroen C1 — 68.7% adjusted
Citroen C4 — 63.8% adjusted
Citroen DS3 — 51.9% adjusted
Citroen Dispatch — 62.0% adjusted
All Citroen models

Common questions

How reliable is the Citroen C2 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Citroen C2, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 52.9% across 8,206 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Citroen C2?: The item recorded most often is "The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired", which appears in 24.5% of failed Citroen C2 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Citroen C2?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 24.2% of all Citroen C2 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Citroen C2 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 83,806 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Citroen C2 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Citroen C2 cars tested, 86% are petrol, 14% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.