Citroen C2 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Citroen C2 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 21,611 MOT tests across 8 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
70%
Citroen C2 pass rate
79%
Citroen average
82%
All-model average
The Citroen C2 has an average MOT pass rate of 70%, which is 9 points below the Citroen average and 12 points below the average across all models in our data. The Citroen C2 has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 3 percentage points.
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What the Citroen C2 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 3,868 MOT tests on the Citroen C2 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
48%Cars and vans the same age: 41% · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
46%Cars and vans the same age: 49% · Typical repair £15-£200
Body, chassis and structure
29%Cars and vans the same age: 19% (the C2 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Brakes
23%Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
20%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension mounting area corroded, significantly reducing its strength (13% of failed tests, suspension)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (12% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Stop lamp: not working (11% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Citroen C2 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each C2 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Citroen C2 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
Citroen C2 Running Costs
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Citroen C2 FAQ
What are the most common Citroen C2 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Citroen C2 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (48% of the 3,868 failed tests), lights and electrics (46%) and body, chassis and structure (29%). The single most common fault was "Suspension mounting area corroded, significantly reducing its strength" (13%). Across 21,611 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 70% ended in a pass.
Is the Citroen C2 reliable?
The Citroen C2 has an average MOT pass rate of 70%, from 21,611 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 4 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Citroen C2 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2009 (70% of 4,221 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars), the 2005 (68% of 3,314 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) and the 2004 (67% of 2,532 tests passed, against 72% for all 2004 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Citroen C2 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Citroen C2 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Citroen Models
Common problems pages for other Citroen models