Citroen C3 Picasso Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Citroen C3 Picasso 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 10,674 MOT tests across 10 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
81%
Citroen C3 Picasso pass rate
79%
Citroen average
82%
All-model average
The Citroen C3 Picasso has an average MOT pass rate of 81%, which is 2 points above the Citroen average and 1 point below the average across all models in our data. Newer Citroen C3 Picassos pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 12 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Citroen C3 Picasso Fails Its MOT On
Of the 2,074 MOT tests on the Citroen C3 Picasso 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.
Lights and electrics
48%Cars and vans the same age: 31% (the C3 Picasso fails on this more often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Body, chassis and structure
24%Cars and vans the same age: 8.3% (the C3 Picasso fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Tyres
23%Cars and vans the same age: 26% · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
17%Cars and vans the same age: 20% · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
14%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Stop lamp: not working (19% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (19% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam (10% 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 C3 Picasso 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 C3 Picasso 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 C3 Picasso 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 C3 Picasso Running Costs
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Citroen C3 Picasso FAQ
What are the most common Citroen C3 Picasso problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Citroen C3 Picasso that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (48% of the 2,074 failed tests), body, chassis and structure (24%) and tyres (23%). The single most common fault was "Stop lamp: not working" (19%). Across 10,674 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 81% ended in a pass.
Is the Citroen C3 Picasso reliable?
The Citroen C3 Picasso has an average MOT pass rate of 81%, from 10,674 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 C3 Picasso years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2016 (81% of 3,246 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars) and the 2017 (84% of 5,224 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 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 C3 Picasso faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Citroen C3 Picasso 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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Related model: Citroen C3 reliability and common problems
Other Citroen Models
Common problems pages for other Citroen models