Citroen C4 Cactus Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Citroen C4 Cactus 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 35,784 MOT tests across 8 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
83%
Citroen C4 Cactus pass rate
79%
Citroen average
82%
All-model average
The Citroen C4 Cactus has an average MOT pass rate of 83%, which is 4 points above the Citroen average and 1 point above the average across all models in our data. Newer Citroen C4 Cactuss pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 11 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Citroen C4 Cactus Fails Its MOT On
Of the 6,385 MOT tests on the Citroen C4 Cactus 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
41%Cars and vans the same age: 27% (the C4 Cactus fails on this more often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
25%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the C4 Cactus fails on this more often) · Typical repair £10-£350
Body, chassis and structure
21%Cars and vans the same age: 6.2% (the C4 Cactus fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Tyres
21%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the C4 Cactus fails on this less often) · Typical repair £50-£300
Suspension
17%Cars and vans the same age: 22% (the C4 Cactus fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (15% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (13% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam (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 C4 Cactus 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 C4 Cactus 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 C4 Cactus 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 C4 Cactus Running Costs
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Citroen C4 Cactus FAQ
What are the most common Citroen C4 Cactus problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Citroen C4 Cactus that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (41% of the 6,385 failed tests), windscreen, wipers and mirrors (25%) and body, chassis and structure (21%). The single most common fault was "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" (15%). Across 35,784 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 83% ended in a pass.
Is the Citroen C4 Cactus reliable?
The Citroen C4 Cactus has an average MOT pass rate of 83%, from 35,784 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 5 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Citroen C4 Cactus years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2016 (77% of 6,238 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars), the 2017 (82% of 9,711 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars) and the 2018 (84% of 8,804 tests passed, against 89% for all 2018 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 C4 Cactus faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Citroen C4 Cactus 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 C4 reliability and common problems
Other Citroen Models
Common problems pages for other Citroen models