Used comparison · 2025 DVSA data
Citroen C3 vs Peugeot 208
Same group, different priorities: comfort-first against a sharper drive.
Across 404,548 initial MOT tests in 2025, the Citroen C3 passed 74.75% against 74.05% for the Peugeot 208. That is close enough that the specific car matters far more than the badge.
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Head to head on the MOT record
| Measure | Citroen C3 | Peugeot 208 |
|---|---|---|
| First-time MOT pass rate | 74.75% | 74.05% |
| Tests in 2025 | 229,912 | 174,636 |
| Average mileage at test | 59,790 | 62,623 |
| Average age at test | 10 years | 9.7 years |
| Most common fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Diesel share of tests | 29.85% | 20.27% |
The UK average across all cars in this data is 77.3%. The Citroen C3 sits below it by 2.6 points, and the Peugeot 208 sits below it by 3.3 points.
Which one holds up better as it ages
This is the part that matters when you are buying used. A headline pass rate mixes three-year-old cars in with fifteen-year-old ones. Split by age, you can see what each model actually does over time.
| Age at test | Citroen C3 | Peugeot 208 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years | 92.13% | 87.43% |
| 6 to 10 years | 80.23% | 78.23% |
| 11 years and over | 63.23% | 68.02% |
The Peugeot 208 gives up less as it gets older. Between the youngest and oldest brackets it loses 19.4 percentage points against 28.9 for the Citroen C3, a difference of 9.5 points. On a ten-year-old example that is the figure to weigh, not the headline number.
What each one fails on
These are the areas testers recorded most often across every failed 2025 test for each model. Read them as a viewing checklist for that model, not as a fault list for any particular car.
Citroen C3
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 25.93%
- Suspension 20.43%
- Brakes 12.09%
- Body, chassis, structure 11.08%
- Tyres 10.4%
Share of all recorded failure items.
Full Citroen C3 failure detailPeugeot 208
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 19.43%
- Noise, emissions and leaks 17.33%
- Body, chassis, structure 14.77%
- Suspension 14.38%
- Brakes 12.56%
Share of all recorded failure items.
Full Peugeot 208 failure detailBoth models fail most often on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, which is normal for cars of this age and tells you what to look at on either. The difference between them is in what comes next on each list.
The specific items testers wrote down
One level deeper than the category. These are the individual defects recorded most often on each model.
Citroen C3
- Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
- Coil spring fractured or broken
- Position lamp not working
Peugeot 208
- Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
- Catalyst emissions lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits
- Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
What this comparison cannot tell you
Everything above describes two models across the whole UK fleet. It says nothing about the one car in the advert you are looking at. Two C3s of the same year and mileage can be worth thousands apart because of things that never appear in MOT data:
- Outstanding finance. If a lender still has an agreement recorded against the car, that claim does not disappear because you paid the seller.
- Insurance write-off history. A Cat S or Cat N marker is permanent, changes what the car is worth, and does not appear on the V5C.
- Stolen markers. A car recorded as stolen can be seized even from a buyer who bought it honestly.
- Mileage history. The readings taken at every MOT are the clearest way to spot a clocked odometer.
- Previous keepers. An unusual number of keepers for the age of the car is worth asking about.
A Carpeep car history check reports all of those against the registration, plus tax status, import and export markers, scrapped status and the recorded vehicle identity, in one £15 report.
Check the car you are about to buy
One registration, one report. Finance, write-off, stolen, mileage, keepers, MOT and tax.
Read more on each car
- Buying a used Citroen C3 Buying guide, MOT record and what to check
- Buying a used Peugeot 208 Buying guide, MOT record and what to check
Other comparisons with these cars
Citroen C3 vs Peugeot 208 FAQs
Is the Citroen C3 or the Peugeot 208 more likely to pass its MOT?
The Citroen C3 passed 74.75% of its initial MOT tests in the DVSA 2025 data against 74.05% for the Peugeot 208, a gap of 0.7 percentage points. That is a fleet-wide average, not a prediction about the specific car you are looking at.
Does a higher MOT pass rate mean a more reliable car?
No. An MOT records whether a vehicle met the roadworthiness standard on the day it was tested. It does not test the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it does not measure how often a car breaks down. Pass rates are useful for comparing how two models are holding up across the whole UK fleet, and nothing more than that.
Which is cheaper to keep on the road, the Citroen C3 or the Peugeot 208?
This data does not price servicing or repairs, so it cannot answer that directly. What it does show is what each model most often fails on, which is a fair guide to where the money goes. The Citroen C3 fails most often on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. The Peugeot 208 fails most often on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.
How do I check the actual Citroen C3 I have found?
Enter its registration. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, insurance write-off markers, stolen markers, the mileage recorded at every MOT, previous keepers, tax and MOT status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report. None of that appears in model-level MOT statistics.
MOT figures aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.