73.4%
Citroën 2CV pass rate
Used Citroën 2CV buying guide
In 2025, Citroën 2CV cars passed 73.4% of 2,468 initial MOT tests, 1.1 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific 2CV? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Citroën 2CV MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+1.1
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the 2CV sits 289th of 575 models in the data. Citroën as a brand averaged 63.5%, so this model runs 9.9 points ahead of its own brand.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Citroën 2CV MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the 2CV compares with similar cars.
2CV fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among Citroën 2CV cars tested in 2025. None of the tested examples were diesel.
Where the 2CV fails its MOT
Where Citroën 2CV cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were rear fog lamp not working (5.6%), non catalyst emissions emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (4.8%) and headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.8%). See every common 2CV MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every Citroën 2CV that failed, not a claim that every 2CV has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used 2CV?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting. 40.6% of 2CV failure items.
2
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 12.3% of 2CV failure items.
3
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing. 11.8% of 2CV failure items.
4
Body, chassis, structure
Look underneath and along the sills for corrosion, and check for damaged or poorly repaired panels. 10.5% of 2CV failure items.
5
Noise, emissions and leaks
Listen for a blowing exhaust, watch for smoke on start-up and look under the car for oil or fluid leaks. 7.1% of 2CV failure items.
None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.
What the MOT record doesn't tell you
Knowing Citroën 2CV failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and suspension tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.
Check the exact 2CV you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the Citroën history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
Other used Citroën models
The most-tested Citroën models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the 2CV.
Used Citroën 2CV FAQs
Is the Citroën 2CV reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 73.4% first-time pass rate for the Citroën 2CV across 2,468 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
What should I check before buying a used Citroën 2CV?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and brakes. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.
How do I check a Citroën 2CV's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
MOT figures are 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.