Citroën C1, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
152,496 Citroën C1s are licensed in the UK, the 68th most common model on the road. In 2025 they passed 68.9% of initial MOT tests, 3.4 points below the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific C1? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Citroën C1 at the MOT
68.9% of 162,794 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the C1 369th of 575 models. Citroën C1s aged 3 to 5 years passed 87.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 60.4%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Citroën C1 tests in 2025.
Where C1s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Citroën C1 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (5.5%), service brake performance excessively binding (4.9%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.2%).
The MOT page lists every common C1 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The C1's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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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.28.1% of C1 failure items
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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.21.2% of C1 failure items
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.14.5% of C1 failure items
Citroën C1s in the UK
152,496 were licensed at the end of June 2026, the 3rd most of any Citroën. The number licensed has grown 24% since the end of 2014, although it peaked at 175,546 at the end of 2021.
- Change since 2014
- +24%from 122,885 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2013half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2013 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 1against 19,138 in 2016
- Declared off the road
- 6,9134.3% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Citroën C1s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 122,885 |
| End of 2015 | 139,827 |
| End of 2016 | 157,578 |
| End of 2017 | 164,093 |
| End of 2018 | 169,710 |
| End of 2019 | 173,639 |
| End of 2020 | 173,869 |
| End of 2021 | 175,546 |
| End of 2022 | 172,659 |
| End of 2023 | 168,788 |
| End of 2024 | 163,035 |
| End of 2025 | 156,745 |
| End of June 2026 | 152,496 |
How old they are
Licensed Citroën C1s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 544 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 315 | 325 |
| 2021 | 4,459 | 4,619 |
| 2020 | 3,696 | 3,852 |
| 2019 | 5,229 | 5,458 |
| 2018 | 7,020 | 7,448 |
| 2017 | 8,948 | 9,523 |
| 2016 | 17,755 | 19,138 |
| 2015 | 17,579 | 19,091 |
| 2014 | 13,153 | |
| 2013 | 13,413 | |
| 2012 | 12,978 | |
| 2011 | 12,541 | |
| 2010 | 11,656 | |
| 2009 | 10,178 | |
| 2008 | 8,062 | |
| 2007 | 5,594 | |
| 2006 | 3,447 |
17,579 C1s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 92% of the 19,091 first registered that year.
C1 engine sizes
1.0 litre engines made up 84% of Citroën C1 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.2 litre at 15%. Petrol accounts for 100% of licensed C1s.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 162,787 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Citroën C1 recalls
10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Citroën C1. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every C1 is affected.
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Dec 2020 R/2020/355
The stitching pattern used on the rear seat belt material is not to correct specification
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles some rear seat belts may have incorrect stitching on the belt material to connect the buckle to the anchor plate.
- Remedy
- Check seat belts and relace if necessary.
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Dec 2018 R/2018/359
The bonding of the rear door window glass to the hinge assemblies may not conform to specification
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On the affected vehicles the bonding of the rear door window glass to the hinge assemblies may not conform to specification.
- Remedy
- Check and if necessary replace the rear window or re- bond the rear window glass hinges.
-
Jun 2016 R/2016/136
Steering column may fail unexpectedly
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A component of the steering column may not be to specification and could fail. If this occurs there would be a loss of directional control.
- Remedy
- The manufacturer will contact keepers of affected vehicles and advise not to use the vehicle. Examine vehicles and on those with the affected component replace the steering column.
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Jan 2015 R/2015/024
Bumper may not perform as designed in a collision
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have a small defect in the front bumper frame. This may affect its impact absorption in the even of a collision.
- Remedy
- If required replace front bumper frame.
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Dec 2014 R/2014/173
Loss of control
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The front shock absorber rod may have an internal fault which could cause it to brake. This could have an adverse affect on the front suspension and the driver's ability to control the vehicle.
- Remedy
- On affected vehicles replace both front shock absorbers.
-
Feb 2014 R/2014/028
Rear cross-member may fail and cause driver to lose control
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On subject vehicles a weld on the rear cross member might be non-compliant and eventually cause the weld between the cross member and the vehicle body to break. This may lead to a partial detachment of the axle and cause the driver to lose control.
- Remedy
- Contact keepers using DVLA and manufacturer's records. Check the compliance of the weld on the O/S/R and if necessary replace the cross member.
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Nov 2012 R/2012/129
Engine may fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It has been established that the con-rod (big end) shell bearings may not have been manufactured to specification. This could lead to premature deterioration of the shells and if not identified it could result in engine failure.
- Remedy
- Recall affected vehicles and replace con-rod shell bearings.
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Jun 2011 R/2011/070
Suspension may fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The left hand side front chassis may have a nonconformity which may lead to a risk of poor securing of the suspension arm.
- Remedy
- Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected to replace the left hand side front chassis member.
C1 vs similar cars
Head-to-head comparisons on the same 2025 DVSA data.
Other Citroën models
The most-tested Citroën models in 2025, against the C1's 68.9% MOT pass rate.
Citroën C1 FAQs
How many Citroën C1s are there in the UK?
152,496 Citroën C1s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 6,913 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Citroën C1 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 68.9% first-time pass rate for the Citroën C1 across 162,794 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Citroën C1 had any recalls?
10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Citroën C1. The most recent was published in December 2020. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Citroën C1?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, brakes and suspension. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Citroën C1'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.
Already found a C1?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Citroën history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Citroen VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.