Citroën C3, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
156,674 Citroën C3s are licensed in the UK, the 66th most common model on the road. In 2025 they passed 65.2% of initial MOT tests, 7.1 points below the 72.3% UK average.
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Citroën C3 at the MOT
65.2% of 189,353 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the C3 427th of 575 models. Citroën C3s aged 3 to 5 years passed 86.6% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 53.6%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Citroën C3 tests in 2025.
Where C3s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Citroën C3 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were stop lamp not working (5.4%), position lamp not working (5.4%) and joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (4.7%).
The MOT page lists every common C3 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The C3'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.32.1% of C3 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.17.7% of C3 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.10.9% of C3 failure items
Citroën C3s in the UK
156,674 were licensed at the end of June 2026, the 2nd most of any Citroën. The number licensed has fallen 11% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- −11%from 175,876 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2017half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2017 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 4,553against 16,455 in 2017
- Declared off the road
- 12,2077.2% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Citroën C3s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 175,876 |
| End of 2015 | 175,634 |
| End of 2016 | 172,633 |
| End of 2017 | 176,660 |
| End of 2018 | 176,567 |
| End of 2019 | 176,870 |
| End of 2020 | 171,130 |
| End of 2021 | 166,588 |
| End of 2022 | 164,169 |
| End of 2023 | 164,448 |
| End of 2024 | 165,214 |
| End of 2025 | 159,438 |
| End of June 2026 | 156,674 |
How old they are
Licensed Citroën C3s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 6,769 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,254 | 4,553 |
| 2024 | 10,811 | 11,412 |
| 2023 | 9,920 | 10,366 |
| 2022 | 6,704 | 7,338 |
| 2021 | 8,019 | 8,462 |
| 2020 | 7,671 | 8,099 |
| 2019 | 13,248 | 14,130 |
| 2018 | 14,463 | 15,603 |
| 2017 | 15,059 | 16,455 |
| 2016 | 5,493 | 6,049 |
| 2015 | 6,082 | 6,940 |
| 2014 | 6,676 | |
| 2013 | 5,672 | |
| 2012 | 7,647 | |
| 2011 | 8,153 | |
| 2010 | 8,782 | |
| 2009 | 3,125 | |
| 2008 | 3,509 | |
| 2007 | 3,609 | |
| 2006 | 3,109 |
6,082 C3s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 88% of the 6,940 first registered that year.
C3 engines and fuel
1.2 litre engines made up 42% of Citroën C3 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.6 litre at 32%. Petrol accounts for 84% of licensed C3s and diesel for 15%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 189,336 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed C3s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 131,368 | 84% |
| Diesel | 23,136 | 15% |
| Hybrid electric | 2,164 | 1% |
| Other fuels | 6 | <0.1% |
Citroën C3 recalls
65 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Citroën C3. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every C3 is affected.
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Mar 2026 R/2026/122
Alarm triggered randomly - BCM software
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles due to a Body Control Module (BCM) software weakness an alarm siren may randomly trigger when the vehicle is locked.
- Remedy
- Update the BCM software.
-
Mar 2026 R/2026/068
Power Steering Wiring Harness
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have a power steering harness routed between two screws where minor vibrations could cause harness damage resulting in a possible short circuit. This could lead to a loss of power-steering assistance and in worst case a fire.
- Remedy
- Ensure new routing and protection of the harness by replacing the existing clip with a new one and add a cap on the bolt thread.
-
Mar 2026 R/2026/073
Alternator protection
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have been assembled with contact or with a reduced clearance between the Gasoline Particulate Filter pipe and the pole protection cap of the 48V Belt Starter Generator. There is a possibility of contact between these components leading to water infiltration and an electrical arch which could trigger a thermal event.
- Remedy
- Replace the pole protection cap of the 48V Belt Starter Generator. Check the distance between the Gasoline Particulate Filter pipe and the pole protection cap of the 48V Belt Starter Generator and re-position or replace the pipe if required.
-
Feb 2026 R/2026/058
Citroen C3 Front Camera Software versions update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles equipped with a multifunctional front camera module may face a non-compliance to regulatory requirements due to incorrect front camera module calibration.
- Remedy
- Update the front camera module software and the vehicle software configuration.
-
Dec 2025 R/2025/487
Citroen C3 v5 Autonomous telematics box cannot connect to server
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles there may be a software bug in the Body Control Module (BCM) which prevents a connection to the server and affects the speed limit indication system.
- Remedy
- Update the BCM software.
-
Nov 2025 R/2025/514
Citroen C3 C3 Aircross Brake Pedal Bracket Connection
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles there may be an insufficient brake pedal bracket connection due to a missing or incorrectly assembled pin. If the pin falls out the brake pedal will potentially disengage.
- Remedy
- Check the brake pedal connection confirm proper assembly and rework it if necessary.
-
Aug 2025 R/2025/346
Emission recall - On Board Diagnostics
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Vehicles may be affected by incorrect performance of the On-Board-Diagnostics related to Selective Catalytic Reduction system and/or Diesel Particle Filter. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may not illuminate in the event of a malfunction and therefore does not comply with emission regulations.
- Remedy
- Update the Engine Control Unit software to ensure compliance to regulations.
-
Jul 2025 R/2025/283
Citroen Fuel Pipe
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles there may be loose connections between a high-pressure fuel pipe and the engine fuel rail which potentially could lead to a leak and risk of fire.
- Remedy
- Retighten the affected connections.
C3 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 C3's 65.2% MOT pass rate.
Citroën C3 FAQs
How many Citroën C3s are there in the UK?
156,674 Citroën C3s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 12,207 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Citroën C3 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 65.2% first-time pass rate for the Citroën C3 across 189,353 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Citroën C3 had any recalls?
65 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Citroën C3. The most recent was published in March 2026. 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 C3?
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 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 C3'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 C3?
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.