Citroen C4 Picasso MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 421,569 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 35.7%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Citroen C4 Picasso MOT Reliability Overview
The Citroen C4 Picasso is a very popular vehicle in the UK, with 421,569 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 20 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 64.3% and a failure rate of 35.7%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Citroen C4 Picasso earns a "Average" reliability rating. The average Citroen C4 Picasso presents for MOT with approximately 53,020 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2018 models achieve the highest pass rate at 84.1%, while 2001 models have the lowest at 44.2%. This 39.9 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Citroen C4 Picasso is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment, affecting 38.0% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Tyres at 23.0%. Brakes rounds out the top three at 20.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
Based on MOT data, 2018 models have the highest pass rate at 79.7%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2016 to 2018
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 13 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Citroen C4 Picasso vintages degrade over time, from age 2 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Citroen C4 Picasso. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 15 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Citroen C4 Picasso shows a moderate increase in MOT failures after warranty. The 37% increase is typical — plan for gradual maintenance cost increases. Peak failure occurs at age 15 (55.1% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 42.0% | 177,012 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.5% | 107,602 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.4% | 90,277 |
| 4 | Driver's View Of The Road | 11.8% | 49,575 |
| 5 | Suspension | 11.6% | 48,855 |
| 6 | Non-component Advisories | 2.0% | 8,262 |
| 7 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 1.0% | 4,031 |
| 8 | Registration Plates And Vin | 0.9% | 3,658 |
| 9 | Body, Structure And General Items | 0.8% | 3,411 |
| 10 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.7% | 2,855 |
| 11 | Steering | 0.6% | 2,487 |
| 12 | Road Wheels | 0.5% | 2,293 |
| 13 | Visibility | 0.3% | 1,223 |
| 14 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 0.2% | 951 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 53,020 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 7.92 | 42.0% | 177,012 |
| Tyres | 4.81 | 25.5% | 107,602 |
| Brakes | 4.04 | 21.4% | 90,277 |
| Visibility | 2.27 | 12.1% | 50,798 |
| Suspension | 2.19 | 11.6% | 48,855 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.37 | 2.0% | 8,262 |
| Body & Structure | 0.19 | 1.0% | 4,362 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.18 | 1.0% | 4,031 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.16 | 0.9% | 3,658 |
| Seat Belts | 0.13 | 0.7% | 2,855 |
| Steering | 0.11 | 0.6% | 2,487 |
| Wheels | 0.10 | 0.5% | 2,293 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Citroen C4 Picasso has 53,020 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Citroen C4 Picasso has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.73% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Citroen C4 Picasso MOT Data
The Citroen C4 Picasso is a very popular vehicle in the UK, with 421,569 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 20 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 64.3% and a failure rate of 35.7%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Citroen C4 Picasso owners, these results suggest average reliability — some preparation before MOT can improve pass chances. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and tyres for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific C4 Picasso is likely to perform.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.0% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 38.0% of MOT failures on the Citroen C4 Picasso. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Tyres — 23.0% of failures
Tyres issues account for 23.0% of MOT failures on the Citroen C4 Picasso. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Brakes — 20.1% of failures
Brakes issues account for 20.1% of MOT failures on the Citroen C4 Picasso. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Compare Citroen C4 Picasso
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Citroen C4 Picasso?
Based on 421,569 MOT tests in our database, the Citroen C4 Picasso has an overall pass rate of 64.3% (35.7% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Citroen C4 Picasso?
The top 3 reasons a Citroen C4 Picasso fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (38.0%), 2. Tyres (23.0%), 3. Brakes (20.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Citroen C4 Picasso reliable?
With a 35.7% MOT failure rate, the C4 Picasso is about average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Citroen C4 Picasso?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (38.0%); Tyres (23.0%); Brakes (20.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.