Citroen Berlingo (1998)

6,570 real MOT outcomes analysed • 65.9% first-time pass rate

1998 Citroen Berlingo

CarHunch analysed 6,570 real MOT records for the 1998 Citroen Berlingo. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

Below average reliability 14.1% below UK average
65.9%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
128,068
typical mileage
102,399–157,026 middle half
31.1%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
3.71
avg MOT failures per car
over 10.3 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 1.5 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

67.3%
Petrol
651 vehicles
65.8%
Diesel
5,911 vehicles

What to check before buying a 1998 Citroen Berlingo

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • ⚠️ 31.1% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Citroen Berlingo

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (90%) 5,911 65.8% 3.68
Petrol (10%) 651 67.3% 3.99
Electric (0%) 5 91.7% 0.6
LPG (0%) 3 60.4% 3

Mileage Distribution

Most 1998 Citroen Berlingo vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

102,399
low mileage
128,068
typical
157,026
high mileage

Half of all 1998 Citroen Berlingo vehicles fall between 102,399 and 157,026 miles.

1998 Citroen Berlingo — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 122 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (7% of peak).

1,796 122 2014 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.

MOT History Averages

10.3
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
3.71
Avg failures per vehicle
12.9
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 1998 Citroen Berlingo

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 83.2%
    Oil leak
  • 54.1%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 50.9%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 45.2%
    Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated
  • 44.3%
    Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated
  • 37.3%
    Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 36.3%
    Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 34.8%
    Nearside Stop lamp not working

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1998. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Citroen Berlingo?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Citroen Berlingo:

1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022