Citroen

Which year Citroen C3 is most reliable?

Based on 310,649 vehicles (2002–2025) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 C3 at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 C3 at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2015–2022
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other C3s
Below model average
2002–2004
Lower pass rate than other C3s — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 2002 →
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Dataset
310,649
vehicles · 2002–2025 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2012–2019
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 76.1–88.6% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2022
96.0%
1,017 Recommended
2021
92.6%
850 Recommended
2020
90.9%
4,827 Recommended
2019
88.6%
13,434 Recommended
2018
86.8%
16,150 Recommended
2017
86.0%
15,693 Recommended
2016
82.1%
9,004 Recommended
2015
81.1%
12,659 Recommended
2014
80.1%
14,572
2013
78.2%
14,541
2012
76.1%
16,815
2011
75.5%
18,448
2010
73.7%
23,732
2009
71.6%
14,132
2008
72.1%
10,181
2007
72.7%
14,574
2006
73.4%
16,910
2005
71.7%
20,923
2004
70.3%
25,470 Below avg
2003
69.4%
31,564 Below avg
2002
68.9%
14,687 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
← Back to model overview
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