Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2 (2005)

199 real MOT outcomes analysed • 50.5% first-time pass rate

2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2

CarHunch analysed 199 real MOT records for the 2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

This 2005 Citroën Xsara Picasso Désire 2 is a real reliability concern—only 50.5% pass their MOT first time, nearly 30 percentage points below the UK average of 80%. The good news is that dangerous defects are absent from this cohort, so safety-critical failures aren't the main issue here.

These vehicles are running at around 104,000 miles on average, which is reasonable for a 19-year-old car, yet they're averaging 0.74 failures per test—suggesting wear-related problems are cropping up regularly rather than being concentrated in a few badly neglected examples. If you're considering buying one, budget for ongoing repairs and have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the cooling system, suspension, and bodywork, as these are typical failure points on ageing Citroëns of this generation.

Below average reliability 29.5% below UK average
50.5%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
102,466
typical mileage
82,519–125,673 middle half
0%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
0.74
avg MOT failures per car
over 3.1 tests on record

What to check before buying a 2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2

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.
  • 📄 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 Xsara Picasso Desire 2

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
Other (67%) 133 74.8% 1.11
Petrol (33%) 65 0% 0
Diesel (1%) 1 100% 0

Mileage Distribution

Most 2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2 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.

82,519
low mileage
102,466
typical
125,673
high mileage

Half of all 2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2 vehicles fall between 82,519 and 125,673 miles.

2005 Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2 — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 18 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (14% of peak).

24 18 2017 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2017–2025.

MOT History Averages

3.1
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
0.74
Avg failures per vehicle
0
Avg advisories per vehicle

Found a specific Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2?

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

UK

Other model years — Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire 2:

2004