Citroen Xsara MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 21,812 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 50% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 53.8% of cars aged 10–14 years passed first time, against 49.8% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Citroen Xsara?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10–14 years | 1,029 | 53.8% |
| 15–30 years | 20,782 | 49.8% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Citroen Xsara to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Anti-roll Bars — 8.5% of tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
- Position Lamps — 8.1% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Stop Lamp — 7.8% of tests. A brake light out. Usually a bulb.
- Seat Belts — 6.7% of tests. A belt that is damaged or does not retract. Safety-critical and worth checking yourself.
- Headlamps — 6.4% of tests. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
- Transmission — 6.4% of tests. A fault with a driveshaft, gaiter or transmission component. Costs vary widely.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Citroen Xsara are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 15,784 licensed and 16,847 SORN vehicles in the Citroen Xsara generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Citroen Xsara
Before you buy
- Anti-roll Bars — 8.5% of tests in 2024. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
- Position Lamps — 8.1% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Stop Lamp — 7.8% of tests in 2024. A brake light out. Usually a bulb.
- Seat Belts — 6.7% of tests in 2024. A belt that is damaged or does not retract. Safety-critical and worth checking yourself.
- Ask why it was off the road — Of the 32,631 Xsara vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (16,847 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 93% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 241,017. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Xsara — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Citroen models
- Citroen C3 — 63.2% pass
- Citroen Berlingo — 57.3% pass
- Citroen C1 — 69.1% pass
- Citroen C4 — 58.6% pass
- Citroen DS3 — 52.1% pass
- Citroen Dispatch — 57.1% pass
See every Citroen model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Citroen Xsara MOT pass rate?
50% of 21,812 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Citroen Xsara passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Xsara fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are anti-roll bars (8.5% of tests), position lamps (8.1% of tests), stop lamp (7.8% of tests), seat belts (6.7% of tests).
How many Citroen Xsara are left in the UK?
15,784 were licensed and 16,847 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Xsara is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.