Car statistics by year

2021 Citroën C3

Citroën C3 cars first registered in 2021: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2021, so like is set against like.

A year of the Citroën C3. “2021” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
12,644 MOT tests of 2021 Citroën C3 cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 89.7% All 2021 cars 88.4%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 25,500 miles; all 2021 cars 30,700
  • Left at the end of 2025 12,267 96.7% of the 12,692 at the end of 2021
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 2.5% All 2021 cars 3.8%
  • Tests with an advisory 37.4% All 2021 cars 33.1%
  • MOT tests in 2025 12,644 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2021 Citroën C3s do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 4 years old, 89.7% of 2021 Citroën C3 MOT tests were passed first time, against 88.4% for all cars first registered in 2021. 2021 Citroën C3s did better than average for their age, by 1.3 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 90.5% of the time (all 2021 cars 88.7%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Citroën C3 vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Citroën C3 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Citroën C3 compared with all cars
First registered Citroën C3All cars
’11 53.5%61.5%
’12 55.5%63.6%
’13 58.4%66.0%
’14 61.7%69.1%
’15 65.3%72.6%
’16 67.2%75.6%
’17 71.6%79.1%
’18 76.9%81.8%
’19 81.9%84.4%
’20 86.8%86.9%
’21 89.7%88.4%
’22 91.9%89.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2021 Citroën C3

Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords was the most common single reason a 2021 Citroën C3 failed, on 13.5% of about 1,300 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (33.1% of failed tests; all 2021 cars 17.1%). 2.5% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 3.8% for all cars first registered in 2021. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2021 Citroën C3 tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 13.5%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 10.5%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.6%
Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn Brakes 8.1%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 6.5%
Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 6.0%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.1%
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 4.6%
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility 4.5%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres 3.9%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Citroën C3 vs all 2021 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2021 Citroën C3 MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2021 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 33.1%
Tyres 28.1%
Brakes 23.9%
Visibility 11.1%
Body, chassis, structure 8.2%
Suspension 5.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks 3.7%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 1.2%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2021 Citroën C3

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 37.4% of 2021 Citroën C3 tests had at least one (all 2021 cars 33.1%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2021 Citroën C3 tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 12.8%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 12.8%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 7.7%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 5.9%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 5.6%
Nail in tyre Non-component advisories 2.4%
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories 2.1%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 1.6%
Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 1.5%
Exhaust system: mounting defective Body, chassis, structure 1.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2021 Citroën C3?

Half of the 2021 Citroën C3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 25,500 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 17,500 and a quarter more than 35,400. For all cars first registered in 2021, the middle figure was 30,700 miles, so 2021 Citroën C3s have been driven 16.9% less far than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2021 Citroën C3 and all 2021 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2021 Citroën C3 11,600 17,500 25,500 35,400 46,900 12,117
All 2021 cars 14,300 21,300 30,700 42,500 56,500 1,457,950
miles

Half of the 2021 Citroën C3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 25,500 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2021 Citroën C3s are left?

At the end of 2021, 12,692 2021 Citroën C3s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 12,267 were: 12,189 licensed and 78 declared off the road (SORN). That is 96.7% still on the record, against 96.0% for all cars first registered in 2021.

Share still on the record since 2021

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2021. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2021 Citroën C3s on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2021, compared with all 2021 cars
Year end 2021 Citroën C3All 2021 cars
2021 100.0%100.0%
2022 99.2%98.4%
2023 96.0%97.6%
2024 94.5%94.7%
2025 96.7%96.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2021

4 of the Citroën C3’s 84 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2021. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2021 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2021 may have been built in 2020, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Citroën C3 recalls whose build dates include 2021
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
3 Jul 2025 Citroen DV5R Engines Camshaft Chain. 4 Oct 2017 to 31 Jan 2023 852
10 Feb 2022 Vehicles may have an incorrect tightening torque on several rear axle component fixings 9 Dec 2021 1
2 Dec 2021 The right-hand side drive shaft outer joint may break 10 Apr 2021 to 21 Apr 2021 19 (all models)
9 Jun 2021 The front lower ball joint locating bolt and fixing nut might have been incorrectly tightened or not fitted correctly 3 Jan 2020 to 24 Mar 2021 8

Every Citroën C3 recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Citroën C3

21 years of the Citroën C3, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2022 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (91.9% passed first time) and the 2002 cars worst (48.5%).

Citroën C3s by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2002 1,406 48.5% 59.7%
2003 3,445 49.9% 58.9%
2004 3,539 50.6% 57.9%
2005 3,840 50.5% 57.7%
2006 4,074 52.6% 56.9%
2007 4,513 51.2% 57.3%
2008 4,128 51.1% 57.0%
2009 8,262 49.9% 58.2%
2010 16,605 51.5% 59.3%
2011 14,427 53.5% 61.5%
2012 14,318 55.5% 63.6%
2013 13,310 58.4% 66.0%
2014 15,103 13,838 61.7% 69.1%
2015 13,290 12,366 65.3% 72.6%
2016 11,120 10,762 67.2% 75.6%
2017 20,116 19,456 71.6% 79.1%
2018 24,596 24,006 76.9% 81.8%
2019 23,230 22,918 81.9% 84.4%
2020 12,224 12,188 86.8% 86.9%
2021 12,692 12,267 89.7% 88.4%
2022 13,523 12,707 91.9% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 12,644 MOT tests of 2021 Citroën C3 cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 12,267 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Citroën C3 cars first registered in 2021; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2021.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.