2005 Citroen C4 MOT pass rate: 62.0% (2,842 tests)

2005-registered Citroen C4s passed 62.0% of 2,842 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 2.5 points worse than same-age cars (64.4%). This is one of the strongest C4 years in the age-adjusted MOT ranking, although the individual car still matters more.

62.0%Pass rate, 2005 cars

97.5Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

2,842Tests analysed

89,271 miMedian mileage at test

63.0% / 59.7%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2005 C4 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2005-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	59.9% -4.3 vs same-age
2024	63.0% -1.2 vs same-age
2025	64.8% -0.5 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2005 C4

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	1,107	28.9%
2	Suspension	782	20.4%
3	Brakes	562	14.7%
4	Body, chassis, structure	372	9.7%
5	Tyres	315	8.2%
6	Steering	215	5.6%

All C4 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2005 (this page)	2,842	62.0%	-2.5 pts	89,271
2006	5,552	60.0%	-4.4 pts	90,792
2007	16,843	59.2%	-5.9 pts	101,912
2008	21,626	57.6%	-7.6 pts	104,228
2009	15,356	59.4%	-7.1 pts	101,030
2010	17,911	58.5%	-8.9 pts	100,979
2011	20,622	62.6%	-6.6 pts	98,790
2012	24,684	63.9%	-7.3 pts	92,268
2013	35,876	63.6%	-9.8 pts	85,323
2014	60,907	65.3%	-10.6 pts	81,296
2015	81,735	70.4%	-8.4 pts	72,626
2016	51,577	73.3%	-8.0 pts	64,640
2017	2,897	79.9%	-4.1 pts	61,685
2018	8,066	82.1%	-4.3 pts	45,514
2019	13,987	83.8%	-4.6 pts	37,247

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Citroen C4 years to avoid.

Buying a 2005 C4? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2005 Citroen C4 reliable?

2005-registered examples passed 62.0% of their MOT tests (2,842 tests, 2023–2025), -2.5 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 21 years old with a median 89,271 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2005 C4?

The median tested example shows 89,271 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Should I buy the petrol or diesel 2005 C4?

In this cohort petrols pass 63.0% of tests against 59.7% for diesels. Mileage and use can explain part of that gap, so treat it as a reason to inspect DPF and emissions history, not a fuel-type verdict.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.