Citroen Xsara reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: Citroen

Model: Xsara

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 235,811 selected-period tests.

View More models

Overall MOT pass rate

65.2%

Share of this model's 235,811 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

View manufacturers

Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£340/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

112,992

Solid average mileage for this model.

Life expectancy miles

112,990

Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

18.1

Older average age in the represented fleet.

Vehicles represented

15,770

15,770 valid MOT, 0 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

235,811

235,811 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Scarce

15,770On the road

Insight summary

Citroen Xsara is a scarce model in this snapshot, with 15,770 represented vehicles and 0.04% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 65.2% from 235,811 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 39. The current pool shows an average of 112,992 miles and an average age of 18.1 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 112,990 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by diesel, and the most frequent defect themes are lighting, windscreen damage and coil springs. The practical read is that the Citroen Xsara deserves a careful inspection before buying, because condition and maintenance appear to matter more than the badge.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	9,538
DIESEL	6,228
OTHER	2
GAS BI-FUEL	1
LPG	1

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	5,873
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	5,225
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	4,951
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	4,660
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	4,512
Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))	3,744
Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))	3,101
Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	2,812
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	2,772
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	2,771
Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))	2,636
Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))	2,600
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	2,544
Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))	2,528
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	2,507
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))	2,390
Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	2,244
Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))	2,231
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	2,207
Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	2,130
Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))	2,125
Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	2,107
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	2,030
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	2,006
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	1,953

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 74,659 defects across this top 25 set

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

5,873

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

5,225

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

4,951

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

4,660

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

4,512

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

3,744

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

3,101

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

2,812

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

2,772

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

2,771

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

2,636

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

2,600

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

2,544

Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

2,528

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

2,507

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

2,390

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

2,244

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

2,231

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

2,207

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

2,130

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

2,125

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

2,107

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

2,030

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

2,006

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

1,953

Citroen Xsara reliability and MOT data