Car
Citroen C4
74.7%
pass rate across 504,935 tests
67.2% first-time pass rate
Citroen C4 vs Peugeot 308
The two cars compared on 1,004,048 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Peugeot 308
77.0%
pass rate across 499,113 tests
71.1% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Peugeot 308 has the stronger MOT record
Across 1,004,048 tests, the Peugeot 308 has the stronger first-time record: 71.1% against 67.2%, a 3.9-point gap. On all MOTs the Peugeot 308 is ahead at 77.0% versus 74.7%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Peugeot 308 is −3.1 points against its expected rate, the Citroen C4 −5.0. A typical repair bill is similar: £32–£92 for the Citroen C4 and £29–£84 for the Peugeot 308; at their pass rates that is roughly £808–£2,338 versus £678–£1,926 per 100 tests.
- First-time pass: 67.2% vs 71.1%.
- All MOTs: 74.7% vs 77.0%.
- Like-for-like: −5.0 vs −3.1 points.
- Typical repair bill: £32–£92 vs £29–£84.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 70.8% vs 72.6%.
| Measure | C4 | 308 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 504,935 | 499,113 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 74.7% | 77.0% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 67.2% | 71.1% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | −6.3 pts | −4.0 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −5.0 pts | −3.1 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 75,376 mi | 72,779 mi |
| Model years on record | 2004–2023 (20) | 2007–2023 (17) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 92.8% | 2023 · 93.6% |
| Worst model year | 2004 · 64.4% | 2007 · 66.7% |
| Typical repair bill | £32–£92 | £29–£84 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £808–£2,338 | £678–£1,926 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Diesel 79% | Diesel 68% |
| Variants recorded | 3 | 11 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
C4
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) 8.6% £5–£20
- CV boot split or insecure 5.1% £80–£250
- Child seat fitted, preventing full inspection 4.1% £20–£80
- Track rod end excessive play 4.1% £18–£45
308
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) 7.1% £5–£20
- Linkage ball joint excessively worn 3.7% £18–£45
- CV boot split or insecure 3.6% £80–£250
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (single lamp) 1.9% £5–£20
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | C4 | 308 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 78.6% · 64,590 tests | 80.3% · 52,905 tests |
| 2017 | 82.9% · 3,409 tests | 82.8% · 32,053 tests |
| 2018 | 84.6% · 9,461 tests | 84.9% · 28,773 tests |
| 2019 | 86.0% · 16,120 tests | 88.7% · 23,188 tests |
| 2020 | 89.7% · 445 tests | 90.9% · 11,889 tests |
| 2021 | 86.9% · 5,840 tests | 91.4% · 3,307 tests |
| 2022 | 89.4% · 1,935 tests | 92.1% · 3,847 tests |
| 2023 | 92.8% · 69 tests | 93.6% · 188 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | C4 | 308 |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 89.1% · 21,765 tests | 91.6% · 31,907 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 80.6% · 105,172 tests | 83.4% · 114,593 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 74.4% · 174,998 tests | 76.2% · 155,360 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 70.8% · 129,245 tests | 72.6% · 114,833 tests |
| 120k+ | 69.9% · 73,024 tests | 70.4% · 81,847 tests |
What to check before you buy
Citroen C4
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) — 8.6% of tests, £5–£20 to put right.
- CV boot split or insecure — 5.1% of tests, £80–£250 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2004 at 64.4%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Peugeot 308
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) — 7.1% of tests, £5–£20 to put right.
- Linkage ball joint excessively worn — 3.7% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2007 at 66.7%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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