Used car guide

2014 Citroen C1: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2014 Citroen C1s, from 13,482 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

13,482MOT tests in 2025
73%pass first time (all 2014 cars: 69%)
5,300typical miles a year
24×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link bushes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2014 Citroen C1s than on all cars registered in 2014.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes24× usual
    Citroen C1
    12% All 2014 cars
    0.5%
    Rough price £50–£150

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Rigid brake pipes3.1× usual
    Citroen C1
    11.1% All 2014 cars
    3.6%
    Rough price £100–£400

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Braking performance2× usual
    Citroen C1
    8% All 2014 cars
    4%
    Rough price £100–£350

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

  • Sub-frame2.5× usual
    Citroen C1
    6.2% All 2014 cars
    2.5%
    Rough price £300–£1,000

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints7.7× usual
    Citroen C1
    2.3% All 2014 cars
    0.3%
    Rough price £50–£150

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

Better than most

Track rod end: 0.3% here, against 4.5% of all 2014 cars. Shock absorbers: 1.8% here, against 5.7% of all 2014 cars.

By area

The share of 2014 Citroen C1 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    32% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    32% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    27% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    20% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    6% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20195,105Tyres 31%
20187,178Tyres 33%
20179,095Tyres 33%
201618,199Tyres 32%
201517,832Tyres 33%
201313,730Brakes 36%
201213,479Brakes 42%
201113,226Brakes 43%
201012,400Brakes 46%
200911,014Brakes 48%
20088,934Brakes 50%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2014 Citroen C1s registered in 2014. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score