Comparison · small hatchbacks
Ford Fiesta vs Citroen C3: which is more reliable?
The Ford Fiesta does better at the MOT, with a score of 94 against 91 for the Citroen C3, comparing each with cars of the same age. Based on 1,550,895 real MOT tests in 2024.
Ford Fiesta
Citroen C3
By age
MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).
| Age at test | Ford Fiesta | Citroen C3 |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 100About average | 102About average |
| 6–9 years | 94Below average | 94Below average |
| 10–14 years | 93Below average | 87Well below average |
| 15+ years | 94Below average | 89Well below average |
Year by year
Share that passed first time, same registration year.
| Year | Ford Fiesta | Citroen C3 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86.6% | 90.8% |
| 2020 | 86.7% | 89.1% |
| 2019 | 85.8% | 84.7% |
| 2018 | 84.1% | 79.8% |
| 2017 | 76.4% | 75.0% |
| 2016 | 68.7% | 69.4% |
| 2015 | 67.3% | 66.9% |
| 2014 | 64.7% | 63.9% |
| 2013 | 61.9% | 59.2% |
| 2012 | 58.8% | 54.9% |
| 2011 | 58.1% | 52.9% |
| 2010 | 55.4% | 51.5% |
| 2009 | 54.0% | 50.4% |
| 2008 | 53.8% | 51.2% |
| 2007 | 54.2% | 51.4% |
| 2006 | 52.6% | 52.3% |
| 2005 | 52.7% | 49.9% |
| 2004 | 52.9% | 49.7% |
| 2003 | 54.1% | 48.6% |
| 2002 | 55.4% | 50.6% |
Problem areas
Failure items per 100 tests.
| Area | Ford Fiesta | Citroen C3 |
|---|---|---|
| Lights & electrics | 22.1 | 24.9 |
| Suspension | 15.3 | 13.4 |
| Brakes | 7.7 | 8.9 |
| Tyres | 9.0 | 7.4 |
| Body & chassis | 3.9 | 8.6 |
| Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors) | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| Emissions & leaks | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| Steering | 3.9 | 3.4 |
Ford Fiesta: top failures
Citroen C3: top failures
Questions
Which is more reliable, the Ford Fiesta or the Citroen C3?
The Ford Fiesta does better at the MOT, with a score of 94 against 91 for the Citroen C3, comparing each with cars of the same age.
Which years of the Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3 can be compared?
Both were tested for 20 registration years (2002–2021). The Ford Fiesta had the higher pass rate in 17 of them and the Citroen C3 in 3.
What fails most on each?
Ford Fiesta: stop lamp: not working; suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn. Citroen C3: stop lamp: not working; joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt.