The Citroën Relay passes its MOT first time on 62.4% of tests, 4.0 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (66.4%). That puts it ahead of 31% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2008 Relay does best (beats 49% of cars) and the 2023 worst (beats 0%).
Better than average on tyres.
Watch these weak spots
Lights & electrics1.4×as often as a typical car
Brakes1.6×as often as a typical car
Handbrake performance3.3×as often as a typical car
Component mounting prescribed areas6.0×as often as a typical car
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Citroën RelayTypical car, same age & mileage
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
Engine
Years
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
2005–2023
53,621
63.1%
Beats 33%
D
2.0 Diesel
2003–2018
18,767
60.4%
Beats 24%
D
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Lights: 20.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 15.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Lights & electrics
20.3% vs 15.0%
Brakes
13.8% vs 8.6%
Suspension
12.3% vs 11.1%
Visibility
8.1% vs 5.6%
Body & structure
6.9% vs 4.1%
Tyres
4.5% vs 7.4%
Emissions & leaks
4.2% vs 3.8%
Seat belts & airbags
2.2% vs 1.4%
Steering
1.9% vs 2.2%
Wheels
0.2% vs 0.5%
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
Handbrake performance3.3× typical Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope.
Headlight aim1.5× typical Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
Number plate lights1.9× typical Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
Headlight bulbs & units1.6× typical Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
Brake performance2.0× typical On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal.
Shock absorbers1.9× typical Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Citroën RelayTypical car
Most common MOT failures
Item
This car
Typical
vs typical
Headlight aim
6.1%
4.0%
1.5×
Handbrake performance
5.8%
1.8%
3.3×
Headlight bulbs & units
4.2%
2.7%
1.6×
Number plate lights
3.9%
2.0%
1.9×
Windscreen wipers
3.6%
2.5%
1.4×
Sidelights
3.4%
3.8%
0.9×
Windscreen washers
3.3%
2.4%
1.4×
Component mounting prescribed areas
3.2%
0.5%
6.0×
Brake lights
2.9%
2.8%
1.0×
Shock absorbers
2.5%
1.3%
1.9×
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
Defect
per 1,000
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
36.2
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
36.1
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
33.5
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
33.3
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
33.0
Check another car
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2023 Citroën Relay1 engine66.8% passE
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
1,134
66.8%
Beats 0%
E
2018 Citroën Relay1 engine79.2% passE
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.0 Diesel
1,771
79.2%
Beats 6%
E
2017 Citroën Relay1 engine73.2% passE
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.0 Diesel
4,764
73.2%
Beats 5%
E
2016 Citroën Relay2 engines74.7% passE
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
4,394
75.0%
Beats 17%
E
2.0 Diesel
1,643
73.7%
Beats 8%
E
2015 Citroën Relay1 engine72.5% passE
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
6,999
72.5%
Beats 17%
E
2014 Citroën Relay1 engine67.4% passE
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
5,338
67.4%
Beats 14%
E
2013 Citroën Relay1 engine67.0% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
4,417
67.0%
Beats 29%
D
2012 Citroën Relay1 engine66.6% passC
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
3,839
66.6%
Beats 44%
C
2011 Citroën Relay1 engine61.3% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
3,900
61.3%
Beats 34%
D
2010 Citroën Relay1 engine60.3% passC
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
4,672
60.3%
Beats 43%
C
2009 Citroën Relay1 engine58.9% passC
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
3,804
58.9%
Beats 48%
C
2008 Citroën Relay1 engine56.9% passC
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
5,511
56.9%
Beats 49%
C
2007 Citroën Relay1 engine51.6% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.2 Diesel
6,475
51.6%
Beats 34%
D
2006 Citroën Relay2 engines51.8% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.0 Diesel
4,062
50.7%
Beats 36%
D
2.2 Diesel
2,118
53.9%
Beats 45%
C
2005 Citroën Relay2 engines49.5% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.0 Diesel
2,986
48.5%
Beats 33%
D
2.2 Diesel
1,020
52.5%
Beats 42%
C
2004 Citroën Relay1 engine48.9% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.0 Diesel
2,022
48.9%
Beats 33%
D
2003 Citroën Relay1 engine48.2% passD
Engine
Tests
Pass rate
Rank
Grade
2.0 Diesel
1,519
48.2%
Beats 34%
D
FAQ
What is the Citroën Relay MOT pass rate?
62.4% of MOT tests on the Citroën Relay were passed first time, based on 72,388 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2003–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 66.4% of the time.
Is the Citroën Relay reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 31% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Citroën Relay year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2008 Relay does best for its age and mileage: it beats 49% of cars on UK roads. The 2023 does worst: it beats 0%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Citroën Relay?
The most common failure items are headlight aim, handbrake performance, headlight bulbs & units. Compared with similar cars, handbrake performance comes up 3.3× as often.
How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.