Citroen Xsara
Registered from 1998 to 2010.
About this model
The Citroën Xsara is a compact C-segment family car, produced by the French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën, under their Citroën marque, from 1997 to 2006. The Xsara was a development of the Citroën ZX and Peugeot 306, which shared a platform and running gear.
From the Wikipedia article Citroën Xsara, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2007 1.6 petrol. 1,323 of 4,426 tests failed, 30%.
Better than 23% of 2007 cars. The typical one fails 27%, across 935 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 47% | 622 |
| Lights and electrics | 42% | 553 |
| Body and structure | 34% | 445 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 23% | 299 |
| Brakes | 22% | 294 |
| Steering | 19% | 256 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Where it stands out against its peers
- Seat belts and airbags: failed more often than 98% of 2007 cars — 23% of its 1,323 failed tests, where an ordinary 2007 car has 1%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 47% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Brakes — 22% of its failures
- Steering — 19% of its failures
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
- Lights and electrics — 42% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Body and structure — 34% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
- Seat belts and airbags — 23% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
When it starts failing
At 160–180k miles this one fails 33% of its inspections, against the 30% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–40k miles | 12% | 16% | 76 | |
| 40–60k miles | 22% | 21% | 396 | |
| 60–80k miles | 26% | 24% | 882 | |
| 80–100k miles | 31% | 27% | 1,264 | |
| 100–120k miles | 34% | 29% | 922 | |
| 120–140k miles | 31% | 30% | 478 | |
| 140–160k miles | 36% | 30% | 241 | |
| 160–180k miles | 33% | 30% | 81 |
4,340 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 80k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.