IsItAGoodCar
Reliability Guide

Common Problems with the
2019 Skoda Citigo

The Citigo-e iV of autumn 2019 was Skoda's first mass-produced electric car: the petrol tank and ASG box made way for a 36.8kWh battery (about 164 miles WLTP) driving the front wheels through a single-speed gearbox. It killed off the combustion Citigo in UK showrooms and sold until 2020, when Skoda withdrew the nameplate ahead of the Scala and electric Octavia plans. Early adopters still find a decent used EV bargain, but 36.8kWh and a modest 40kW DC charge rate pin it to home-charging use.

What changed for 2019

  • •Combustion engine replaced by an electric motor and 36.8kWh lithium-ion battery
  • •Booted the Citigo out of UK new-car showrooms when the name was withdrawn in 2020
  • •First Skoda EV, paving the way for the Enyaq in 2021

Common MOT watch-outs

  • !Battery health certificates missing on ex-lease cars - ask for state-of-health data
  • !Tyre and brake-pipe advisories like any small car of this age
  • !Software/charging-firmware updates not always carried out by dealers
3
Known Issues
1
Serious
2
Moderate
0
Minor

All Known Issues

ASG automated-manual gearbox judder and neutral drops

SeriousGearbox & Transmission

The optional ASG 'Easy' box on the 1.0 MPI is a single-clutch automated manual, not a torque-converter or DSG. Fault File records owners reporting the car hesitating from a stop, clunking into gear or momentarily dropping into neutral by itself, with clutch and actuator replacements running into four figures; specialist remanufacturer ASR Gearbox Repairs lists the same pattern - gear slippage, delayed engagement, premature clutch wear and control-module faults - as the recurring Citigo automatic complaint. Manual cars are unaffected, which is why clean manuals hold their value.

Est. Repair Cost: £1,000–£2,000
Warning Signs:

Hesitation or a clunk when pulling away from a dead stop, Gearbox dropping to neutral mid-manoeuvre as if the clutch opened, Rev flare on a hill start, smell of burning, or flashing gearbox warning light

What to Inspect:
  • From a standstill, pull away gently and let it creep up to a junction; feel for shunting or slipping
  • Do hill starts on the test drive and watch the rev counter for clutch slip
  • Ask for evidence of ASG clutch or actuator work and check the free service/gearbox software history
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Fuel system leaks and filler-cap MOT failures

ModerateFuel System

Citigos fail the MOT fuel test far more often than peers: Fault File's DVSA-derived table shows 'fuel system leaking, or missing or ineffective filler cap' on 1.3 per cent of tests against a class average that rounds to 0.0 per cent, and Get Car Wise measures the same signature at roughly 28 times the national fleet average, tying it to the tank ventilation circuit, carbon canister and caps that no longer seal. A new cap is cheap; a cracked canister or perished vent line is a few hundred pounds and an instant test failure in the meantime. Smell for petrol around the car before you bid.

Est. Repair Cost: £20–£400
Warning Signs:

Petrol smell in the engine bay or under the rear of the car after parking, Fuel warning or engine-management light from an evaporative leak, MOT failure reason citing filler cap or fuel system leakage

What to Inspect:
  • Read the full MOT history for recurring fuel-system advisories, not just the final pass
  • Check the cap seals and that the tether and inner flap are intact
  • Sniff around the fuel tank and filler neck on a warm engine before you accept a car
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Binding brakes and excessive handbrake travel

ModerateBrakes

The small-diameter Citigo brakes corrode rather than wear out. Fault File's MOT table flags 'binding brake' advisories at three times the class average (2.1 per cent against 0.7 per cent) plus corroded brake pipes, and Get Car Wise tracks handbrake adjustment faults at around 9.5 times the fleet average and axle brake imbalance at 5.5 times - typically seized rear shoes, sticking caliper slides or a stretched cable that the rear drum's self-adjuster has failed to wind in. It is cheap to sort if caught early and an MOT fail if ignored.

Est. Repair Cost: £40–£300
Warning Signs:

Handbrake lever travelling to the top of its arc before holding on a slope, One corner running hot after a drive, or the car dragging when it rolls, Pulling to one side under braking with a notchy pedal

What to Inspect:
  • On a safe hill, test the handbrake holds with the lever no more than halfway up its travel
  • After the test drive, compare wheel-hub temperatures through the spokes
  • Check the MOT history for repeat brake advisories and look at pipes along the sills for crust
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Buying Tips for 2019 Skoda Citigo

  • Only buy an iV with evidence the full recall and software campaign history is complete
  • Home charging is essential at this battery size - public rapid charging is slow by modern standards
  • Winter range drops sharply; check the heater has a working cabin pre-conditioner on your test drive