2018 Citroen C3 1.2L Petrol · KR68 VFS

The 2018 Citroen C3 presents a stable and improving maintenance trend at its most recent test. The September 2025 pass at 48,753 miles recorded zero defects, a clean result that contrasts with the earlier 2025 test cycle. In April 2025, the vehicle failed on a blown offside dipped beam headlamp and worn rear tyres, but the subsequent retest on the same day at 48,733 miles passed after the lamp was rectified and the tyres addressed. The gap between the failure and the pass is tight, suggesting prompt remedial work rather than prolonged neglect. The current certificate is valid until September 2026, meaning the most recent test is nine months old as of June 2026. That is recent enough to carry confidence, but a buyer should still verify the headlamp aim and tyre condition have not deteriorated since. The mileage accumulation tells a story of very light recent use. Between the December 2023 test at 41,186 miles and the April 2025 test at 48,733 miles, the car covered 7,547 miles in roughly sixteen months. Yet the September 2025 test shows 48,753 miles, meaning only twenty miles were added in the five months before that pass. The annualised average of around 6,094 miles is typical for an eight-year-old car, but the sharp drop-off in late 2025 suggests the vehicle may have stood for extended periods. Prolonged sitting can cause tyre flat-spotting, brake surface corrosion, and dried-out rubber bushes, so a buyer should not assume low recent mileage automatically equals low wear. The recurring theme across the record is rear tyre degradation. Both rear tyres were flagged as worn close to the legal limit in December 2023 and again in April 2025, with the 2023 advisory noting perishing and out-of-shape deformation at 3mm tread. This pattern points to possible alignment issues, under-inflation, or simply a car that sits with weight on the same contact patches. A buyer should inspect the rear tyres for uneven wear, sidewall cracking, and correct pressures, and consider a four-wheel alignment check. The December 2023 test also flagged front brake discs as worn and pads as wearing thin, along with a defective central exhaust mounting. These items were not flagged again in 2025, implying they were replaced or repaired, but a buyer should confirm the condition of the front brake components and listen for exhaust rattling or gas leaks at the mounting point. Structural corrosion has not appeared as a formal defect, yet the central exhaust mounting failure in 2023 warrants attention. Exhaust mountings often fail due to age-related rubber deterioration rather than impact, but it is worth inspecting the underbody for corrosion around mounting points, subframe mounts, and suspension bushes. The December 2023 test at 41,186 miles was the last to flag multiple advisories, and the clean September 2025 result suggests the car has been in responsible hands recently. A buyer should still conduct a thorough underbody inspection, test all lights, and verify the brake pedal feel and handbrake function before committing.