Used Citroën C2 2003 - 2009 reliability review

It's nippy and good fun, but the C2's real appeal is its low price and running costs

What should I look for in a used Citroen C2?

Citroen doesn't have a sparkling record when it comes to reliability. The French manufacturer always finishes near the bottom of the table in our Reliability Surveys, and our most recent study was no exception.

Similarly, Citroen's performance in the JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey is never any more impressive, and mechanical reliability is one of the C2's biggest sources of complaint.

Parts are usually quite cheap, though, and Citroen dealers charge very reasonable hourly labour rates - so when your car goes wrong, it's usually quite cheap to fix.

The Sensodrive semi-automatic gearbox isn't great to use, and there have been some reports of problems with that cause a hesitation between gears and a thud when switching ratios. That's another good reason to leave it alone.

The rear brakes can be another source of problems. It has been known for them to bind on, which is a real pain.

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Citroen C2 1.1i Design 3dr

Citroen C2

1.1i Design 3dr

£495

Citroen C2 1.4i Design 3dr

Citroen C2

1.4i Design 3dr

£690

Citroen C2 1.1i SX 3dr

Citroen C2

1.1i SX 3dr

£1,178

Citroen C2 1.1i Design 3dr

Citroen C2

1.1i Design 3dr

£1,600

Citroen C2 1.4 HDi VTR Euro 4 3dr

Citroen C2

1.4 HDi VTR Euro 4 3dr

£1,995

Citroen C2 1.4i VTS Euro 4 3dr

Citroen C2

1.4i VTS Euro 4 3dr

£2,495

Citroen C2 1.4i VTR Euro 4 3dr

Citroen C2

1.4i VTR Euro 4 3dr

£3,495

Citroen C2 1.4i 16V SensoDrive (s/s) 3dr

Citroen C2

1.4i 16V SensoDrive (s/s) 3dr

£3,495

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