Used Skoda Citigo 2012-2020 reliability review

The Skoda Citigo is extremely capable and cheap to run, and makes excellent sense as a used purchase.

What should I look for in a used Skoda Citigo?

First and foremost, check the portable sat-nav unit is there if it should be. Being removable, it’s one of those items that might well have been misplaced.

You’ll also need to look for the kind of dents and scratches that are often inflicted on cars that spend their time in mainly urban environments. Also, ensure the clutch hasn’t suffered from too much stop-and-start driving. Feel for a clear bite point and try accelerating from a low speed in a high gear to make sure it doesn’t slip.

The Skoda Citigo has been recalled five times, but only for cars built within very small timeframes. Check with your local dealer that all the remedial work has been carried out.

Models produced between January and March 2013 were recalled to address a possible fault with the airbag warning sensor. Cars built in March 2016 and fitted with a panoramic sunroof were checked for poor bonding of a panel that can result in rattling. Five-door Citigos built from November 2015 to April 2016 were requested back into Skoda dealers to stop a fault that could cause the rear child locks from disengaging without warning.

advertisment

On cars from 2017, the welding of the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit may not be to specification. As a result the weld on the eye may fail during use causing loss of propulsion and the towrope with the attached eye can potentially cause property damage and personal injury.

Is a used Skoda Citigo reliable?

According to the last What Car? reliability survey, the Citigo is a pretty safe bet. The last survey it appeared in saw it finish in 10th place out of 28 cars in the small and city car class.

In our latest survey, the Citigo didn't feature, but Skoda as a brand came in 15th place out of 30 manufacturers with a good overall score of 91.8%.

Check out the full list of brands here.

Used Skoda Citigo reliability: the owners' view

As part of our 2024 Reliability Survey, What Car? readers expressed generally positive opinions about the reliability and dealer service of the Skoda Citigo.

Owners liked the Citigo for its all-round performance, with only minor electronic malfunctions being reported. These issues, while infrequent, typically involved the car's infotainment system and were quickly rectified by dealers.

advertisment

Dealer service for the Skoda Citigo has been praised for its efficiency and professionalism. Many owners reported satisfaction with the responsiveness and expertise of the dealership staff. However, there were a few instances where customers felt repairs took longer than expected.

Overall, the Citigo is viewed as a reliable vehicle backed up by a strong service network, and this contributed to a largely positive ownership experience.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Used Car Reliability Survey pages for more information.

Page 3 of 5

Used Skoda Citigo 12-20 boot

Used cars available now

In partnership with
AutoTrader logo
Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 3dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 3dr

£1,495

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 5dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 5dr

£1,599

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI GreenTech SE Euro 5 (s/s) 3dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI GreenTech SE Euro 5 (s/s) 3dr

£1,750

Skoda CITIGO 1.0 MPI Sport Euro 5 3dr

Skoda CITIGO

1.0 MPI Sport Euro 5 3dr

£1,750

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 3dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 3dr

£1,895

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI GreenTech Elegance Euro 5 (s/s) 3dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI GreenTech Elegance Euro 5 (s/s) 3dr

£1,995

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI GreenTech SE Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI GreenTech SE Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£1,995

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 3dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 3dr

£1,995

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 5dr

Skoda Citigo

1.0 MPI SE Euro 5 5dr

£2,100

About the writer

Mark Pearson

Name: Mark Pearson

Title: Used cars editor

Follow Mark Pearson on

Mark Pearson has been a motoring journalist for more than 15 years and is currently the used cars editor for What Car?.

Mark spent his formative years at the BBC, where, at various times, he scheduled, broadcast and archived television and radio programmes and researched, wrote and produced promotional material.

News & Advice

Best of

Best used city cars for less than £5000

City cars are small, agile and cheerful and – bought used – tremendously good value. Here we name our top 10 favourites for less than £5000

Best of

Best used city cars

City cars are small, agile, cheerful and – if you buy one used – tremendously good value. Here we name our top 10 favourites

Best of

Real MPG: most economical petrol cars

Our Real MPG tests show what fuel economy you can really expect from a car. Here, we reveal the best and worst performing petrol-powered models we've ever tested

Best of

Real MPG: most economical cars with 1.0-litre engines

What Car?'s Real MPG tests show what you can really expect from a car – here we reveal the 10 most frugal cars with 1.0-litre petrol engines, plus those which will cost you most at the pumps

See all latest advice