The French Car Critical List 2020: Citroën
What’s the rarest Citroën in Britain? Here, PetrolBlog attempts to answer that question using DVLA registration data correct at the end of 2019.
It’s six years since PetrolBlog looked at the French Car Critical List, so an update is long overdue. Like before, the focus is on cars from the PetrolBlog era, so that means Citroëns of the 70s, 80s and 90s. There are one or two others, which you’ll discover in a moment.
The usual caveats apply. The information is only as good as the DVLA data, so the figures should be used as a guide. Also, the cars are ranked in terms of cars registered at the end of December 2019. It’s worth noting the number of Citroëns listed as SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), as this provides a true indication of the cars left in the UK.
For some context, here are the figures from the Citroën French Car Critical List in 2014.
15. Citroën Xantia
On the road: 944
SORN: 2,432
The Citroën Xantia might be the first car on the list, but the figures make for grim reading. In 2014, PetrolBlog commented on the fact that the survival rate had plummeted from 100,000 to 8,000 in just ten years. Today, there are 944 on the road and a further 2,432 listed as SORN. Ouch.
14. Citroën ZX
On the road: 842
SORN: 2,046
The Citroën ZX is facing a similar fight for survival. In 2014, there were 7,100 left in the UK. Today, there are fewer than 3,000. It’s quite telling that’s it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a Citroën ZX for sale on Auto Trader or eBay.
13. Citroën DS/ID
On the road: 586
SORN: 254
As one of the greatest cars of the 20th century, the Citroën DS is in no danger of extinction. How long before the ZX and Xantia are rarer than the ‘goddess’?
12. Citroën AX
On the road: 555
SORN: 1,957
Things could have been worse for the Citroën AX. From 4,100 in 2014, to 2,500 in 2020, the rate of decline appears to have slowed a little.
11. Citroën C6
On the road: 487
SORN: 164
Citroën C6 prices appear to have bottomed out around the £5,000 mark, although some examples sell for less. The good news is that the survival rate is roughly the same as it was in 2014.
10. Citroën BX
On the road: 268
SORN: 1,113
From 688 on the road in 2014, to 268 in 2020, the Citroën BX appears to be an endangered species. More positive is the fact that there around 1,100 listed as SORN.
9. Citroën Dyane
On the road: 245
SORN: 366
The Citroën Dyane is the PetrolBlog version of the Citroën 2CV. Speaking of the ‘Tin Snail’, there are 2,627 examples enjoying active service in the UK, which is why it doesn’t make the French Car Critical List.
8. Citroën XM
On the road: 184
SORN: 639
At its peak, there were 18,000 Citroën XMs on the road, but that number has plummeted to 184. One day we’ll look back with wonder on the days when you could buy an XM for less than £1,000. Buy one while they’re still affordable.
7. Citroën C15
On the road: 161
SORN: 1,861
A new addition for 2020, the Citroën C15 is a vehicle that’s in danger of spiralling into the abyss. By its very nature, the C15 is a vehicle that’s bought to be used and abused, so finding a good one will be tricky. You have to wonder why there are 1,861 listed as SORN. Citroën C15 deli van, anyone?
6. Citroën CX
On the road: 129
SORN: 413
Some say the CX was the last true Citroën, but that would be unfair to the XM and SM. Around a million were built, of which 129 are enjoying active service in the UK.
5. Citroën Ami
On the road: 118
SORN: 58
There were 75 examples on the road in 2014, so the Citroën Ami is doing rather well. Around 1.8 million were built, with the Ami proving to be particularly successful in its domestic market.
4. Citroën GS/GSA
On the road: 98
SORN: 123
The Citroën GS is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2020, so values might start to increase as a result of the publicity. The survival rate is criminally low for such a pioneering family car.
3. Citroën SM
On the road: 89
SORN: 54
The Citroën SM was a victim of circumstances beyond its control, with its demise influenced by the oil crisis and Peugeot’s takeover of the company. Nearly 90 people are enjoying the Maserati V6 engine on a regular basis, with a further 54 enjoying looking at the SM.
2. Citroën Visa
On the road: 16
SORN: 97
From 44 on the road in 2014, to 16 on the road in 2020, the Citroën Visa’s demise is almost complete. We have to hope that the 97 examples list as SORN have the potential to rise again.
1. Citroën LN/LNA
On the road: 3
SORN: 16
The forgotten Citroën was little more than a rebadged Peugeot 104. This might example why there are fewer than 20 left in the UK.
All data sourced from the DVLA. Get in touch if you know of any inaccuracies. Thank you.
