Founded in 1919, Citroën is a brand rooted in the history of French automotive. In over 100 years of existence , the chevrons have continually marked their era. Initially with its sedans, such as the Traction Avant, DS, and C6, which transported French presidents from Charles de Gaulle to Jacques Chirac. Citroën is also known for popular models, like the famous 2CV and the Méhari, which remains a favorite among vacationers today.
Known for its comfort, design, and innovative technologies, it has long been a reference point against the competition. Its merger with Peugeot in 1976 and then with Stellantis in 2021 marked major turning points in its history. However, in recent years, Citroën has faced difficulties: massive recalls, unclear positioning, scandals related to the reliability of its engines, and defective Takata airbags. In the face of this crisis, how do the chevrons plan to recover ?
Declining quality and a struggling network
Since its creation in January 2021, Stellantis has been seeking to reduce its production costs by all means. The ‘Dare Forward 2030’ plan, presented by Carlos Tavares, aimed to achieve 7 billion euros in savings in just two years. The consequence of this strategy? Significant pressure on suppliers and massive subcontracting. Production delays and a notable decline in quality have also been quickly observed. As a result, Citroën is currently sadly infamous for its design defects, ranking among the least reliable brands in the market in 2024.
Dealers and agents, for their part, are on the front line facing customer dissatisfaction. The distribution network has denounced the brand’s lack of listening and the sales targets deemed unrealistic. For the year 2025, Citroën and Stellantis face a major challenge: to succeed in regaining the trust of customers, as well as that of their points of sale.
Recalls and scandals: a shaken trust for Citroën
Citroën recently launched a new recall campaign called ‘Stop Drive.’ The Takata airbags, equipped in about 260,000 vehicles (produced between 2008 and 2017), present a potential risk of deployment, which could cause serious or even fatal injuries. Affected owners have received a letter stating that they should not use their vehicle until the defect is corrected at the workshop. However, organizing such a large recall is not that simple. As a result, customers often find themselves with an immobilized and unusable vehicle, without an immediate solution for repair.
Additionally, the reliability of the 1.2 PureTech engines in both turbo and atmospheric versions continues to be a topic of discussion. Despite being named Engine of the Year from 2015 to 2018, the repeated failures of the timing belt, linked to premature wear, have caused numerous breakdowns, and in some cases, even engine replacements.
To address this situation, recall campaigns have been organized, including the implementation of a new, more durable timing belt to prevent the risk of degradation. However, these recalls seem to come too late, as many owners have experienced breakdowns long before. The lack of transparency and refusals to cover repairs have only worsened the situation. These scandals related to vehicle reliability have highlighted the brand’s quality control measures and, above all, the limitations of a cost-cutting policy.
Transparency and new guarantees to regain market share.
For 2025, Citroën has implemented concrete solutions to reassure its customers. The brand has deployed a strategy focused on transparency, rigorous vehicle monitoring, and improved after-sales service. Among the significant announcements, the ‘Citroën We Care‘ warranty, launched in January 2025, offers 8 years or 160,000 km of coverage on thermal, hybrid, and electric engines (excluding the Ami). This warranty covers mechanical components such as the engine, transmission, and timing belt. Additionally, it can be transferred in the event of a change of ownership, providing an extra advantage in case of resale.
At the same time, Citroën is investing in electrification with affordable models, such as the ë-C3. The city car is expected to soon benefit from cobalt-free LFP batteries supplied by BYD. This strategy aims to offer electric vehicles priced below €25,000 to meet the expectations of the European automotive market. Finally, the renewal of the lineup with a new stylistic identity and an innovative logo marks a clear intention to move forward.
Hardly launched, the new C3 and C3 Aircross have already recorded very good sales figures, and the imminent arrival of the new C5 Aircross should confirm this commercial momentum. Citroën seems to have all the cards in hand to restore confidence in its customers. The brand is determined to reclaim its position as number 3 in the French market, currently held by Dacia. See you at the end of 2025 for a new assessment!
