Commercial and home-made Ce-Zr catalysts prepared by co-precipitation were characterised by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, N-2 adsorption at -196 degrees C and XPS, and were tested for NO oxidation to NO2. Among the different physico-chemical properties characterised, the surface composition seems to be the most relevant one in order to explain the NO oxidation capacity of these Ce-Zr catalysts. As a general trend, Ce-Zr catalysts with a cerium-rich surface, that is, high XPS-measured Ce/Zr atomic surface ratios, are more active than those with a Zr-enriched surface. The decrease in catalytic activity of the Ce-Zr mixed oxided upon calcinations at 800 degrees C with regard to 500 degrees C is mainly attributed to the decrease in Ce/Zr surface ratio, that is, to the surface segregation of Zr. The phase composition (cubic or t '' for Ce-rich compositions) seems not to be a direct effect on the catalytic activity for NO oxidation in the range of compositions tested. However, the formation of a proper solid solution prevents important surface segregation of Zr upon calcinations at high temperature. The effect of the BET surface area in the catalytic activity for NO oxidation of Ce-Zr mixed oxides is minor in comparison with the effect of the Ce/Zr surface ratio. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.