63,383 tests in 2025
Citroen Ds3 reliability and MOT pass rate
60.5% passed first time. The 39.5% fail rate is 16.9 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 81,831 miles.
Pass rate
60.5%
22.6% of all cars failed; 39.5% of these did.
Fixed on the day
8.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
81,831 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 7 | — |
| 6-9 years | 312 | 30.8% |
| 10-13 years | 52,115 | 39.3% |
| 14+ years | 10,948 | 40.8% |
What the Ds3 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension412 dangerous45.9%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment116 dangerous38.3%
- Body, chassis, structure179 dangerous34.5%
- Tyres5,788 dangerous21.4%
- Brakes2,477 dangerous19.9%
- Steering166 dangerous16.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks37 dangerous14.6%
- Visibility8 dangerous12.5%
Is the Ds3 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3.5 points to 39.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.4 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 76,511 | 9 | 36% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 74,763 | 10 | 38.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 63,140 | 11 | 39.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 63,383 | 12 | 39.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Ds3 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Ds3 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken7,057 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt5,951 tests
- 3Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play3,682 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working3,069 tests
- 5Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2,226 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,211 tests
- 7Headlamp: not working on dipped beam1,925 tests
- 8Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1,614 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Ds3 collects 2.99 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened13,618 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm12,406 tests
- 3Exhaust system: system insecure6,623 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6,526 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure6,237 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine5,650 tests
- 7Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened5,395 tests
- 8Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick4,194 tests
Questions
What is the Citroen Ds3 MOT pass rate?
60.5% of the 63,383 Citroen Ds3 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 39.5% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 8.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Citroen Ds3 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 7,057 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play". By section, suspension appears in 45.9% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 38.3% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 34.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 28.6%; at 14+ years it was 40.8%. The median Citroen Ds3 tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 81,831 miles.
Is the Citroen Ds3 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3.5 points to 39.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.4 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Ds3 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 33 safety recalls naming the Citroen Ds3: Citroen Ds3 recalls.
Other Citroen models
Checking a particular Ds3?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.