3,666 tests in 2025
Citroen Ds5 reliability and MOT pass rate
65.9% passed first time. The 34.1% fail rate is 11.5 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 101,400 miles.
Pass rate
65.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 34.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.6%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
101,400 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 11 | — |
| 10-13 years | 3,652 | 34.1% |
| 14+ years | 3 | — |
What the Ds5 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.
- Suspension25 dangerous52.8%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment7 dangerous31.5%
- Body, chassis, structure7 dangerous25.9%
- Brakes163 dangerous24.8%
- Tyres341 dangerous23.3%
- Steering10 dangerous12.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks8.1%
- Visibility7.9%
Is the Ds5 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 4 points to 34.1% 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 | 4,478 | 9 | 30.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,409 | 10 | 32.5% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,817 | 11 | 34% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 3,665 | 12 | 34.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Ds5 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 Ds5 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken279 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt278 tests
- 3Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn180 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm143 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn136 tests
- 6Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play129 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick110 tests
- 8Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect103 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Ds5 collects 2.54 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.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm866 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened465 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn438 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick329 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine325 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn188 tests
- 7Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn151 tests
- 8Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure142 tests
Questions
What is the Citroen Ds5 MOT pass rate?
65.9% of the 3,666 Citroen Ds5 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 34.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.6% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Citroen Ds5 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 279 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn". By section, suspension appears in 52.8% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 31.5% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 25.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 10-13 years it was 34.1%. The median Citroen Ds5 tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 101,400 miles.
Is the Citroen Ds5 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 4 points to 34.1% 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 Ds5 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 11 safety recalls naming the Citroen Ds5: Citroen Ds5 recalls.
Other Citroen models
Checking a particular Ds5?
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.