4,947 tests in 2025
DS Ds4 reliability and MOT pass rate
74.1% passed first time. The 25.9% fail rate is 3.3 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 9 years old with 59,097 miles.
Pass rate
74.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 25.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
59,097 mi
9 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 879 | 8% |
| 6-9 years | 3,290 | 29.5% |
| 10-13 years | 734 | 32.7% |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the Ds4 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.
- Suspension12 dangerous36.1%
- Body, chassis, structure4 dangerous32.8%
- Tyres386 dangerous25.9%
- Brakes152 dangerous22.2%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous22%
- Noise, emissions and leaks10.8%
- Visibility9.9%
- Steering2 dangerous4.2%
Is the Ds4 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 9.7 points to 30% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.5 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,574 | 6 | 20.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,544 | 7 | 25% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,819 | 8 | 27.2% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 4,024 | 9 | 30% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Ds4 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 Ds4 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt359 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken297 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm180 tests
- 4Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps96 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick91 tests
- 6Condition: has ply or cords exposed80 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn78 tests
- 8Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction73 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Ds4 collects 2.27 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 1.6mm953 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened700 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick394 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure232 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine206 tests
- 6Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn149 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm138 tests
- 8Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn123 tests
Questions
What is the DS Ds4 MOT pass rate?
74.1% of the 4,947 DS Ds4 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 25.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a DS Ds4 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", recorded on 359 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, suspension appears in 36.1% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 32.8% of failures, tyres appears in 25.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8%; at 10-13 years it was 32.7%. The median DS Ds4 tested in 2025 was 9 years old with 59,097 miles.
Is the DS Ds4 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 9.7 points to 30% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.5 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
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 Ds4 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 5 safety recalls naming the DS Ds4: DS Ds4 recalls.
Other DS models
Checking a particular Ds4?
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.