Citroen DS3 MOT pass rate: 60.5% (68,014 tests, 2025)

The Citroen DS3 passed 60.5% of its 68,014 MOT tests in 2025 — 17.0 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 12 years old with 81,582 miles on the clock.

60.5%Pass rate (2025)

68,014MOT tests analysed

81,582 miMedian mileage at test

12 yrsMedian age at test

How the DS3 compares

Citroen DS3

60.5%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Citroen average (all models)

71.1%

What fails most on the Citroen DS3

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the DS3:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	17,200	22.6%
2	Suspension	16,685	21.9%
3	Body, chassis, structure	11,560	15.2%
4	Brakes	8,985	11.8%
5	Tyres	7,773	10.2%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	5,175	6.8%

Pre-MOT checklist for DS3 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

DS3 pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2015. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2010, 2011. Full ranking and method: Citroen DS3 years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2010	11,411	58.3%	-9.0 pts	95,077
2011	26,897	59.8%	-9.4 pts	89,682
2012	42,422	59.2%	-12.0 pts	83,448
2013	52,836	60.9%	-12.5 pts	76,020
2014	52,951	62.1%	-13.7 pts	69,537
2015	25,058	64.4%	-14.4 pts	61,863

Check a specific DS3 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Citroen models

C370.4% pass rate · 171,361 tests Berlingo68.1% pass rate · 163,538 tests C174.9% pass rate · 157,477 tests C465.6% pass rate · 116,599 tests Dispatch66.9% pass rate · 37,135 tests C3 Aircross84.8% pass rate · 24,562 tests C4 Cactus77.1% pass rate · 21,042 tests Xsara59.3% pass rate · 19,372 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Citroen DS3?

In 2025, 60.5% of 68,014 first MOT tests on the Citroen DS3 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the DS3 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (22.6% of its recorded defects), followed by suspension.

Is the Citroen DS3 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 60.5% it performs below the national average at a median age of 12 years and 81,582 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.