In 2025, 68,173 Citroën DS3 cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 52% passed first time, compared with 66% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the DS3 worse than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 217 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 9 years old, 63% of DS3s passed first time (all cars that age: 75%). By 15 years, that figure is 51% (all cars: 59%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 10 years (16 points behind).
Citroën DS3 All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | DS3 passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 years | 225 | 63% | 75% | 62,026 |
| 10 years | 8,273 | 56% | 72% | 70,393 |
| 11 years | 17,321 | 53% | 69% | 77,638 |
| 12 years | 17,029 | 52% | 66% | 83,746 |
| 13 years | 13,455 | 49% | 63% | 90,540 |
| 14 years | 8,361 | 50% | 61% | 96,186 |
| 15 years | 3,382 | 51% | 59% | 100,495 |
What fails most on a Citroën DS3
The area that lets the DS3 down most, relative to other cars, is body and structure: 17.9% of tests failed on it, 4.3 times the rate for the average car.
Share of DS3 tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 13.0% |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Body and structure | 11.6% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 7.9% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 7.5% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 7.0% |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | Steering | 6.5% |
What to check when buying a used DS3
Based on where the DS3 fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- Lights and electrics: Walk round with the lights on: headlights (dipped and main), indicators, brake lights, number-plate and fog lights. Bulbs are cheap, but a seller who hasn’t noticed one out may have missed more. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific DS3
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a DS3Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Citroën DS3?
In 2025, 52% of Citroën DS3 cars passed their MOT first time, across 68,173 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 66%.
What do Citroën DS3 cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened (13.0% of tests); a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (11.6% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (7.9% of tests).
Other Citroën models
Citroën C3 (63%), Citroën Berlingo (58%), Citroën C1 (68%), Citroën C4 (58%), Citroën Dispatch (57%), Citroën C3 Aircross (82%). All Citroën models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.