In 2025, 33,263 DS DS3 cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 66% passed first time, compared with 77% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the DS3 worse than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 214 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 3 years old, 87% of DS3s passed first time (all cars that age: 88%). By 10 years, that figure is 57% (all cars: 72%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 10 years (15 points behind).
DS DS3 All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | DS3 passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 456 | 87% | 88% | 25,056 |
| 4 years | 685 | 82% | 87% | 30,655 |
| 5 years | 1,195 | 79% | 86% | 35,854 |
| 6 years | 2,509 | 82% | 84% | 39,790 |
| 7 years | 3,433 | 70% | 81% | 46,322 |
| 8 years | 7,158 | 66% | 78% | 52,394 |
| 9 years | 11,511 | 62% | 75% | 61,308 |
| 10 years | 6,305 | 57% | 72% | 67,706 |
What fails most on a DS DS3
The area that lets the DS3 down most, relative to other cars, is body and structure: 10.8% of tests failed on it, 2.6 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 | 8.4% |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Body and structure | 8.2% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 5.4% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 4.2% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 4.0% |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | Lights and electrics | 3.5% |
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
- Visibility: Check the windscreen for chips in the driver’s view, the wipers for smearing and the washers for working jets. 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 DS DS3?
In 2025, 66% of DS DS3 cars passed their MOT first time, across 33,263 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 77%.
What do DS DS3 cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened (8.4% of tests); a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (8.2% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (5.4% of tests).
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.