Citroen Ds3
From 140,876 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Ds3s fare better: 2017 models pass at 76.5% vs 64.5% for 2010.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened and a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play. The top issue, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, caused 8,905 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 8,905 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 8,387 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 5,558 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 5,365 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 4,133 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 4,033 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 4,013 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 3,780 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 3,285 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 2,985 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 41.8% of Ds3 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 27.6% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £144.
Citroen Ds3 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 3,311 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 1 newly registered, a net loss of 3,310. At this rate, roughly 20 years until none remain. Now at 85.7% of its peak (77,275 in 2015 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 62,569 | 3,638 | +1 | -1,095 | -1,094 |
| 2025 Q2 | 64,214 | 3,087 | +0 | -1,086 | -1,086 |
| 2025 Q1 | 65,460 | 2,927 | +0 | -565 | -565 |
| 2024 Q4 | 66,334 | 2,618 | +0 | -565 | -565 |
| 2024 Q3 | 67,183 | 2,334 | +0 | -397 | -397 |
| 2024 Q2 | 67,792 | 2,122 | +1 | -667 | -666 |
| 2024 Q1 | 68,499 | 2,081 | +9 | -734 | -725 |
| 2023 Q4 | 69,418 | 1,887 | +0 | -255 | -255 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ds3 Dstyle + E-Hdi | Diesel | 14,611 | 26% |
| Ds3 Dstyle + | Petrol | 14,584 | 26% |
| Ds3 Dstyle E-Hdi | Diesel | 4,495 | 8% |
| Ds3 Airdream Dsport Plus E-Hdi | Diesel | 3,677 | 7% |
| Ds3 Dstyle | Petrol | 2,391 | 4% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Auto | Petrol | 2,248 | 4% |
| Ds3 Dstyle + Puretech S/S | Petrol | 1,975 | 4% |
| Ds3 Airdream Dsport E-Hdi | Diesel | 1,832 | 3% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Hdi 90 | Diesel | 1,442 | 3% |
| Ds3 Dsign | Petrol | 1,279 | 2% |
| Ds3 Black & White Hdi 90 | Diesel | 1,173 | 2% |
| Ds3 Dsport Hdi 110 | Diesel | 1,073 | 2% |
| Ds3 Dsport + Thp | Petrol | 991 | 2% |
| Ds3 Dstyle + Auto | Petrol | 923 | 2% |
| Ds3 Dsport | Petrol | 767 | 1% |
| Ds3 Dsport + Bluehdi | Diesel | 728 | 1% |
| Ds3 Dsign + Puretech | Petrol | 518 | <1% |
| Ds3 Dsport Plus Thp | Petrol | 492 | <1% |
| Ds3 Dsign + | Petrol | 481 | <1% |
| Ds3 Dsport + | Petrol | 479 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 76.5% | a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn |
| 2016 | 72.5% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2015 | 69.3% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2014 | 67.6% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
4 earlier years
| 2013 | 66.6% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 64.6% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2011 | 65.5% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 64.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all Ds3s tested had between 57,246 and 96,730 miles on the clock.
At 72,738 median miles, the Ds3 has 0.046 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Citroen models
| Citroen C3 | 71.4% |
| Citroen Berlingo | 67.9% |
| Citroen C4 | 68.9% |
| Citroen C1 | 74.9% |
| Citroen Relay | 70.2% |
Common questions
What is the Citroen Ds3 MOT pass rate?
The Citroen Ds3 has a 66.5% MOT pass rate based on 140,876 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Citroen Ds3?
The most common MOT failure on the Citroen Ds3 is a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which caused 8,905 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Citroen Ds3s are on UK roads?
There are 62,569 Citroen Ds3s currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,638 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Citroen Ds3 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Citroen Ds3 is 72,738 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 57,246 and 96,730 miles.
Buying a used Ds3?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 66.5% pass rate and an average repair bill of £144 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 41.8% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.