Ds Ds3
From 53,971 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Ds3s fare better: 2021 models pass at 86.4% vs 70.6% for 2015.
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 tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, caused 2,358 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 | 2,358 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 1,624 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,197 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 927 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 920 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 766 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 734 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 699 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 694 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 686 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 37.5% of Ds3 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 28.7% 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 £133.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Ds3 passes its MOT 85.7% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 74.2%, a 11.5 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. With an average repair bill of £133 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Ds3 that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 78% while Diesel versions pass at 72.1%, a 6 percentage point gap.
Ds Ds3 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 861 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 168 newly registered, a net loss of 693. At this rate, roughly 51.3 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 34,755 | 768 | +13 | -369 | -356 |
| 2025 Q2 | 35,265 | 614 | +105 | -95 | +10 |
| 2025 Q1 | 35,304 | 565 | +10 | -284 | -274 |
| 2024 Q4 | 35,645 | 498 | +40 | -113 | -73 |
| 2024 Q3 | 35,801 | 415 | +112 | -97 | +15 |
| 2024 Q2 | 35,829 | 372 | +44 | -0 | +134 |
| 2024 Q1 | 35,708 | 359 | +60 | -113 | -53 |
| 2023 Q4 | 35,774 | 346 | +136 | -137 | -1 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ds3 Chic Puretech | Petrol | 2,915 | 12% |
| Ds3 Elegance Puretech S/S | Petrol | 2,619 | 10% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Nav Puretech S/S | Petrol | 2,441 | 10% |
| Ds3 Connected Chic Puretech | Petrol | 1,985 | 8% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Nav Bluehdi S/S | Diesel | 1,868 | 7% |
| Ds3 Elegance Bluehdi S/S | Diesel | 1,805 | 7% |
| Ds3 Prestige Bluehdi S/S | Diesel | 1,623 | 6% |
| Ds3 Prestige Puretech S/S | Petrol | 1,150 | 5% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Bluehdi S/S | Diesel | 1,048 | 4% |
| Ds3 Crossback Prstge Ptch Ss A | Petrol | 929 | 4% |
| Ds3 C-Back Pfrmnc Ln Ptch Ss A | Petrol | 897 | 4% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Puretech | Petrol | 860 | 3% |
| Ds3 Connected Chic Ptech S/S | Petrol | 808 | 3% |
| Ds3 Puretech Perf Line S/S | Petrol | 808 | 3% |
| Ds3 C-Back Pfrmc Ln Ptch Ss | Petrol | 693 | 3% |
| Ds3 Elegance Puretech S/S Auto | Petrol | 650 | 3% |
| Ds3 Dstyle Puretech S/S | Petrol | 594 | 2% |
| Ds3 Connected Chic Ptech S/S A | Petrol | 579 | 2% |
| Ds3 C-Back Pfrmc Ln+ Ptch Ss A | Petrol | 500 | 2% |
| Ds 3 Crossback Ultra Prstge Ev | Battery Electric | 488 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86.4% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2020 | 85.7% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2019 | 85.8% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 79.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
3 earlier years
| 2017 | 77.5% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 74.2% | 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 |
| 2015 | 70.6% | 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Ds3s tested had between 41,249 and 77,665 miles on the clock.
At 60,956 median miles, the Ds3 has 0.039 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Ds models
Common questions
What is the Ds Ds3 MOT pass rate?
The Ds Ds3 has a 76.1% MOT pass rate based on 53,971 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ds Ds3?
The most common MOT failure on the Ds Ds3 is a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which caused 2,358 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Ds Ds3s are on UK roads?
There are 34,755 Ds Ds3s currently licensed on UK roads, with 768 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ds Ds3 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ds Ds3 is 60,956 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 41,249 and 77,665 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 76.1% pass rate and an average repair bill of £133 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 37.5% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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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.