MOT performance
DS MOT pass rates and common failures
Across 86,532 MOT tests of DS cars in 2023–2024, 70.5% passed first time. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, DSs failed 51% more often than comparable cars.
86,532 MOT tests on 43,792 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 70.5% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 86,532 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.51× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 7.5% | n = 86,532 |
| Average age at test | 6 years | n = 86,532 |
DS models
Every DS model with at least 10,000 tests, most-tested first.
| Model | Tests | First-time pass rate | Failures vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS 3 | 68,070 | 69.4% | 1.56× |
Where DSs fail
| Area | Tests failed on it | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 9.7% | +87% |
| Body, chassis and structure | 7.4% | +547% |
| Tyres | 6.8% | +18% |
| Suspension | 6.2% | +56% |
| Driver's view of the road | 6.1% | +77% |
| Brakes | 4.7% | +24% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.7% | +17% |
| Steering | 1.4% | +80% |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.3% | -25% |
| Road wheels | 0.2% | -3% |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.2% | -14% |
Most common failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Body, chassis and structure | 5.79% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 3.82% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 3.29% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 3.00% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.53% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.46% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 1.95% |
| Washers: not working | Driver's view of the road | 1.62% |
| Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn | Brakes | 1.36% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 1.31% |
Pass rate by age
| Age at test (years) | Tests | First-time pass rate | Failures vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 13,369 | 82.3% | +31% |
| 5-6 | 29,349 | 72.8% | +52% |
| 7-8 | 38,611 | 63.9% | +56% |
| 9-10 | 1,867 | 59.9% | +41% |
MOT failures where DS stands out
Individual failure items that DSs record clearly more or less often than cars of the same age, mileage and fuel. All DS MOT failure patterns.
- Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt · 10.73× comparable cars
- Exhaust system: system insecure · 10.19× comparable cars
- Position lamp: not working · 3.85× comparable cars
- Coil spring: fractured or broken · 2.68× comparable cars
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam · 3.18× comparable cars
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect · 3.46× comparable cars
- Washers: not working · 3.01× comparable cars
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play · 3.40× comparable cars
Check a specific DS
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.