2014 Citroen DS3 MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 52.7% of Citroen DS3s first used in 2014 passed their MOT first time, against 68.6% for all cars first used in 2014. Across 53,607 DS3 first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were lamps and electrical equipment, suspension and body, chassis and structure.

This page analyses first MOT tests for Citroen DS3s first used in 2014 (all trims grouped): 2021 to 2025 for the pass-rate trend, and 2023 to 2025 for the failure and advisory analysis — plus what is worth checking before you buy one.

Data: DVSA anonymised MOT tests to December 2025 · Calculated by SortedCars · Updated October 2026

Passed first time, 2025
52.7%
of 17,321 first tests; all cars first used in 2014: 68.6%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
53,607
first tests, 2023–2025; 17,321 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
20.8%
of 17,321 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
75,000
middle half: 58,000–94,500 miles; all cars first used in 2014: 80,500

How the 2014 Citroen DS3 MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, DS3s first used in 2014 against all cars first used in 2014 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the DS3 figure was 15.9 points lower.

2014 DS3All cars first used in 2014
50%60%70%80%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2014, test year 2021: 76.3%All cars first used in 2014, test year 2022: 74.1%All cars first used in 2014, test year 2023: 71.7%All cars first used in 2014, test year 2024: 69.9%All cars first used in 2014, test year 2025: 68.6%2014 DS3, test year 2021: 61.2%2014 DS3, test year 2022: 57.8%2014 DS3, test year 2023: 55.1%2014 DS3, test year 2024: 53.7%2014 DS3, test year 2025: 52.7%68.6%52.7%
View this chart as a table
Test year2014 DS3All cars first used 2014DS3 first tests
202161.2%76.3%18,782
202257.8%74.1%18,555
202355.1%71.7%18,282
202453.7%69.9%18,004
202552.7%68.6%17,321

Common 2014 Citroen DS3 MOT failures

Share of the 24,744 failed first tests (2023–2025) with at least one failure in each area. A test can fail in more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment39.8%
Suspension35.8%
Body, chassis, structure34.5%
Tyres19.2%
Brakes15.4%
Visibility13.8%
Steering13.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks10.5%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt25.4%6,297
Coil spring: fractured or broken25.4%6,274
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play12.4%3,058
Position lamp: not working12.1%2,988
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam10.0%2,478

Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.

Typical repair costs for common MOT failures

Typical UK garage prices for the job, not for a DS3 in particular, and not a quote.

Failure itemTypical jobTypical UK priceUsual range
Coil spring: fractured or brokenCoil spring replacement£248£175–£400

From published UK repair-cost guides, checked September 2026. Only jobs with a published typical price are shown.

What to check on a 2014 Citroen DS3 before buying

The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.

  1. Lamps and electrics. Ask someone to watch while you work the brake lights, indicators, sidelights, dipped and main beam, and the number-plate lamps.
  2. Suspension. Worth looking behind the front wheels with a torch at the coil springs, and listening for knocks over bumps on the test drive.
  3. Body and underside. Worth looking underneath with a torch at the sills, floor and mountings for corrosion, and at the rubber boots on the drive shafts for splits.

Common 2014 Citroen DS3 MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2014 DS3s, as a share of all 53,607 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened20.3%10,870
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge19.0%10,187
Exhaust system: mounting defective11.0%5,918
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing9.4%5,047
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement7.3%3,914

Questions about the 2014 Citroen DS3 MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2014 Citroen DS3?

In 2025, 52.7% of DS3s first used in 2014 passed their MOT first time, against 68.6% for all cars first used in 2014. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2014 DS3 most often fail its MOT on?

Lamps and electrical equipment (in 39.8% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), suspension (35.8%) and body, chassis and structure (34.5%). The single most common item was “Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” (25.4%).

How often does a 2014 Citroen DS3 fail its MOT?

In 2025, 47.3% of first tests on DS3s first used in 2014 did not pass first time: 39.1% failed, and a further 8.2% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 24,744 of 53,607 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2014 Citroen DS3 MOT advisories?

“Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened” (on 20.3% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (19.0%), “Exhaust system: mounting defective” (11.0%), “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (9.4%) and “Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement” (7.3%).

Is a 2014 Citroen DS3 reliable?

An MOT pass rate shows what failed at the test, not how reliable a car is. For this group of cars the first-time pass rate went from 61.2% in 2021 to 52.7% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2014

The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.

2014 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2014 Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics · 2014 Ford Focus MOT statistics · 2014 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2014 Vauxhall Astra MOT statistics

How the 2014 Citroen DS3 MOT data is calculated

Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test data for Great Britain, 2021–2025. “2014 DS3” means a Citroen DS3 whose date of first use falls in 2014 (63, 14 and 64 plates), all trims grouped. Class 4 vehicles, first tests only — retests are not counted. Pass rate = passed ÷ all first tests; a car with a fault fixed during the test (PRS) counts as a fail. Our national first-test pass rate matches DVSA’s published figure (table DVSA/MOT/01) to within 0.04 points in every year. Clean pass = passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded. Mileage is the reading recorded at the test. Comparisons are with all cars first used in 2014, any make or fuel, and are not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use. Failure and advisory item names are DVSA’s own wording. No figure is shown for fewer than 500 tests; an item is shown only if it appears on at least 50 tests and 1% of the base. Repair prices are typical UK prices for the job from published UK repair-cost guides, checked September 2026 — not for this model, and not a quote. Pass rates describe a group of cars, not one car: a well-kept example can pass and a neglected one can fail. This page is general information, not advice about any particular vehicle; always have a used car inspected before you buy. SortedCars is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. You can check any car’s MOT history free on the official service: gov.uk/check-mot-history. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.