DS3, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
36,039 DS3s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 66.9% of initial MOT tests, 5.4 points below the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific DS3? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
DS3 at the MOT
66.9% of 36,163 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the DS3 405th of 575 models. DS3s aged 3 to 5 years passed 80.9% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 63.2%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
DS3 tests in 2025.
Where DS3s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on DS3 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (11%), joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (10.6%) and position lamp not working (5.5%).
The MOT page lists every common DS3 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The DS3's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.23.1% of DS3 failure items
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.18.1% of DS3 failure items
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Body, chassis, structure
Look underneath and along the sills for corrosion, and check for damaged or poorly repaired panels.14.2% of DS3 failure items
DS3s in the UK
36,039 were licensed at the end of June 2026, more than any other DS. The number licensed has grown 89% since the end of 2016.
- Change since 2016
- +89%from 19,108 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2017half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2017 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 133against 12,714 in 2016
- Declared off the road
- 9402.5% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed DS3s since 2015
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2015 | 7,081 |
| End of 2016 | 19,108 |
| End of 2017 | 25,984 |
| End of 2018 | 28,523 |
| End of 2019 | 31,862 |
| End of 2020 | 32,894 |
| End of 2021 | 35,040 |
| End of 2022 | 36,875 |
| End of 2023 | 37,119 |
| End of 2024 | 37,054 |
| End of 2025 | 36,306 |
| End of June 2026 | 36,039 |
How old they are
Licensed DS3s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 123 | 133 |
| 2024 | 256 | 271 |
| 2023 | 811 | 848 |
| 2022 | 1,717 | 1,885 |
| 2021 | 1,580 | 1,718 |
| 2020 | 1,632 | 1,760 |
| 2019 | 2,459 | 2,669 |
| 2018 | 3,285 | 3,597 |
| 2017 | 6,954 | 7,692 |
| 2016 | 11,226 | 12,714 |
| 2015 | 6,257 | 7,254 |
6,257 DS3s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 86% of the 7,254 first registered that year.
DS3 engines and fuel
1.2 litre engines made up 67% of DS3 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.6 litre at 26%. Petrol accounts for 69% of licensed DS3s and diesel for 25%. Electric examples were 5.3% of tests.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 36,163 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed DS3s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 24,741 | 69% |
| Diesel | 9,126 | 25% |
| Battery electric | 2,061 | 6% |
| Hybrid electric | 111 | 0.3% |
DS3 recalls
18 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the DS3. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every DS3 is affected.
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Apr 2026 R/2026/185
BCM software missing telltale if LKA unavailable
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the Lane Keep Assist tell-tale fails to illuminate if the front camera is blocked meaning no warning light appears in the instrument cluster.
- Remedy
- Update the Body Control Module software.
-
Mar 2026 R/2026/102
Alternator protection
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have been assembled with contact or with a reduced clearance between the Gasoline Particulate Filter pipe and the pole protection cap of the 48V Belt Starter Generator. There is a possibility of contact between these components leading to water infiltration and an electrical arch which could trigger a thermal event.
- Remedy
- Replace the pole protection cap of the 48V Belt Starter Generator. Check the distance between the Gasoline Particulate Filter pipe and the pole protection cap of the 48V Belt Starter Generator and re-position or replace the pipe if required.
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Oct 2025 R/2025/454
DS Automobiles DS3 Crossback ESC software
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have incorrect or missing tyre pressure messages displayed in the instrument cluster due to a software deviation.
- Remedy
- Update the Electric Stability Control calibration to ensure the correct tyre pressure warning messages are displayed
-
Aug 2025 R/2025/347
Emission recall - On Board Diagnostics
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Vehicles may be affected by incorrect performance of the On-Board-Diagnostics related to Selective Catalytic Reduction system and/or Diesel Particle Filter. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may not illuminate in the event of a malfunction and therefore does not comply with emission regulations.
- Remedy
- Update the Engine Control Unit software to ensure compliance to regulations.
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Jul 2025 R/2025/284
DS Automobiles Fuel Pipe
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles there may be loose connections between a high-pressure fuel pipe and the engine fuel rail which potentially could lead to a leak and risk of fire.
- Remedy
- Retighten the affected connections.
-
Jul 2025 R/2025/248
DS Automobiles DV5R Engines Camshaft Chain
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Vehicles may be affected by premature wearing of the camshaft drive chain leading to abnormal noise or to a breakage of the chain in the worst case.
- Remedy
- Update the software to improve oil pressure and reduce wear. Check the engine noise and replace the chain if required. If no problem found change the oil to one with higher viscosity and special anti-wear additives.
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Mar 2025 R/2025/123
Traction Battery software
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may face an error in the Battery Monitoring Unit software.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles may face an error in the Battery Monitoring Unit software.
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Feb 2025 R/2025/047
DS Automobiles DS3 Crossback eVCU update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may not comply with test requirements in the matter of emissions test execution by competent authorities and energy consumption may be too high.
- Remedy
- Update the electrical Vehicle Control Unit (eVCU) software.
Other DS Automobiles models
The most-tested DS Automobiles models in 2025, against the DS3's 66.9% MOT pass rate.
DS3 FAQs
How many DS3s are there in the UK?
36,039 DS3s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 940 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the DS3 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 66.9% first-time pass rate for the DS3 across 36,163 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the DS3 had any recalls?
18 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the DS3. The most recent was published in April 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used DS3?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and body, chassis, structure. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a DS3's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a DS3?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the DS Automobiles history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the DS Automobiles VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.