Verdict
The Citroën DS5 passes its MOT first time on 66.4% of tests, 3.1 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (69.5%). That puts it ahead of 33% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2012 DS5 does best (beats 44% of cars) and the 2013 worst (beats 29%).
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 66.5% | Beats 33% | D |
| 2.0 Diesel hybrid | 66.8% | Beats 47% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 65.3% | Beats 23% | D |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Coil springs 1.9× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Headlight aim 1.7× typical
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Tyre tread depth 1.5× typical
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Number plate lights 1.9× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Suspension arm bushes 2.1× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Track rod ends 1.6× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 5.7% | 2.9% | 1.9× |
| Headlight aim | 5.5% | 3.2% | 1.7× |
| Tyre tread depth | 4.9% | 3.2% | 1.5× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 3.6% | 1.2% | 2.9× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 3.3% | 3.7% | 0.9× |
| Number plate lights | 3.3% | 1.7% | 1.9× |
| Brake pads | 2.9% | 2.5% | 1.2× |
| Track rod ends | 2.5% | 1.6% | 1.6× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 2.5% | 1.2% | 2.1× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.1× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 56.8 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 55.4 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 53.9 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 48.7 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 36.7 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 28.1 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 27.3 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 23.0 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2015 Citroën DS51 engine75.0% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 75.0% | Beats 32% | D |
2014 Citroën DS52 engines69.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 69.2% | Beats 30% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 68.7% | Beats 27% | D |
2013 Citroën DS53 engines64.3% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 64.0% | Beats 28% | D |
| 2.0 Diesel hybrid | 67.4% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 62.3% | Beats 20% | D |
2012 Citroën DS52 engines65.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 64.8% | Beats 43% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel hybrid | 65.7% | Beats 51% | C |
FAQ
What is the Citroën DS5 MOT pass rate?
66.4% of MOT tests on the Citroën DS5 were passed first time, based on 35,506 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2012–2015. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 69.5% of the time.
Is the Citroën DS5 reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 33% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Citroën DS5 year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2012 DS5 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 44% of cars on UK roads. The 2013 does worst: it beats 29%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Citroën DS5?
The most common failure items are coil springs, headlight aim, tyre tread depth. Compared with similar cars, coil springs comes up 1.9× as often.