DS 3 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
48.1% of 92,539 MOT tests of the DS 3 first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 106.5 (95% CI 105.5–107.5; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2012 DS 3 fails more often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 48.1 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 92539 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 105.5–107.5) | 106.5 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 92539 |
| Rank among this model's 11 build years | 11 | of 11 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 92539 |
| Tested in 2024 | 14357 | tests | median 83,707 miles | 2024 | 14357 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 DS 3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 16,389 | 44.5 | 43.8–45.3 | 41.2 | 108.1 |
| 8 | 15,495 | 46.1 | 45.3–46.9 | 42.8 | 107.7 |
| 9 | 15,694 | 47.8 | 47–48.6 | 45.2 | 105.8 |
| 10 | 15,536 | 49 | 48.2–49.8 | 46 | 106.6 |
| 11 | 15,068 | 50.5 | 49.7–51.3 | 47.6 | 106.2 |
| 12 | 14,357 | 51 | 50.2–51.8 | 48.8 | 104.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 92,539 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2012 DS 3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 32.2 items per 100 first tests, against 19.6 across all build years of the DS 3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 32.2 | 19.6 | 29,771 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 21.9 | 15.2 | 20,259 |
| Suspension | 21.2 | 13.7 | 19,574 |
| Tyres | 12.8 | 11.1 | 11,845 |
| Brakes | 12.6 | 10 | 11,621 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 92,539 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 11 published build years of the DS 3, 2012 ranks 11 (1 = fails least for its age). 2011: index 103.8. 2013: index 100.2.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 98.2 | 96.5–99.9 | better | 26,879 |
| 2011 | 103.8 | 102.6–104.9 | worse | 60,013 |
| 2012 | 106.5 | 105.5–107.5 | worse | 92,539 |
| 2013 | 100.2 | 99.3–101.1 | no different | 112,589 |
| 2014 | 103.0 | 102.0–104.0 | worse | 111,372 |
| 2015 | 102.6 | 101.5–103.7 | worse | 92,144 |
| 2016 | 89.3 | 88.0–90.5 | better | 72,460 |
| 2017 | 87.3 | 85.5–89.2 | better | 38,518 |
| 2018 | 87.7 | 84.5–90.9 | better | 14,189 |
| 2019 | 75.0 | 70.6–79.3 | better | 7,475 |
| 2020 | 105.7 | 95.8–115.5 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,434 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 630,612 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). DS 3 2012 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/ds3/2012/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
DS 3 2010 · DS 3 2011 · DS 3 2013 · DS 3 2014 · DS 3 2015 · DS 3 2016 · DS 3 2017 · DS 3 2018 · DS 3 2019 · DS 3 2020 · DS 3 in Finland · DS 3 in the Netherlands · DS 3 by postcode area · DS 3 body, chassis and structure failures · DS 3 brakes failures · DS 3 vehicle identification failures · DS 3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · DS 3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · DS 3 road wheels failures · DS 3 seat belts and airbags failures · DS 3 steering failures · DS 3 suspension failures · DS 3 tyres failures · DS 3 visibility failures