MOT performance

Audi A3 MOT pass rate and common failures

Across 855,563 MOT tests of the Audi A3 in 2023–2024, 75.0% passed first time. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, Audi A3s failed 19% less often than comparable cars. The most common failure item was “coil spring: fractured or broken”, on 3.13% of tests.

855,563 MOT tests on 449,150 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto

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At a glance

Audi A3 MOT results at a glance
Figure	Value	Basis
First-time pass rate	75.0%	±0.1 pts (95%), n = 855,563
Failures vs similar cars	0.81×	same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00
Tests with a dangerous defect	8.2%	n = 855,563
Average age at test	9.6 years	n = 855,563
Median mileage at test	79,229 miles	n = 855,563
Vehicles tested	449,150	2023–2024

Where Audi A3s fail

The share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel. Areas where the difference is large and clear link to their own page.

Audi A3 MOT failures by area
Area	Tests failed on it	vs similar cars
Suspension	8.3%	-18%
Lights, reflectors and electrical	8.0%	-35%
Tyres	7.6%	+8%
Brakes	5.6%	-26%
Noise, emissions and leaks	3.1%	-10%
Driver's view of the road	3.0%	-38%
Body, chassis and structure	2.9%	-25%
Seat belts and airbags	1.0%	-10%
Steering	0.4%	-81%
Registration plates and VIN	0.4%	+2%
Road wheels	0.3%	-28%
Speedometer and driving controls	0.0%	-37%

Audi A3 MOT pass rate by fuel: diesel vs petrol vs hybrid

Raw pass rates partly reflect how old each fuel's cars are; the adjusted column compares each with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel. Fuels that differ materially from the model as a whole have their own page.

Audi A3 MOT results by fuel
Fuel	Tests	Average age	First-time pass	vs similar cars
Diesel	420,961	10.8 yrs	70.1%	-13%
Petrol	420,192	8.6 yrs	79.5%	-26%
Hybrid	14,401	4.1 yrs	85.4%	+8%

Audi A3 MOT pass rate by generation

Generations by first-registration date against 73 Auto's catalogue (cars registered within three months of a changeover left out).

Audi A3 MOT results by generation
Generation	Tests	Average age	First-time pass	vs similar cars
8V (2012–2020)	468,854	7.1 yrs	82.7%	-30%
8Y (2020 on)	47,418	2.5 yrs	89.5%	-14%

Most common failure items

Most common Audi A3 MOT failure items
Item	Area	Share of tests
Coil spring: fractured or broken	Suspension	3.13%
Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm	Tyres	2.97%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick	Brakes	1.86%
Condition: has ply or cords exposed	Tyres	1.71%
Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	Body, chassis and structure	1.70%
Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	Suspension	1.70%
Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords	Tyres	1.55%
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect	Lights, reflectors and electrical	1.53%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively	Driver's view of the road	1.18%
Headlamp aim: too low	Lights, reflectors and electrical	1.13%

Most common advisories

Advisories are items the tester expects to need attention soon; they don't fail the test.

Most common Audi A3 MOT advisories
Item	Area	Share of tests
Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm	Tyres	17.33%
Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened	Brakes	9.82%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick	Brakes	8.47%
Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure	Tyres	7.36%
Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn	Suspension	5.21%

Pass rate by age

Audi A3 MOT pass rate by age at test
Age at test (years)	Tests	First-time pass rate	Failures vs similar cars
3-4	79,035	88.8%	-20%
5-6	120,896	86.6%	-31%
7-8	157,176	82.8%	-33%
9-10	133,447	76.3%	-27%
11-12	99,456	67.0%	-14%
13-15	136,168	61.9%	-12%
16+	98,315	56.9%	-5%

Pass rate by registration year

Audi A3 MOT pass rate by registration year
Registered	Tests	First-time pass rate	Failures vs similar cars
2022	599	90.5%	0.82×
2021	23,328	89.2%	0.89×
2020	32,964	89.2%	0.87×
2019	42,740	88.2%	0.79×
2018	54,605	87.8%	0.70×
2017	68,414	86.1%	0.68×
2016	78,741	84.7%	0.65×
2015	84,270	81.6%	0.68×
2014	79,976	78.4%	0.70×
2013	55,746	74.2%	0.76×
2012	52,530	68.0%	0.86×
2011	44,591	65.5%	0.87×
2010	51,980	63.3%	0.88×
2009	47,288	62.4%	0.87×
2008	40,808	59.6%	0.91×
2007	32,533	58.5%	0.92×
2006	26,287	56.1%	0.96×
2005	17,978	55.5%	0.97×
2004	7,983	52.4%	1.04×
2003	3,879	55.5%	0.98×
2002	3,102	57.1%	0.96×
2001	2,168	59.3%	0.94×
2000	1,447	60.3%	0.95×
1999	804	62.8%	0.94×
1998	562	57.1%	1.25×

Years with fewer tests are shown for completeness; only years with enough tests have their own page.

Compared with similar models

What a Audi A3 costs to own

73 Auto's worked ownership-cost examples for this model:

Audi A3 2014

Check a specific Audi A3

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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.