MOT performance
Tesla Model 3 vs Lexus IS: MOT pass rates compared
In 2023–2024, 83.3% of 95,633 Tesla Model 3 MOT tests and 77.1% of 77,300 Lexus IS tests passed first time — 6.2 points in favour of the Tesla Model 3. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Lexus IS fails less often than the Tesla Model 3: 0.68× against 1.12× the national rate for comparable cars.
95,633 Tesla Model 3 and 77,300 Lexus IS MOT tests, 2023–2024
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3: first-time pass rate | 83.3% | ±0.2 pts (95%), n = 95,633 |
| Lexus IS: first-time pass rate | 77.1% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 77,300 |
| Tesla Model 3: failures vs similar cars | +12% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Lexus IS: failures vs similar cars | -32% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Tesla Model 3: dangerous defect | 10.5% | n = 95,633 |
| Lexus IS: dangerous defect | 7.5% | n = 77,300 |
| Average age at test | 2.8 vs 12.8 years | Tesla Model 3 vs Lexus IS |
Why the raw pass rates can mislead
The Lexus IS was tested at an older average age (12.8 years against 2.8), and older cars fail more often whatever they are. That is why the table above also shows failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel: it compares the models, not their fleets. Here the adjustment reverses the raw result: the Lexus IS has the lower pass rate but fails less often than comparable cars.
Failure areas side by side
Share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and in brackets how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = national average). The clearest difference is noise, emissions and leaks, where the Tesla Model 3 fails 3.5 times as often on an adjusted basis.
| Area | Tesla Model 3 | Lexus IS |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 0.6% (-39%) | 6.2% (-29%) |
| Steering | 0.0% (-86%) | 0.5% (-80%) |
| Suspension | 1.4% (+4%) | 3.7% (-68%) |
| Tyres | 12.5% (+42%) | 6.9% (+2%) |
| Road wheels | 0.2% (+32%) | 0.5% (+15%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.6% (-9%) | 9.7% (-37%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 0.1% (-58%) | 1.8% (-65%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 1.1% (-56%) | 3.6% (-36%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.0% (+80%) | 2.4% (-48%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.1% (-54%) | 0.6% (-58%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.3% (+5%) | 0.4% (-10%) |
Pass rate at the same age
Comparing cars of the same age removes most of the fleet-age effect from the raw rates.
| Age at test | Tesla Model 3 | Lexus IS |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 years | 83.5% (n = 54,423) | 89.6% (n = 3,751) |
| 5-6 years | 80.9% (n = 2,379) | 89.8% (n = 5,982) |
Most common failure item
- Tesla Model 3 · tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.79% of tests)
- Lexus IS · position lamp: not working (3.10% of tests)
MOT results reflect how cars are maintained as well as how they are built, so a gap between two models is a difference in test performance, not proof that one is more reliable. For one car, its own MOT history says more than any average.
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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.