413,536 A3s had an MOT in 2025. 76.1% passed first time, against 70.0% for other cars of the same age and mileage. That is 6.1 points better than comparable cars. Those registered from 2022 onwards pass as often as other cars their age.
Each dot compares how often A3s of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.
| Year | Passed first time | Against same age and mileage | MOTs | Suspension | Steering | Brakes | Tyres | Lights & electrics | Visibility | Body & structure | Emissions & leaks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 56.2% | +0.8 | 6,052 | ||||||||
| 2006 | 56.3% | +1.4 | 9,681 | ||||||||
| 2007 | 58.7% | +3.3 | 12,120 | ||||||||
| 2008 | 59.2% | +4.0 | 16,149 | ||||||||
| 2009 | 62.4% | +6.5 | 20,055 | ||||||||
| 2010 | 62.2% | +4.8 | 22,996 | ||||||||
| 2011 | 64.7% | +5.4 | 20,441 | ||||||||
| 2012 | 65.6% | +4.3 | 24,819 | ||||||||
| 2013 | 73.3% | +9.5 | 26,943 | ||||||||
| 2014 | 77.3% | +10.2 | 38,535 | ||||||||
| 2015 | 80.3% | +9.6 | 41,447 | ||||||||
| 2016 | 82.8% | +8.8 | 38,661 | ||||||||
| 2017 | 85.0% | +7.4 | 33,694 | ||||||||
| 2018 | 86.7% | +6.1 | 26,914 | ||||||||
| 2019 | 86.4% | +3.2 | 20,848 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 88.2% | +2.2 | 15,748 | ||||||||
| 2021 | 88.7% | +1.6 | 20,638 | ||||||||
| 2022 | 89.1% | +0.7 | 17,795 |
Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.
Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.
7.3% of A3 MOTs failed on tyres, against 6.8% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 8.5% on suspension, against 10.3%.
Up to 30,000 miles, A3s pass as often as cars of the same age and mileage. Ahead from there: 30–60,000 miles 5.7 points, 60–90,000 miles 8.0 points, 90–120,000 miles 7.9 points, 120,000+ miles 4.7 points.
Diesels passed 70.5% first time, 6.3 points above comparable cars; petrols passed 80.5%, 6.2 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 110,811 miles at the test, against 60,954 for petrols. Hybrids are mostly newer cars (median 42,656 miles), so compare them with care.
| Fuel | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 211,845 | 80.5% | 74.3% | +6.2 | 60,954 |
| Diesel | 188,738 | 70.5% | 64.2% | +6.3 | 110,811 |
| Hybrid | 12,952 | 86.2% | 83.7% | +2.5 | 42,656 |
Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The A3 ranks 2 of 15.
| Model | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. VW Golf | 453,675 | 84.7% | 77.2% | +7.5 | |
| 2. Audi A3 | 236,485 | 83.4% | 76.3% | +7.1 | |
| 3. Skoda Octavia | 130,349 | 81.5% | 75.7% | +5.8 | |
| 4. Toyota Corolla | 55,580 | 89.2% | 84.2% | +5.1 | |
| 5. Toyota Auris | 78,822 | 78.5% | 73.7% | +4.8 | |
| 6. Honda Civic | 96,393 | 82.2% | 77.5% | +4.8 | |
| 7. BMW 1 Series | 216,359 | 81.6% | 77.1% | +4.5 | |
| 8. Seat Leon | 133,332 | 79.6% | 77.2% | +2.3 | |
| 9. Mercedes A-Class | 285,897 | 80.7% | 79.2% | +1.6 | |
| 10. Ford Focus | 433,954 | 77.1% | 76.9% | +0.2 | |
| 11. Kia Ceed | 68,633 | 75.8% | 76.8% | −1.0 | |
| 12. Vauxhall Astra | 259,770 | 73.6% | 75.2% | −1.6 | |
| 13. Hyundai i30 | 54,108 | 73.1% | 75.3% | −2.2 | |
| 14. Nissan Leaf | 42,108 | 78.9% | 81.7% | −2.7 | |
| 15. Peugeot 308 | 69,563 | 71.2% | 75.2% | −4.0 |
What testers most often noted as advisories on A3s in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.
At the MOT, 76.1% of 413,536 A3 MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 70.0% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2005 to 2006: level (+0.8 to +1.4 points). 2007 to 2021: ahead (+1.6 to +10.2 points). 2022: level (+0.7 points).
None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of cars of the same age and mileage, or ahead of them.
Coil spring: fractured or broken: 3.2% of A3 MOTs, against 2.8% for cars of the same age and mileage.
Petrol A3s passed 80.5% first time and diesels 70.5%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 6.2 points above and diesels 6.3 points above.
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the VW Golf passed 84.7% first time, +7.5 points against comparable cars. The A3 passed 83.4%, +7.1 points.
Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.
Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.
Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the A3's mix of ages and mileages.
Model. Every car DVSA records as a Audi A3: 79 recorded model names, from "A3" to trims such as "A3 S LINE 35 TFSI MHEV S-A".
The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.