The Q5. Once age and mileage are allowed for, Q5s pass the MOT first time 2.6 points more often than X3s. The best bets are Q5s registered from 2009 onwards, and X3s registered from 2005 onwards. No years of either stand out as ones to avoid.
| Audi Q5 | BMW X3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 85.7% | 84.4% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +7.8 points | +5.2 points |
| Years to avoid | None stand out | None stand out |
| Best years | 2009 to 2022 | 2005 to 2022 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | Body and structure: 1.3 times as often | No area stands out |
| Most common failure | Drive shaft joints and CV boots: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Coil springs: fractured or broken |
| MOTs in 2025 | 117,646 | 106,562 |
How often cars from each registration year passed the MOT first time, against the average car of the same age and mileage. The figure is the difference in percentage points.
Each block is a registration year: the year the car was first used. Tap or hover over one for its figures. Blank means too few MOTs that year.
Points against the average car of the same age and mileage, with each year's most common failure. Less than 1.5 points apart counts as either.
| Registered | Q5 | X3 | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Too few MOTs | +7.6Headlight aim (projected beam image is obviously incorrect) | |
| 2006 | Too few MOTs | +10.1Headlight aim (projected beam image is obviously incorrect) | |
| 2007 | Too few MOTs | +12.0Suspension linkage dust covers (ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | |
| 2008 | Too few MOTs | +12.5Airbag warning light (warning lamp indicates a fault) | |
| 2009 | +11.4Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +13.5Airbag warning light (warning lamp indicates a fault) | X3 |
| 2010 | +12.1Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +13.5Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2011 | +12.7Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +14.1Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2012 | +13.9Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +9.9Side indicators (not working) | Q5 |
| 2013 | +13.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +8.8Side indicators (not working) | Q5 |
| 2014 | +13.4Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +7.0Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Q5 |
| 2015 | +12.1Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +8.3Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Q5 |
| 2016 | +9.7Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +5.7Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Q5 |
| 2017 | +5.5Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +5.3Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2018 | +6.7Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +7.2Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Either |
| 2019 | +6.7Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +5.2Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Either |
| 2020 | +5.5Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +3.0Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Q5 |
| 2021 | +3.9Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | +1.6Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Q5 |
| 2022 | +4.5Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +2.2Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Q5 |
How often each passed the MOT first time against the average car of the same age and mileage, in points. Over 120,000 miles: Q5s 12.0 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, X3s 8.1 points above.
| Q5 | X3 | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | +2.8 | +0.7 | Q5 |
| 30–60k miles | +6.0 | +4.7 | Either |
| 60–90k miles | +9.5 | +8.4 | Either |
| 90–120k miles | +12.7 | +9.8 | Q5 |
| 120k+ miles | +12.0 | +8.1 | Q5 |
| Q5 | X3 | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | +6.5 | +4.8 | Q5 |
| Diesel | +9.4 | +7.6 | Q5 |
| Hybrid | +4.9 | +2.0 | Q5 |
Each fuel is compared with the average car of the same age and mileage, whatever its fuel. Rows with fewer than 500 MOTs for either car are left out.
How often each failed on every area of the test, against the average car of the same age and mileage. All registration years.
| Area | Q5: failed | Against average | X3: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 4.3% | 0.6× | 4.4% | 0.6× |
| Steering | 0.3% | 0.2× | 0.4% | 0.3× |
| Brakes | 2.1% | 0.4× | 2.6% | 0.5× |
| Tyres | 4.4% | 0.7× | 5.6% | 0.9× |
| Lights & electrics | 3.6% | 0.4× | 6.3% | 0.7× |
| Visibility | 1.9% | 0.5× | 3.2% | 0.8× |
| Body & structure | 3.0% | 1.3× | 0.6% | 0.2× |
| Emissions & leaks | 2.0% | 0.8× | 1.3% | 0.5× |
The failures testers found most often on each, against the average car of the same age and mileage. Both charts use the same scale.
What testers most often noted as advisories on each: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for the average car of the same age and mileage.
The Q5
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, Q5s passed the MOT first time 7.8 points above the average car of the same age and mileage and X3s 5.2 points above: 2.6 points between them.
+7.8points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+5.2points against the average car of the same age and mileage
Going by the MOT, the Q5 is. For cars registered 2014 to 2021, 85.7% of Q5s passed first time, 7.8 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, against 84.4% of X3s, 5.2 points above.
None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of the average car of the same age and mileage, or ahead of it.
None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of the average car of the same age and mileage, or ahead of it.
Over 120,000 miles: Q5s 12.0 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, X3s 8.1 points above. So the Q5 holds up better.
Q5: drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt), on 2.4% of MOTs against 1.0% for the average car of the same age and mileage. X3: coil springs (fractured or broken), on 2.2% of MOTs against 2.1% for the average car of the same age and mileage.
Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data: 117,646 Q5 MOTs and 106,562 X3 MOTs. Retests are left out.
Against the average car. Each model is compared with the average car of the same age and mileage, not with each other directly, so a newer or lower-mileage model doesn't win for that alone.
Which is more reliable. The answer uses cars registered 2014 to 2021, the same years for both, as the rivals table on each model page does. Less than 1.5 points apart counts as level.