No clear winner. Once age and mileage are allowed for, they pass the MOT first time less than 1.5 points apart. The best bets are Golfs registered from 2007 onwards, and A3s registered from 2007 to 2021. No years of either stand out as ones to avoid.
| VW Golf | Audi A3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 84.7% | 83.4% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +7.5 points | +7.1 points |
| Years to avoid | None stand out | None stand out |
| Best years | 2007 to 2022 | 2007 to 2021 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | No area stands out | No area stands out |
| Most common failure | Coil springs: fractured or broken | Coil springs: fractured or broken |
| MOTs in 2025 | 823,700 | 413,536 |
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 | Golf | A3 | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | −0.3Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +0.8Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | Either |
| 2006 | +0.6Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +1.4Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | Either |
| 2007 | +2.0Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +3.3Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | Either |
| 2008 | +3.5Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | +4.0Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2009 | +5.4Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +6.5Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2010 | +4.8Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +4.8Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2011 | +3.9Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +5.4Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2012 | +4.8Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +4.3Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2013 | +10.8Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +9.5Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2014 | +11.6Coil springs (fractured or broken) | +10.2Coil springs (fractured or broken) | Either |
| 2015 | +10.7Shock absorbers (has a serious fluid leak) | +9.6Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Either |
| 2016 | +9.8Shock absorbers (has a serious fluid leak) | +8.8Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Either |
| 2017 | +7.1Shock absorbers (has a serious fluid leak) | +7.4Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Either |
| 2018 | +5.6Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | +6.1Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Either |
| 2019 | +3.5Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +3.2Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Either |
| 2020 | +3.9Tyre 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) | Golf |
| 2021 | +4.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +1.6Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Golf |
| 2022 | +3.5Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +0.7Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Golf |
How often each passed the MOT first time against the average car of the same age and mileage, in points. Over 120,000 miles: Golfs 3.7 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, A3s 4.7 points above.
| Golf | A3 | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | +3.5 | +1.9 | Golf |
| 30–60k miles | +6.7 | +5.7 | Either |
| 60–90k miles | +8.2 | +8.0 | Either |
| 90–120k miles | +7.2 | +7.9 | Either |
| 120k+ miles | +3.7 | +4.7 | Either |
| Golf | A3 | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | +6.7 | +6.2 | Either |
| Diesel | +6.0 | +6.3 | Either |
| Hybrid | +4.9 | +2.5 | Golf |
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 | Golf: failed | Against average | A3: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 9.0% | 0.9× | 8.5% | 0.8× |
| Steering | 0.5% | 0.2× | 0.4% | 0.2× |
| Brakes | 5.2% | 0.8× | 4.8% | 0.7× |
| Tyres | 6.4% | 0.9× | 7.3% | 1.1× |
| Lights & electrics | 7.2% | 0.6× | 7.2% | 0.6× |
| Visibility | 2.8% | 0.6× | 2.8% | 0.6× |
| Body & structure | 2.9% | 0.8× | 2.5% | 0.7× |
| Emissions & leaks | 2.7% | 0.8× | 2.8% | 0.8× |
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.
No clear winner
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, Golfs passed the MOT first time 7.5 points above the average car of the same age and mileage and A3s 7.1 points above: less than 1.5 points apart. Choose by year, mileage and fuel instead.
+7.5points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+7.1points against the average car of the same age and mileage
There's no clear winner at the MOT. For cars registered 2014 to 2021, 84.7% of Golfs passed first time, 7.5 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, and 83.4% of A3s, 7.1 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: Golfs 3.7 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, A3s 4.7 points above. That's less than 1.5 points apart.
Golf: coil springs (fractured or broken), on 2.9% of MOTs against 2.7% for the average car of the same age and mileage. A3: coil springs (fractured or broken), on 3.2% of MOTs against 2.8% 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: 823,700 Golf MOTs and 413,536 A3 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.