86,638 Model 3s had an MOT in 2025. 84.4% passed first time, against 84.7% for other cars of the same age and mileage. Those registered from 2021 onwards pass as often as other cars their age.
Each dot compares how often Model 3s 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 82.2% | +0.3 | 10,312 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 82.1% | −1.9 | 22,143 | ||||||||
| 2021 | 86.0% | +0.6 | 35,099 | ||||||||
| 2022 | 85.3% | −0.6 | 19,080 |
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.
11.2% of Model 3 MOTs failed on tyres, against 5.6% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 2.4% on suspension, against 1.6%.
Up to 90,000 miles, Model 3s pass as often as cars of the same age and mileage. Ahead from there: 90–120,000 miles 2.5 points, 120,000+ miles 5.2 points.
Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The Model 3 ranks 10 of 11.
| Model | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. BMW 5 Series | 111,912 | 85.1% | 75.4% | +9.7 | |
| 2. BMW 3 Series | 220,543 | 83.4% | 76.2% | +7.2 | |
| 3. VW Passat | 86,106 | 79.6% | 73.1% | +6.5 | |
| 4. Jaguar XF | 47,799 | 80.2% | 74.1% | +6.1 | |
| 5. Mercedes E-Class | 140,596 | 81.9% | 75.8% | +6.0 | |
| 6. Mercedes C-Class | 204,560 | 81.2% | 76.0% | +5.2 | |
| 7. Skoda Superb | 49,005 | 80.1% | 76.0% | +4.2 | |
| 8. Jaguar XE | 42,769 | 81.0% | 77.2% | +3.8 | |
| 9. Audi A4 | 117,487 | 79.1% | 75.3% | +3.8 | |
| 10. Tesla Model 3 | 67,557 | 84.1% | 84.4% | −0.3 | |
| 11. Vauxhall Insignia | 110,320 | 70.7% | 72.0% | −1.4 |
What testers most often noted as advisories on Model 3s 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, 84.4% of 86,638 Model 3 MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 84.7% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2019: level (+0.3 points). 2020: behind (−1.9 points). 2021 to 2022: level (+0.6 to −0.6 points).
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2020. Those cars passed first time −1.9 points against comparable cars.
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm: 4.8% of Model 3 MOTs, against 1.7% for cars of the same age and mileage.
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the BMW 3 Series passed 83.4% first time, +7.2 points against comparable cars. The Model 3 passed 84.1%, −0.3 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 Model 3's mix of ages and mileages.
Model. Every car DVSA records as a Tesla Model 3: 9 recorded model names, from "MODEL 3 LONG RANGE AWD" to trims such as "MODEL 3 STANDARD RANGE +".
The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.