Diesel Audi A3: MOT pass rate
75.1% of diesel Audi A3s pass the MOT first time, measured across 200,604 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 113,157.
Diesel against the other Audi A3 versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 75.1% | 200,604 |
| Petrol | 82.1% | 186,843 |
| Hybrid | 87.1% | 2,768 |
| All Audi A3 | 78.6% | 390,222 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.
On the Audi A3 specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 87.1%, and this diesel version sits 3.5 points below the 78.6% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel Audi A3 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel Audi A3 had covered 113,157 miles at test, against 71,951 for the petrol and 71,494 for the hybrid. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Audi A3 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other Audi A3 fuel types
- Petrol Audi A3 - 82.1%
- Hybrid Audi A3 - 87.1%