Audi Q3: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Audi Q3 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 6.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 106,153 individual Audi Q3 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 83.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 17 in every 100 Audi Q3s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Audi Q3 tested had covered 66,298 miles and was built around 2016.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Audi Q3 sits 6.8 points above the national average, ranked 1,320 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Audi Q3 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Audi Q3: £1,800 at UK salvage auction, from 7 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Audi Q3

1. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 4.4% of tests (1.94x the national rate for this defect)
2. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 0.6% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.8% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.8% of tests
5. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.5% of tests
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.7% of tests
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.3% of tests
8. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.1% of tests
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1% of tests
10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.8% of tests

From 106,040 DVSA-tracked Audi Q3 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.67% of these flagged Audi Q3 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Audi Q3

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Audi Q3 before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 18.5% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 5.6% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this advisory)
3. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 6.7% of tests (1.3x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.9% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 29.5% of tests, also fails
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 17.2% of tests, also fails
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 13.2% of tests, also fails
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.5% of tests
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 2.1% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.9% of tests, also fails

From 106,040 DVSA-tracked Audi Q3 tests, 2024.

Audi Q3 pass rate by model year

From its 2011 to its 2020 model year, the Audi Q3's first-time pass rate has risen 17.6 points, from 74.4% to 92%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Audi Q3 year:

• 2011 Audi Q3 - 74.4% first-time pass, 484 tests
• 2012 Audi Q3 - 75.5% first-time pass, 6,652 tests
• 2013 Audi Q3 - 77.3% first-time pass, 11,625 tests
• 2014 Audi Q3 - 79.2% first-time pass, 13,734 tests
• 2015 Audi Q3 - 81.4% first-time pass, 14,191 tests
• 2016 Audi Q3 - 84% first-time pass, 16,513 tests
• 2017 Audi Q3 - 87.5% first-time pass, 16,130 tests
• 2018 Audi Q3 - 89% first-time pass, 12,636 tests
• 2019 Audi Q3 - 91.6% first-time pass, 12,280 tests
• 2020 Audi Q3 - 92% first-time pass, 1,392 tests

Audi Q3 by fuel type

The Audi Q3's two most-tested fuel types split by 6.9 points: diesel passes first time 81.1% of the time (63,653 tests) against 88% for petrol (42,063 tests).

• Diesel Audi Q3 - 81.1% first-time pass, 63,653 tests
• Petrol Audi Q3 - 88% first-time pass, 42,063 tests

Other Audi models

• Audi A3 - 78.1%
• Audi A4 - 76.3%
• Audi A1 - 79.5%
• Audi A6 - 81.9%
• Audi A5 - 80.4%
• Audi Tt - 78.8%
• Audi Q5 - 84.8%
• Audi Q2 - 91.9%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Ford Transit Custom 280limitd Eblue - 83.6%
• Subaru Xv - 83.6%
• Ford Granada - 83.6%
• Land Rover Discovery Sport R-Dyn S D A - 83.5%
• Vauxhall Nova - 83.5%
• Land Rover Discovery Spt Rdyn S+ D Mhev A - 83.4%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate