Volkswagen Id3 Life: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volkswagen Id3 Life passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 14 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 7,974 individual Volkswagen Id3 Life tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate90.7%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+14 points
Tests analysed7,974
Average mileage at test30,172 miles
Average year of manufacture2021
Reliability rank583 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 90.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 9 in every 100 Volkswagen Id3 Lifes 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 Volkswagen Id3 Life tested had covered 30,172 miles and was built around 2021.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Volkswagen Id3 Life bought as a 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 Volkswagen Id3 Life 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 what damaged Volkswagen Id3 Lifes actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Id3 Life

  1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.7% of tests (2.26x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.1% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.7% of tests
  4. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.3% of tests
  5. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.2% of tests
  6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.2% of tests
  7. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.2% of tests
  8. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.2% of tests
  9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.1% of tests
  10. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.1% of tests

From 11,228 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Id3 Life tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 10.5% of these flagged Volkswagen Id3 Life defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Volkswagen Id3 Life pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Volkswagen Id3 Life year:

Other Volkswagen models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Volkswagen Id3 Life MOT pass rate badge: 90.7%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate