Audi Q3 years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

140,080 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2012–2022 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

All 11 Audi Q3 years have MOT pass rates above the average for vehicles first used in the same year.

Below the average for their first-use yearNone
Above the average for their first-use year2012–2022
Can't be told apart from averageNone

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

82.4%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 82.2% to 82.6%.

Audi Q3, all years82.4%
Same-age average, all vehicles77.6%

In 2025, 82.4% of the 140,080 initial MOT tests on Audi Q3 cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 77.6%. That is 4.8 points above the same-age average.

In our tables of the highest MOT pass rates by age: joint 14th of 160 cars first used in 2022; joint 8th of 145 cars first used in 2020.

Check a specific Q3

Its own MOT history, free.

Audi Q3 MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

Year	Testsmedian miles	Passed first time	Against all vehicles that year
2022age 3	11,53824,200	92.6%±0.5	+4.1 ptsall: 88.5%
2021age 4	11,29232,100	91.8%±0.6	+4.6 ptsall: 87.2%
2020age 5	12,59337,100	91.1%±0.6	+5.1 ptsall: 86.0%
2019age 6	13,92743,700	90.8%±0.5	+7.3 ptsall: 83.5%
2018age 7	12,60552,100	84.8%±0.7	+3.9 ptsall: 80.9%
2017age 8	16,01060,400	83.8%±0.6	+5.6 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 9	16,28870,100	79.7%±0.7	+4.8 ptsall: 74.9%
2015age 10	14,07377,700	75.3%±0.8	+3.4 ptsall: 71.9%
2014age 11	13,66787,600	72.6%±0.8	+4.0 ptsall: 68.6%
2013age 12	11,49197,400	70.6%±0.9	+4.8 ptsall: 65.8%
2012age 13	6,596103,600	69.5%±1.2	+6.0 ptsall: 63.5%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Common Q3 problems at the MOT

Share of the 24,614 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

Suspension39.7%
Tyres31.5%
Lights and electrics15.6%
Brakes15.0%
Windscreen, wipers, mirrors14.3%

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a Q3

Based on the areas where Audi Q3 MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

Suspension
In 39.7% of failed Q3 tests
- Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
- On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
- The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.
Tyres
In 31.5% of failed Q3 tests
- Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
- Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
- Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.
Lights and electrics
In 15.6% of failed Q3 tests
- Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
- Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
- Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.
Brakes
In 15.0% of failed Q3 tests
- On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
- Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
- Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a Q3's MOT history

Audi Q3 questions

Which Audi Q3 years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, no model year is clearly below average. Above average: 2012–2022. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Audi Q3 reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 82.4% of initial MOT tests on Audi Q3 cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 77.6%. That is 4.8 points above average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Audi Q3 problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are suspension (in 39.7% of failed tests), tyres (in 31.5% of failed tests) and lights and electrics (in 15.6% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old Audi Q3?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Audi Q3 cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 77,700 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific Q3's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Audi Q3

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checks What MOT history doesn't show

Other Audi models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 13 Audi models Cars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Audi Q3 cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count