Audi
3,116 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Q3 Sport 35 Tfsis pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 15.2 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
92.7%
Pass-after-fix
0.5%
Fail
6.3%
Avg miles
30,509
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 3,116 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old Q3 Sport 35 Tfsi examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
92.8%
Fail
6.1%
PRS
0.7%
Avg mileage at test
33,133 mi
Pass
92.6%
Fail
6.5%
PRS
0.4%
Avg mileage at test
26,867 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,143 MOT tests, the Q3 Sport 35 Tfsi returns 92.4% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Tyre tread under the limit and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 24,476, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
22–34
out of 50
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
60 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
34 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
33 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
29 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Wiper blade defective
15 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
10 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
8 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.
7 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Tyre obviously under inflated
6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£160–£300
If every one of this Q3 Sport 35 Tfsi's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Audi Q3 Sport 35 Tfsi makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.8% — a 0.3-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, less than 1.5 mm thick — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
92.6%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 92.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 26,867 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (92.6% pass). That's a 0.3-point spread across 1,306 older tests and 1,810 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-215 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-216 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
Draper Expert
Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW
£18.69
View at My Motor World →
Draper Expert
Draper Expert Audi/VW Drain Plug Key, 1/2" Sq. Dr.
£21.99
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Q3 Sport 35 Tfsi and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
