MOT cost .
Audi Q3
MOT 2024

Wikimedia Commons — CC-BY-SA (image-specific)

Audi

Q3

209,802 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Q3s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 7.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

85.4%

Pass-after-fix

2.1%

Fail

12.1%

Avg miles

67,887

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

Trim variants

S Line 35 Tfsi Mhev S A 93.7% 9,335 S Line 35 Tfsi 93.1% 6,201 S Line 40 Tfsi Quattro S A 94.1% 3,314 S LN BLK ED 35 Tfsi Mhev SA 92.1% 3,180 Sport 35 Tfsi 92.7% 3,116 Sport 35 Tfsi Mhev S A 94.6% 2,708 S Line 35 TDI S A 90.8% 2,310 S Line 45 Tfsi Quattro S A 92.6% 1,463 S Line Black ED 35 Tfsi 91.7% 1,449 Sport 35 TDI S A 92.1% 1,448

Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 209,802 tests

Pass rate climbs 7.8 points across the cohorts — newer Q3 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 171,454

Pass

84.2%

Fail

13.1%

PRS

2.3%

Avg mileage at test

73,969 mi

2018–2020 cohort 38,121

Pass

90.9%

Fail

7.3%

PRS

1.6%

Avg mileage at test

40,756 mi

2021+ cohort 227

Pass

92.1%

Fail

7.0%

PRS

0.9%

Avg mileage at test

35,863 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

Generations on file · 2

Audi Q3 · UK market

Audi Q3 2011-2018

2011–2018

Audi Q3 2018-now

2018–now

Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.

The picture

Audi Q3: solid MOT record across 121,503 tests

The Audi Q3 is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV produced by Audi since 2011. The Q3 has a transverse-mounted front engine.

MOT data from 121,503 tests puts this car on a 84.8% first-time pass rate, above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 60,362 miles. The most common fail item is fractured or weakened suspension spring, followed by tyre tread below the legal limit.

For used buyers, the Q3's pass rate suggests it clears the MOT with fewer surprises than most — but the top failure items above are still worth a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on higher-mileage examples.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 22–34

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

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

  1. 01

    A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

    5,552 occurrences · 2.6% of tests

  2. 02

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    4,508 occurrences · 2.1% of tests

  3. 03

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    3,762 occurrences · 1.8% of tests

  4. 04

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    2,676 occurrences · 1.3% of tests

  5. 05

    A tyre seriously damaged

    2,106 occurrences · 1.0% of tests

  6. 06

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    2,093 occurrences · 1.0% of tests

  7. 07

    A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated

    1,478 occurrences · 0.7% of tests

  8. 08

    A tyre cords visible or damaged

    1,474 occurrences · 0.7% of tests

  9. 09

    Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

    1,356 occurrences · 0.6% of tests

  10. 10

    Wiper blade defective

    1,329 occurrences · 0.6% 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

£220–£575

If every one of this Q3'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

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 7.8-point gap between bands means the year you buy Audi Q3 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

92.1%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 92.1% — a 7.8-point improvement. Tests in this band average 35,863 miles — roughly 38K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: not working, less than 1.5 mm thick — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

84.2%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 84.2% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: fractured or broken, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 73,969 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (92.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (84.2% pass). That's a 7.8-point spread across 171,454 older tests and 227 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

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

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Summit ADRG-215 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

Summit

Summit ADRG-215 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS

£9.89

View at My Motor World →

Summit ADRG-216 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

Summit

Summit ADRG-216 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£14.29

View at My Motor World →

Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW

Draper Expert

Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW

£18.69

View at My Motor World →

Draper Expert Audi/VW Drain Plug Key, 1/2" Sq. Dr.

Draper Expert

Draper Expert Audi/VW Drain Plug Key, 1/2" Sq. Dr.

£21.99

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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.

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Recall history

8 UK recalls on record.

The Q3 has 8 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Q3?

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 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.