Tesla
25,774 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Model 3 Performance Awds pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.8%
Pass-after-fix
1.4%
Fail
12.3%
Avg miles
43,333
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 25,774 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.0 points across the cohorts — newer Model 3 Performance Awd examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
85.4%
Fail
12.6%
PRS
1.5%
Avg mileage at test
45,298 mi
Pass
87.3%
Fail
11.1%
PRS
0.9%
Avg mileage at test
35,472 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 9,626 MOT tests, the Model 3 Performance Awd returns 82.5% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a tyre with the cords showing. A seriously damaged tyre and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 35,620, 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 →
30–38
out of 50
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A tyre cords visible or damaged
1,191 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
533 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
490 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
363 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
358 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
216 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
141 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
122 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber
116 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel
111 occurrences · 0.4% 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 2 failures
£120–£190
If every one of this Model 3 Performance Awd'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. A 2.0-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Tesla Model 3 Performance Awd makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
87.3%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 87.3% — a 2.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 35,472 miles — roughly 10K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a bulge, caused by separation or…, has ply or cords exposed — 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
85.4%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 85.4% pass rate against a fleet average of 87.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has ply or cords exposed, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and has a bulge, caused by separation or…. Average mileage on test for this band is 45,298 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (87.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (85.4% pass). That's a 2.0-point spread across 20,613 older tests and 5,161 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.
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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 Model 3 Performance Awd 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.
