MOT cost .

← All Model 3 variants

Tesla

Model 3 Performance Awd

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%

ULEZ exempt (EV)

Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.

UK ULEZ & CAZ guide →

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.

2018–2020 cohort 20,613

Pass

85.4%

Fail

12.6%

PRS

1.5%

Avg mileage at test

45,298 mi

2021+ cohort 5,161

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

Model 3 Performance Awd: above-average pass rates, with caveats

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

Group 30–38

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

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

  1. 01

    A tyre cords visible or damaged

    1,191 occurrences · 4.6% of tests

  2. 02

    A tyre seriously damaged

    533 occurrences · 2.1% of tests

  3. 03

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    490 occurrences · 1.9% of tests

  4. 04

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

    363 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  5. 05

    A tyre seriously damaged

    358 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  6. 06

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    216 occurrences · 0.8% of tests

  7. 07

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    141 occurrences · 0.5% of tests

  8. 08

    A tyre seriously damaged

    122 occurrences · 0.5% of tests

  9. 09

    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

  10. 10

    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

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

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.

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.

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

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

EV King · affiliate

EV charging & accessories

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

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.

Get a quote →

Buying or keeping a Model 3 Performance Awd?

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.