6,788 tests in 2025
Audi S3 reliability and MOT pass rate
87.1% passed first time. The 12.9% fail rate is 9.7 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 5 years old with 46,081 miles.
Pass rate
87.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 12.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
46,081 mi
5 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 3,514 | 8.6% |
| 6-9 years | 215 | 9.3% |
| 10-13 years | 1,190 | 13.7% |
| 14+ years | 1,805 | 21.5% |
What the S3 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres369 dangerous40.6%
- Suspension17 dangerous27.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous20.1%
- Brakes64 dangerous19.4%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous15.5%
- Body, chassis, structure4 dangerous12.3%
- Visibility8.3%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems3.8%
Is the S3 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 5.2 points to 13.2% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,565 | 12 | 18.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,219 | — | 16.6% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 4,949 | — | 14.2% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 6,280 | — | 13.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical S3 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a S3 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords102 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm94 tests
- 3Condition: has ply or cords exposed93 tests
- 4Coil spring: fractured or broken81 tests
- 5Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt67 tests
- 6Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits58 tests
- 7Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction55 tests
- 8Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt55 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical S3 collects 2.41 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm846 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick349 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened347 tests
- 4Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine250 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure182 tests
- 6Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened171 tests
- 7Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn156 tests
- 8Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened155 tests
Questions
What is the Audi S3 MOT pass rate?
87.1% of the 6,788 Audi S3 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 12.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Audi S3 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords", recorded on 102 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Condition: has ply or cords exposed". By section, tyres appears in 40.6% of failures, suspension appears in 27.3% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 20.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8.6%; at 14+ years it was 21.5%. The median Audi S3 tested in 2025 was 5 years old with 46,081 miles.
Is the Audi S3 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 5.2 points to 13.2% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every S3 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Audi models
Checking a particular S3?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.