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Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI car check

Is the Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI reliable? We analysed 1,465 real MOT tests across 209 vehicles to find out.

Got a specific Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI? Enter the reg for a free check:

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,465 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
85.8%
Typical Mileage
122,770mi
Annual Mileage
8,147mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI.

Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
5,679 mi/yr
Typical
8,147 mi/yr
Average
9,080 mi/yr
Heavy usage
11,364 mi/yr

Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
122,770 mi
75th Percentile
148,880 mi
95th Percentile
197,204 mi
Max Recorded
1,208,258 mi

How Does the Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI THIS CAR 85.8% 1,465 122,770 mi — yrs
Audi A3 78% 7,415,025 78,776 mi 29 yrs
Audi A4 76.1% 7,096,957 96,834 mi 31 yrs
Audi A6 78.4% 2,724,792 98,890 mi 31 yrs
Volvo XC40 Inscription Pro T5 PHEV A 91.9% 780 33,564 mi — yrs

Compared to the Audi A3 (78.0% pass rate) and the Audi A4 (76.1% pass rate), the Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI?

The Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI has an overall MOT pass rate of 85.8% across 1,465 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

A typical Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI owner drives around 8,147 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI reliable?
Based on 1,465 MOT tests, the Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI has a 85.8% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI do per year?
The typical Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI does around 8,147 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Audi A3 Sport 138 TDI?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.