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Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a car check

Is the Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a reliable? We analysed 919 real MOT tests across 412 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 919 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
86.9%
Typical Mileage
43,284mi
Annual Mileage
9,142mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a 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 35 TDI S-a.

Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

83.9%
2023
88.5%
2022
87.5%
2021
85.3%
2020

Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 24
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 6
Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure 3

Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
6,175 mi/yr
Typical
9,142 mi/yr
Average
10,547 mi/yr
Heavy usage
13,696 mi/yr

Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 56 83.9% 28,831 38,311 52,072
2022 183 88.5% 27,701 38,568 53,568
2021 303 87.5% 30,972 44,609 63,308
2020 333 85.3% 29,328 43,163 59,586

How Long Does a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a Last?

Based on 412 Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a vehicles on UK roads.

Average
3.2 years
Median
3.0 years

Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
43,284 mi
75th Percentile
60,239 mi
95th Percentile
90,606 mi
Max Recorded
171,333 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2022

88.5% MOT pass rate from 183 tests

Year to avoid
2023

83.9% MOT pass rate from 56 tests

The best year to buy a used Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a is 2022, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 88.5% across 183 tests. The 2023 model year has the lowest pass rate at 83.9% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a 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 35 TDI S-a THIS CAR 86.9% 919 43,284 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
Yamaha Ttr 83.6% 1,500 10,607 mi 33 yrs

Compared to the Audi A3 (78.0% pass rate) and the Audi A4 (76.1% pass rate), the Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a?

The Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.9% across 919 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a owner drives around 9,142 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 35 TDI S-a — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a reliable?
Based on 919 MOT tests, the Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a has a 86.9% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a do per year?
The typical Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a does around 9,142 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a?
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.
What is the best year to buy a Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Audi A3 Sport 35 TDI S-a is 2022 with a 88.5% pass rate across 183 tests.