How many Audi A3s are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records and 420,524 DVSA MOT tests.
Licensed in Great Britain433,527+0.1% on a year earlier
Declared SORN28,805Off the road, not taxed
MOT first-time pass rate, 202575.8%Cars of the same ages 71.6%
Rank by number licensedNo. 11of 1,159 models we cover
Peak year2025434,243 licensed
Average annual mileage7,401miles a year
How many Audi A3s are left in Great Britain?
There were 433,527 Audi A3s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 28,805 declared off the road (SORN).
That is 0.2% fewer than the peak of 434,243 in 2025.
The Audi A3 S-Line Turbo has its own page.
The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records
under that version’s name.
In 2025, 75.8% of Audi A3 MOT tests were passed first time,
against 72.8% for all cars.
Cars of the same ages as the Audi A3s tested pass 71.6% of the time, so the Audi A3 does better than average for its age, by 4.2 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 75.2%.
MOT first-time pass rate by age: Audi A3 vs all cars
Comparing like with like: each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older average age does not count against a model.
0%
50%
100%
3 years
4–5 years
6–7 years
8–10 years
11–14 years
15–19 years
20+ years
Audi A3
All cars
MOT first-time pass rate by vehicle age, Audi A3 compared with all cars
Suspension is the most common reason a Audi A3 fails its MOT,
appearing on 35.5% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in
more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%.
7.6% of Audi A3 tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.
Most common MOT failure categories
Share of failed Audi A3 MOT tests with at least one defect in each category
The single most common reason a Audi A3 failed its MOT in 2025 was
“Coil spring: fractured or broken”, on 13.4% of 101,581 failed tests.
51.7% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”.
The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. A test can fail for more than one.
Most common specific MOT defects on failed Audi A3 tests, 2025
Defect
Share of failed tests
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension
13.4%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres
10.8%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks
7.7%
Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension
7.0%
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres
7.0%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres
6.9%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes
6.8%
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure
6.5%
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
22 years of the Audi A3, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2014 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (77.3% passed first time) and the 2004 cars worst (54.0%).
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left:
licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025.
Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great
Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Audi A3 annual mileage
The average Audi A3 covers 7,401 miles a year,
worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.
Average annual mileage by age
0
5k
10k
8,641
4–5 years
7,953
6–7 years
7,710
8–10 years
7,280
11–14 years
6,511
15–19 years
5,335
20+ years
Average annual mileage of a Audi A3 by vehicle age
Of the 452,618 Audi A3s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 26.6% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc, and 20.9% have an engine of 1,401cc to 1,500cc. The share with an engine of 1,401cc to 1,500cc has grown from 0.0% in 2014 to 20.9%. Diesels made up 65.0% of those licensed in 2014 and 42.9% in 2025.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
Audi A3s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size
Share of those licensed
1,901cc to 2,000cc 120,319 licensed
26.6%
1,401cc to 1,500cc 94,758 licensed
20.9%
1,501cc to 1,600cc 87,622 licensed
19.4%
1,301cc to 1,400cc 81,097 licensed
17.9%
901cc to 1,000cc 35,502 licensed
7.8%
1,801cc to 1,900cc 15,018 licensed
3.3%
1,701cc to 1,800cc 10,359 licensed
2.3%
Other sizes 7,943 licensed
1.8%
Source:DfT / DVLAEnd of 2014 to end of 2025Updated
Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size
Fuel
Licensed
Share
1,901–2,000cc
Diesel
109,462
24.2%
1,401–1,500cc
Petrol
89,406
19.8%
1,501–1,600cc
Diesel
69,816
15.4%
1,301–1,400cc
Petrol
55,512
12.3%
901–1,000cc
Petrol
35,500
7.8%
1,301–1,400cc
Plug-in hybrid
24,925
5.5%
1,501–1,600cc
Petrol
17,802
3.9%
1,801–1,900cc
Diesel
14,999
3.3%
1,901–2,000cc
Petrol
10,857
2.4%
1,701–1,800cc
Petrol
10,357
2.3%
Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
Audi A3s licensed in the UK by fuel type, share of each year’s total
Year
Petrol
Diesel
Plug-in hybrid
2014
35.0%
65.0%
0.0%
2015
34.5%
65.2%
0.3%
2016
34.9%
64.7%
0.4%
2017
36.1%
63.4%
0.6%
2018
38.0%
61.3%
0.7%
2019
39.5%
59.9%
0.6%
2020
41.0%
58.0%
1.0%
2021
42.4%
55.3%
2.2%
2022
44.1%
53.0%
2.9%
2023
46.3%
49.6%
4.0%
2024
48.2%
46.0%
5.6%
2025
50.2%
42.9%
6.7%
Source:DfT / DVLAEnd of 2014 to end of 2025Updated
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN
excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page.
How we use engine sizes.
Audi A3 fuel economy and CO2
The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Audi A3 from 2000, when the data begins, and still lists it. On the WLTP test (listings 2025 to 2026), official combined fuel economy for its petrol, diesel and petrol hybrid versions ranges from 46.3 to 58.9 mpg, with CO2 of 116 to 139 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 941.6 mpg (weighted). On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 26.2 to 83.1 mpg, with CO2 of 89 to 259 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 156.9 to 176.0 mpg (weighted).
Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2025 to 2026
Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2025 to 2026
Engine and fuel
Combined mpg
CO2 g/km
Listed
Euro standard
Versions
1.0 petrol
47.9–50.4
128–135
2025–2026
Euro 6
1
1.5 petrol
46.3–52.3
122–139
2025–2026
Euro 6
4
2.0 diesel
53.3–58.9
125–139
2025–2026
Euro 6
2
1.5 petrol hybrid
49.6–55.4
116–130
2025–2026
Euro 6
4
1.5 plug-in hybrid
941.6
6–8
2025–2026
Euro 6
1
Older NEDC figures, listed 2000 to 2018 (14 engine and fuel groups)
Official NEDC figures by engine and fuel, listed 2000 to 2018
Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in
real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide)
come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
Plug-in hybrid figures are VCA’s weighted values, which count driving on battery power as
well as on fuel.
VCA’s data has no Audi versions for 2019 to 2024, so the years listed may leave out years the Audi A3 was on sale.
Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in
VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was
listed.
Matched from VCA’s model names “A3 Sportback”, “A3 Cabriolet”, “A3 Hatchback”, “A3 Saloon”. How we use VCA’s figures.
Audi A3 safety recalls
DVSA lists 24 safety recalls for the Audi A3 since 1992, the first in 1997. The most recent was launched on 8 August 2025.
Stop-drive TAKATA PSAN
Launched 8 August 2025DVSA recall R/2025/387Manufacturer ref. TKSD
Defect
Urgent Safety Warning – Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Affected vehicles were originally allocated to or used for an extended period of time in a region with a climate zone considered to as HIGH RISK. Certain front airbags contain an ageing inflator propellant that may explode when deployed due to long-term exposure to heat and humidity. If the airbag inflator explodes metal fragments may be ejected causing life-threatening or fatal injuries to anyone in the vehicle.
Remedy
Affected airbags will be be replaced. You can contact Audi's dedicated Takata Stop Drive helpline at 0113 526 9646 (MONDAY to FRIDAY 9:00AM to 5:00PM.
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Audi A3. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or
incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a
dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately.
First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
Models are grouped by DVLA’s generic model name, so every generation and trim counts together.
MOT figures cover normal tests of cars aged three and over in 2025; retests are excluded. Age is rounded to the nearest year.
DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
