Car statistics by year
2020 Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model 3 cars first registered in 2020: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2020, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 82.1% All 2020 cars 86.9%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 51,200 miles; all 2020 cars 36,000
- Left at the end of 2025 21,248 95.8% of the 22,177 at the end of 2020
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 10.6% All 2020 cars 4.7%
- Tests with an advisory 42.5% All 2020 cars 38.2%
- MOT tests in 2025 22,143 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2020 Tesla Model 3s do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 5 years old, 82.1% of 2020 Tesla Model 3 MOT tests were passed first time, against 86.9% for all cars first registered in 2020. 2020 Tesla Model 3s did worse than average for their age, by 4.8 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 83.0% of the time (all 2020 cars 88.0%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Tesla Model 3 vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Tesla Model 3 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Tesla Model 3 | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’19 | 82.2% | 84.4% |
| ’20 | 82.1% | 86.9% |
| ’21 | 86.0% | 88.4% |
| ’22 | 85.2% | 89.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2020 Tesla Model 3
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm was the most common single reason a 2020 Tesla Model 3 failed, on 28.7% of about 4,000 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (68.1% of failed tests; all 2020 cars 39.8%). 10.6% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 4.7% for all cars first registered in 2020. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 28.7% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 25.5% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 13.2% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 8.4% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 6.4% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.9% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 4.1% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.4% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 3.4% |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative Tyres | 2.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Tesla Model 3 vs all 2020 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 68.1% |
| Suspension | 17.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 15.2% |
| Visibility | 6.7% |
| Brakes | 5.7% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 1.8% |
| Road wheels | 1.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2020 Tesla Model 3
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 42.5% of 2020 Tesla Model 3 tests had at least one (all 2020 cars 38.2%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 22.8% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 11.3% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 5.9% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 2.9% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 2.9% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.6% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 2.5% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 1.7% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 1.7% |
| Service brake performance: fluctuating, but not excessively Brakes | 1.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2020 Tesla Model 3?
Half of the 2020 Tesla Model 3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 51,200 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 38,000 and a quarter more than 67,700. For all cars first registered in 2020, the middle figure was 36,000 miles, so 2020 Tesla Model 3s have been driven 42.2% further than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Tesla Model 3 | 27,400 | 38,000 | 51,200 | 67,700 | 86,800 | 20,348 |
| All 2020 cars | 17,200 | 25,300 | 36,000 | 49,000 | 63,900 | 1,452,206 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2020 Tesla Model 3s are left?
At the end of 2020, 22,177 2020 Tesla Model 3s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 21,248 were: 20,996 licensed and 252 declared off the road (SORN). That is 95.8% still on the record, against 96.9% for all cars first registered in 2020.
Share still on the record since 2020
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2020. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2020 Tesla Model 3 | All 2020 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2021 | 98.5% | 99.4% |
| 2022 | 95.7% | 98.4% |
| 2023 | 94.1% | 95.6% |
| 2024 | 92.0% | 96.7% |
| 2025 | 95.8% | 96.9% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2020
9 of the Tesla Model 3’s 11 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2020.
The 2020 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2020 may have been built in 2019, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
Every Tesla Model 3 recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the Tesla Model 3
4 years of the Tesla Model 3, 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 2019 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (82.2% passed first time) and the 2020 cars worst (82.1%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10,596 | 10,066 | 82.2% |
| 2020 | 22,177 | 21,248 | 82.1% |
| 2021 | 34,623 | 32,511 | 86.0% |
| 2022 | 18,979 | 18,294 | 85.2% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered. 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.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 22,143 MOT tests of 2020 Tesla Model 3 cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 21,248 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Tesla Model 3 cars first registered in 2020; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2020.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- 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.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.