Audi Q3, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
177,833 Audi Q3s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 82.4% of initial MOT tests, 10.1 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific Q3? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Audi Q3 at the MOT
82.4% of 141,023 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Q3 165th of 575 models. Audi Q3s aged 3 to 5 years passed 91.4% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 70.4%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Audi Q3 tests in 2025.
Where Q3s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Audi Q3 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (14.7%), tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (9.8%) and pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (6.5%).
The MOT page lists every common Q3 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Q3's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.31% of Q3 failure items
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.24.1% of Q3 failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.12.4% of Q3 failure items
Audi Q3s in the UK
177,833 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 266% since the end of 2015.
- Change since 2015
- +266%from 48,643 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 10,313against 17,843 in 2016
- Declared off the road
- 1,4900.8% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Audi Q3s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 34,254 |
| End of 2015 | 48,643 |
| End of 2016 | 65,774 |
| End of 2017 | 82,096 |
| End of 2018 | 94,359 |
| End of 2019 | 107,187 |
| End of 2020 | 118,922 |
| End of 2021 | 130,167 |
| End of 2022 | 141,869 |
| End of 2023 | 152,592 |
| End of 2024 | 164,486 |
| End of 2025 | 173,673 |
| End of June 2026 | 177,833 |
How old they are
Licensed Audi Q3s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 449 were first used before 2012.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9,144 | 10,313 |
| 2024 | 12,892 | 13,292 |
| 2023 | 11,402 | 11,762 |
| 2022 | 10,781 | 11,431 |
| 2021 | 11,019 | 11,555 |
| 2020 | 12,538 | 13,059 |
| 2019 | 13,686 | 14,467 |
| 2018 | 12,426 | 13,034 |
| 2017 | 16,182 | 17,145 |
| 2016 | 16,694 | 17,843 |
| 2015 | 14,014 | 15,079 |
| 2014 | 13,480 | |
| 2013 | 11,493 | |
| 2012 | 6,439 |
14,014 Q3s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 93% of the 15,079 first registered that year.
Q3 engines and fuel
2.0 litre engines made up 61% of Audi Q3 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.5 litre at 21%. Petrol accounts for 56% of licensed Q3s and diesel for 41%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 141,018 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Q3s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 99,572 | 56% |
| Diesel | 72,889 | 41% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 5,366 | 3% |
| Hybrid electric | 5 | <0.1% |
| Gas | 1 | <0.1% |
Audi Q3 recalls
11 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Audi Q3. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Q3 is affected.
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Oct 2026 R/2026/359
48LG Replacing bolt for steering rack
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On Audi Q3 and Q6 (MQB China only) models manufactured within a specific period corrosion may occur on a bolted connection securing the steering rack due to moisture entering in combination with significant exposure to road salt. Gradual corrosion can impair the secure attachment of the steering rack and lead to it no longer being possible to steer the vehicle increasing the risk of an accident.
- Remedy
- The bolted connection for the steering rack will be replaced on all affected vehicles.
-
Aug 2026 R/2026/325
Checking lap belt tensioner
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the seat belt webbing may not be connected correctly to the vehicle's load-bearing structure meaning it would not be able to restrain the occupant in the event of an accident.
- Remedy
- Check the affected seat belt and replace if necessary.
-
Jul 2026 R/2026/292
Replacement front seat belt
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles a joint at the pyrotechnic inflator of the front seat belt retractors was not welded correctly presenting a risk of vehicle occupants being injured by small parts coming loose in the event of an accident.
- Remedy
- Replace the affected seat belts.
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Nov 2023 R/2023/331
A weld seam on the outer backrest frame of the front seats may not have been made correctly
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Check the front seats and if required to replace the affected backrest.
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Nov 2022 R/2022/354
Certain vehicles may have been fitted with a rear window which does not conform to the manufacturer s quality requirements
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Certain vehicles may have been fitted with a rear window which does not conform to the manufacturer's quality requirements.
- Remedy
- Check the manufacturing date of the vehicle's rear window and if it is affected replace the window.
-
Mar 2022 R/2022/073
The design trim on the power unit can become detached from its retainers
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- The design trim on the power unit must be removed on the affected vehicles.
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Sep 2021 R/2021/323
The bolted connection on the input rod between the electromechanical brake servo and brake pedal can be come loose
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The bolted connection of the pull rod between the electromechanical brake servo and brake pedal may come loose resulting in a loss of all service braking ability.
- Remedy
- Vehicles are not to be driven and the bolted connection of the input rod between the electromechanical brake servo and brake pedal must be checked and if necessary retightened.
-
Oct 2020 R/2020/302
Seat frame may not be bolted correctly to the rail on the driver and passenger sides
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The seat frame may not have been bolted correctly to the seat rail on the driver and/or front passenger side
- Remedy
- Check the affected seat frame connection and replace the frame if required.
Q3 vs similar cars
Head-to-head comparisons on the same 2025 DVSA data.
Audi Q3 FAQs
How many Audi Q3s are there in the UK?
177,833 Audi Q3s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 1,490 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Audi Q3 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 82.4% first-time pass rate for the Audi Q3 across 141,023 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Audi Q3 had any recalls?
11 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Audi Q3. The most recent was published in October 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Audi Q3?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, tyres and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check an Audi Q3's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a Q3?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Audi history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Audi VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.