Car
Audi A4
81.0%
pass rate across 888,073 tests
77.2% first-time pass rate
Audi A4 vs BMW 3 Series
The two cars compared on 2,190,754 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
BMW 3 Series
81.2%
pass rate across 1,302,681 tests
77.6% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Too close to call on MOT evidence
The two are level on first-time passes: 77.2% for the Audi A4 and 77.6% for the BMW 3 Series. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the BMW 3 Series is +3.9 points against its expected rate, the Audi A4 +1.7. A typical repair bill is similar: £43–£118 for the Audi A4 and £37–£95 for the BMW 3 Series; at their pass rates that is roughly £824–£2,244 versus £704–£1,787 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the BMW 3 Series is Transmission oil leaks leaking excessively from transmission at 1.4% of tests, up to £700 to fix.
- First-time pass: 77.2% vs 77.6%.
- All MOTs: 81.0% vs 81.2%.
- Like-for-like: +1.7 vs +3.9 points.
- Typical repair bill: £43–£118 vs £37–£95.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 79.7% vs 80.1%.
| Measure | A4 | 3 Series |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 888,073 | 1,302,681 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 81.0% | 81.2% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 77.2% | 77.6% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | 0.0 pts | +0.2 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | +1.7 pts | +3.9 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 105,204 mi | 97,719 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2022 (23) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 91.4% | 2021 · 91.0% |
| Worst model year | 2000 · 73.5% | 2004 · 76.5% |
| Typical repair bill | £43–£118 | £37–£95 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £824–£2,244 | £704–£1,787 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Diesel 68% | Diesel 66% |
| Variants recorded | 3 | 2 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
A4
- Suspension pin or bush excessively worn 16.4% £40–£150
- Flexible brake hoses excessively deteriorated 2.1% £25–£70
- Linkage pin or bush excessively worn 2.1% £40–£150
3 Series
- Shock absorber leaking 9.7% £30–£75
- Flexible brake hoses excessively deteriorated 5.8% £25–£70
- Play in steering rack inner joint 3.3% £120–£300
- Transmission oil leaks leaking excessively from transmission 1.4% £200–£700
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | A4 | 3 Series |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 84.4% · 75,967 tests | 88.2% · 82,163 tests |
| 2017 | 85.6% · 72,304 tests | 88.5% · 12,195 tests |
| 2018 | 86.6% · 45,924 tests | 89.0% · 28,395 tests |
| 2019 | 88.7% · 42,722 tests | 89.2% · 38,602 tests |
| 2020 | 90.3% · 23,343 tests | 89.3% · 10,751 tests |
| 2021 | 90.0% · 13,017 tests | 91.0% · 856 tests |
| 2022 | 90.7% · 5,524 tests | 87.7% · 81 tests |
| 2023 | 91.4% · 278 tests | — |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | A4 | 3 Series |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 91.9% · 36,812 tests | 92.4% · 26,876 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 87.8% · 142,300 tests | 88.5% · 148,824 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 83.4% · 182,654 tests | 83.9% · 290,489 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 79.7% · 189,619 tests | 80.1% · 339,695 tests |
| 120k+ | 76.6% · 335,345 tests | 77.6% · 495,828 tests |
What to check before you buy
Audi A4
- Suspension pin or bush excessively worn — 16.4% of tests, £40–£150 to put right.
- Flexible brake hoses excessively deteriorated — 2.1% of tests, £25–£70 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2000 at 73.5%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
BMW 3 Series
- Shock absorber leaking — 9.7% of tests, £30–£75 to put right.
- Flexible brake hoses excessively deteriorated — 5.8% of tests, £25–£70 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2004 at 76.5%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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