Audi A3 2006: MOT failure rate for its age
44.1% of 105,468 MOT tests of the Audi A3 first registered in 2006 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 103.9 (95% CI 102.9–104.8; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 44.1 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 105468 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 102.9–104.8) | 103.9 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 105468 |
| Rank among this model's 23 build years | 17 | of 23 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 105468 |
| Tested in 2024 | 11757 | tests | median 135,766 miles | 2024 | 11757 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2006 Audi A3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2006 were tested at ages 13 to 18 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 23,438 | 43.8 | 43.1–44.4 | 42 | 104.3 |
| 14 | 20,097 | 43.9 | 43.2–44.6 | 40.9 | 107.3 |
| 15 | 18,912 | 45 | 44.3–45.7 | 42.5 | 105.8 |
| 16 | 16,815 | 44 | 43.3–44.8 | 42.5 | 103.6 |
| 17 | 14,449 | 43.6 | 42.8–44.4 | 43.6 | 100.1 |
| 18 | 11,757 | 44.3 | 43.5–45.2 | 44.5 | 99.6 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 105,468 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2006 Audi A3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2006 is suspension: 38.9 items per 100 first tests, against 15.2 across all build years of the Audi A3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2006 were tested at ages 13 to 18.
| Failure group | Built 2006, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 38.9 | 15.2 | 40,977 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 30.1 | 13.4 | 31,708 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 25.8 | 6.7 | 27,186 |
| Brakes | 20.3 | 8.9 | 21,430 |
| Tyres | 13 | 10.5 | 13,751 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 105,468 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2006 compare with the years around it?
Among the 23 published build years of the Audi A3, 2006 ranks 17 (1 = fails least for its age). 2005: index 103.2. 2007: index 101.2.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 97.7 | 90.1–105.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,416 |
| 1999 | 96.6 | 91.2–102.1 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,697 |
| 2000 | 96.5 | 92.7–100.4 | no different | 5,398 |
| 2001 | 99.1 | 96.1–102.2 | no different | 8,875 |
| 2002 | 104.2 | 101.7–106.7 | worse | 13,914 |
| 2003 | 105.1 | 103.0–107.2 | worse | 19,985 |
| 2004 | 106.1 | 104.6–107.5 | worse | 42,199 |
| 2005 | 103.2 | 102.2–104.3 | worse | 80,264 |
| 2006 | 103.9 | 102.9–104.8 | worse | 105,468 |
| 2007 | 101.2 | 100.3–102.1 | worse | 118,614 |
| 2008 | 100.7 | 99.8–101.5 | no different | 140,269 |
| 2009 | 98.7 | 97.9–99.5 | better | 154,135 |
| 2010 | 104.6 | 103.7–105.5 | worse | 164,090 |
| 2011 | 105.1 | 104.1–106.1 | worse | 137,844 |
| 2012 | 107.3 | 106.4–108.3 | worse | 160,644 |
| 2013 | 99.3 | 98.3–100.3 | no different | 169,298 |
| 2014 | 95.9 | 95.0–96.8 | better | 239,634 |
| 2015 | 94.2 | 93.3–95.2 | better | 257,227 |
| 2016 | 91.3 | 90.3–92.3 | better | 242,368 |
| 2017 | 90.2 | 89.0–91.4 | better | 183,484 |
| 2018 | 96.2 | 94.5–97.8 | better | 111,087 |
| 2019 | 101.1 | 98.8–103.4 | no different | 63,694 |
| 2020 | 100.9 | 94.8–107.0 | no different | 9,252 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,431,856 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Audi A3 2006 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/audi-a3/2006/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Audi A3 1998 · Audi A3 1999 · Audi A3 2000 · Audi A3 2001 · Audi A3 2002 · Audi A3 2003 · Audi A3 2004 · Audi A3 2005 · Audi A3 2007 · Audi A3 2008 · Audi A3 2009 · Audi A3 2010 · Audi A3 2011 · Audi A3 2012 · Audi A3 2013 · Audi A3 2014 · Audi A3 2015 · Audi A3 2016 · Audi A3 2017 · Audi A3 2018 · Audi A3 2019 · Audi A3 2020 · Audi A3 in Finland · Audi A3 in the Netherlands · Audi A3 in Norway · Audi A3 by postcode area · Audi A3 body, chassis and structure failures · Audi A3 brakes failures · Audi A3 vehicle identification failures · Audi A3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Audi A3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Audi A3 road wheels failures · Audi A3 seat belts and airbags failures · Audi A3 steering failures · Audi A3 suspension failures · Audi A3 tyres failures · Audi A3 visibility failures