Skip to content

Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a vs Audi A4: reliability comparison

MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.

Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a
88%
MOT pass rate · 1,439 vehicles
More reliable
Audi A4
76%
MOT pass rate · 568,515 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a is the more reliable of the two — 88% pass first time versus 76%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.

Head to head

Measure Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a Audi A4
MOT pass rate 88% ✓ 76%
MOT failure rate 12% ✓ 24%
Faults & advisories per test 0.9 ✓ 1.9
Dangerous-fault share 11% 2% ✓
Average mileage 38,337 mi 133,841 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 1,439 568,515

Most common faults

Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a

  1. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  2. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  3. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  4. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  5. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))
  6. Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Audi A4

  1. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  2. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  3. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  5. Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
  6. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate, the Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a is the more reliable of the two — 88% pass first time versus 76%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.

Full Audi A3 s line edition 1 35 tdi s-a report Full Audi A4 report Most reliable cars

Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.