Audi A6 vs Bmw 3 Series

On MOT-testable defects, the Audi A6 (fail rate 15.0%) performed better than the Bmw 3 Series (17.5%) across comparable years. The biggest divergence was visibility, where the 3 Series recorded failures more often.

15.0%
A6 fail rate
17.5%
3 Series fail rate
2.5pp
Difference

Side by side

MOT figures compared
MetricAudi A6Bmw 3 Series
MOT tests analysed715,3232,969,321
Pass rate85.0%82.5%
Fail rate15.0%17.5%
Fail rate compared (lower is better) Audi A6 15.0% Bmw 3 Series 17.5%
Overall MOT fail rate across comparable model years.

Where they differ

Failure-area share, by category
CategoryA63 Series
Visibility0.0%3.0%
Brakes2.7%5.6%
Emissions & environmental2.3%0.0%
Lighting & signalling5.8%7.8%
Suspension4.8%5.8%
Tyres6.2%6.3%

Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.

See the full data