How reliable is the Volkswagen ID3 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Volkswagen ID3, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 89.0% across 26,011 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Volkswagen ID3?

The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 41.4% of failed Volkswagen ID3 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Volkswagen ID3?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 32.2% of all Volkswagen ID3 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Volkswagen ID3 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 33,165 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Model reliability file

Volkswagen ID3 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 26,011 recorded MOT tests of the Volkswagen ID3, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 26,011 MOT tests, 89.0% of Volkswagen ID3 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Volkswagen ID3 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is tyre seriously damaged, which appears in 41.4% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 33,165 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

89.0%unadjusted, not comparable26,011 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the ID3. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 26,011 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

Electric car

How the ID3 compares with other electric cars

At 3 to 5 years old the Volkswagen ID3 passes 89.0% of MOT tests, from 25,533 tests in that age band. Petrol and diesel cars of the same age pass 89.9%, so this model sits 0.9 points below that baseline. Among electric cars it ranks 16 of 43.

There is no emissions test for an electric car and the MOT does not check the battery. Electric cars as a group fail slightly more often than same-age petrol cars, almost entirely on tyres and suspension, because they are heavier and deliver full torque instantly.

Every electric car ranked, and what fails · What the MOT tests on an electric car

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Volkswagen ID3 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A tyre seriously damaged41.4%
1,008 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.A tyre cords visible or damaged31.2%
760 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements22.4%
545 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage6.2%
151 occurrencesShock absorber defective explained
5.An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning4.3%
105 occurrencesLamp not working explained
6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn4.0%
97 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen3.4%
82 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
8.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements3.2%
78 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
9.A tyre seriously damaged2.9%
70 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
10.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen2.7%
65 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Volkswagen ID3 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements32.2%
8,371 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements6.1%
1,580 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged3.1%
811 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.8%
727 tests
5.A tyre seriously damaged2.6%
677 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.Nail in tyre1.7%
450 tests
7.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn1.5%
380 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
8.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage1.2%
324 testsShock absorber defective explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Volkswagen ID3

The 18 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

Known faults

Volkswagen ID3 common problems, by part and by year

The same failure record read the way a buyer asks the question: which parts wear out on a ID3, when they start, and how each registration year compares — including the steps that mark a generation change.

ID3 common problems and results by year

What gets tested

The ID3 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 33,165
Fuel mix of tested cars: Electric100.0%

Trim names grouped into this model (13)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

ID3 1ST EDITION
ID3 BUSINESS
ID3 FAMILY
ID3 FIRST EDITION
ID3 LIFE
ID3 MAX
ID3 PRO
ID3 PRO LAUNCH EDITION 1
ID3 PRO S
ID3 PURE ESTATE
ID3 STYLE
ID3 TECH
ID3 TOUR

Check a specific Volkswagen ID3

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Volkswagen models

Volkswagen Golf — 78.3% adjusted
Volkswagen Polo — 67.5% adjusted
Volkswagen Transporter — 73.7% adjusted
Volkswagen Tiguan — 77.3% adjusted
Volkswagen Passat — 77.9% adjusted
Volkswagen Caddy — 72.1% adjusted
All Volkswagen models

Common questions

How reliable is the Volkswagen ID3 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Volkswagen ID3, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 89.0% across 26,011 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Volkswagen ID3?: The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 41.4% of failed Volkswagen ID3 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Volkswagen ID3?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 32.2% of all Volkswagen ID3 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Volkswagen ID3 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 33,165 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.