Is the Audi S3 ULEZ compliant?

Whether a Audi S3 is ULEZ compliant depends on its engine and registration date: petrol from 2006 and diesel from September 2015 generally qualify, and electric versions are always exempt.

What insurance group is the Audi S3 in?

The Audi S3 sits in insurance group 23 of 50. Your actual premium still depends on age, postcode, annual mileage and no-claims history.

Is the Audi S3 reliable?

Our reliability score for the Audi S3 is 69 out of 100 (about average), derived from DVSA MOT records, with a first-time MOT pass rate of about 86% at the reference age.

What economy does the Audi S3 get?

Expect roughly around 34 mpg combined for a typical Audi S3, based on official figures and our running-cost model. Real-world figures vary with driving style, load and conditions.

What are the common problems on the Audi S3?

On the Audi S3, the issues that come up most by mileage include Suspension, Tyres & wheels and Lighting & signalling. The section above breaks down each one with its typical mileage, repair cost and severity.

How many Audi S3s are on UK roads?

About 36,558 Audi S3s are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Is the Audi S3 reliable?

The Audi S3 scores 69/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 54% of the cars we track. That is computed from 101,020 real DVSA MOT test results.

How much does a used Audi S3 cost?

A 2023 Audi S3 with around 25,419 miles is worth roughly £30,650 today (typical range £27,150–£34,200). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.

How quickly does the Audi S3 depreciate?

A new Audi S3 typically loses about 35% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.

What insurance group is the Audi S3?

The Audi S3 sits in insurance group 23 of 50 — the middle of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.

What goes wrong on a used Audi S3?

The most common age-related issues we track for the Audi S3 are: suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); lighting & signalling (typically around over 100k miles, £15-£120 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.

What does the Audi S3 cost to run?

Expect around 34 mpg combined, £195 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Ranked #151 car in the UK · Hatchback · 1,574 units sold last year

Audi S3

The Audi S3 (8V to 2020, 8Y 2020 on) is the all-weather quick hatch - a 300-plus-bhp turbo four with standard quattro, wrapped in a discreet A3 body. It's the sensible-shoes performance car: rapid point-to-point in any conditions, comfortable enough daily, and far subtler than a hot-hatch rival. Not as playful as a front-drive Honda or Renault, but quietly devastating and easy to live with year-round.

Body: Hatchback
Years: 2018–2026
Fuel: Petrol
Economy: 34 mpg
Insurance: Group 31

The short version

55/100

Forecourt score

Value 82 · Reliability 31 · Insurance 47

The Audi S3 holds its value well and is dearer to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is average, 69 out of 100, ahead of 31% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 82% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20). Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Petrol · 1984cc

Power

310 ps

Drivetrain

AWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

37 mpg

Volume S3 Sportback — 2.0 TFSI, 310 PS, quattro AWD, 7-speed S tronic. 4.8s 0-62.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

Year of registration2023

20182026

Mileage on the clock25,419 mi

0Expected: 25,419180k

Conditiongood

PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Region

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Know the registration?

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

£30,650

Range £25,600 – £36,150

medium confidence

When new (2023)£50,000Age-based value£32,500Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region+£16Market calibration-£66Forecourt price£32,450Private sale£28,900Part-exchange£25,450

Buythis 3-year-old

Past the steep drop — most of the depreciation is behind it.

At 25,419 miles it’s about the ~26,818 typical for a 3-year-old.

Seen one for sale?

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Audi S3 loses value over time.

Marker = your selection
Dashed = mileage either side

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 25,419 miles you entered above — worth about £30,650 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 8,473 miles a year.

5-year total

£22,593

Per year

£4,519

All-in per mile

£0.53

Fuel per mile

20.5p

If a company carAround £691/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£345/mo at 20%) — 37% band

Depreciation£4,826

Fuel / energy£8,682

Servicing£2,570

Road tax£975

Insurance£5,540

If you're a company-car driver

At 37% BIK, a 40% taxpayer would pay about £691/month in company-car tax (£345/month at 20%) — on top of the running costs above. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 4 years

A 4-year-old example loses roughly £3,100 a year — under half the £10,000 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 82%

Reliabilitybetter than 31%

Fuel economybetter than 15%

Cheap to insurebetter than 47%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

Petrol

The default choice: lowest purchase price and easy upkeep, at the cost of higher fuel bills than a hybrid.

New price: £32,400
Annual fuel / energy: £1,783
3-yr depreciation: 49%

Watch for

·Carbon build-up on direct-injection engines
·Ignition coils and spark plugs with age
·Cam or wet-belt service where fitted

Diesel

Makes sense for high motorway mileage; less so for short urban hops, where the DPF struggles.

New price: £34,650
Annual fuel / energy: £1,761
3-yr depreciation: 52%

Watch for

·DPF clogging on mostly-short journeys
·EGR valve and turbo wear with mileage
·AdBlue system upkeep on newer engines

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 22/06/2026) · Petrol 153.3p/L, Diesel 172.5p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 23 of 50 (mid — around the UK average) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

No-claims bonus3 years

0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+

Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£1,108/ year

Roughly £92 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.

Age band	Lower risk	Typical	Higher risk
Age 17-25	£2,526	£3,158	£4,105
Age 26-32	£1,319	£1,551	£1,892
Age 33-39Selected	£975	£1,108	£1,307
Age 40-49	£828	£920	£1,067
Age 50+	£738	£820	£968

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

Annual mileage8,473 mi/yr

2,000UK avg for this model: 8,47330,000

Routine service

£290

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£280

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£195

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£1,551

34 mpg, £1.49/L

Insurance

£1,108

Age 33-39, group 31

Clean-air zones

⚠ Depends on variant

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£3,424 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£120

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£360

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£780

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£1,350

per year · high risk

Tyres

195/65 R15 · 205/55 R16 · 215/45 R17

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

Option	New cost	Added used value	Return
Tow bar (factory-fit) Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.	£650	£450	69%
Parking sensors & reversing camera Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.	£500	£300	60%
Heated seats / cold-weather pack	£450	£200	44%
Adaptive / matrix LED headlights	£900	£400	44%
Metallic or premium paint Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.	£600	£200	33%
Panoramic / opening roof	£1,100	£350	32%
Advanced driver-assistance pack	£1,500	£450	30%
Larger alloy wheels	£700	£200	29%
Premium sound system	£800	£200	25%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 25,419 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450medium severityParts high

Recorded in 10.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 99,393 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £80-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 6.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 99,393 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120medium severityParts high

Recorded in 8.4% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 99,393 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 6.1% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 99,393 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

EmissionsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£800medium severityParts high

Recorded in 5.3% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 99,393 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 2.7% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 99,393 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 101,020 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

90.5% at 3yr → 73.2% at 25yr

A 3-year-old S3 passes its MOT 90.5% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 73.2%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

10%of 27-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 319 vehicles registered in 1999.

Survival by registration year

10% of 1999 cars still on the road

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every S3 currently MOT’d in the UK. From 17,950 vehicles.

Petrol 97.5%
Other 2.4%

Common MOT failures by mileage

The defect categories this S3 fails on most often, and how the failure rate climbs as the miles add up — from the same DVSA test records.

Category	0-30k	30-60k	60-100k	100k+
Suspension	1%	3%	7%	11%
Tyres & wheels	4%	4%	5%	7%
Lighting & signalling	—	2%	4%	8%
Brakes	1%	2%	3%	6%
Emissions	—	1%	2%	5%
Driver's view	1%	1%	2%	3%

Share of MOT tests in each mileage band with at least one defect in that category. The peak band for each is highlighted.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a S3 at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

0 yr71,032
1 yr61,819
2 yr24,741
3 yr26,818
4 yr36,398
5 yr45,904
6 yr56,120
7 yr63,970
8 yr71,166
9 yr77,939
10 yr84,252
11 yr90,322

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records (ages with at least 10 tests shown).

Reliability

69/ 100

Average

Composite of MOT pass rate, defect prevalence and cohort survival from 99,393 tests — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

86%first-time pass rate

54th percentile — About catalogue average

Based on 7,490 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

01quattro makes it a brilliant all-season weapon; the trade-off is less adjustable, more planted handling than a front-drive hot hatch.
02The S tronic dual-clutch is quick but wants its fluid changed on schedule - check history.
03Subtle looks are a feature, not a bug - it flies under the radar far better than an RS3.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Audi S3, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

Higher-value cars like this are relay-theft targets — keyless entry can be exploited from the driveway in under a minute.

Parts theft

Around average

Parts-theft risk is around average — catalytic-converter theft is the main thing to be aware of on any petrol or diesel car.

Worth doing

Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Audi S3 into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

City	Area	Daily charge	Likely outcome
London	All of Greater London (within the M25)	£12.50	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Birmingham	Inside the A4540 Middleway	£8.00	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Bristol	City centre and part of the Portway	£9.00	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Glasgow	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Edinburgh	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Aberdeen	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.
Dundee	City centre	—	Likely exempt Petrol from 2006 meets Euro 4.

Zones that don't charge private cars

Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Audi S3 as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 189 g/km, using £56,000 as the P11D value.

Tax year	BIK %	Tax @ 20%	Tax @ 40%	Monthly @ 20%	Monthly @ 40%
2025-26	37%	£4,144	£8,288	£345	£691
2026-27	37%	£4,144	£8,288	£345	£691
2027-28	38%	£4,256	£8,512	£355	£709
2028-29	39%	£4,368	£8,736	£364	£728
2029-30	39%	£4,368	£8,736	£364	£728

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Audi is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~115

Large network

Premium mainstream

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Audi is 2.6% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

Length

4,300 mm

Width

1,790 mm

Height

1,460 mm

Kerb weight

1,350 kg

Boot

380–1,250 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

Of every Audi S3 ever registered in the UK, this is what's actively on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, or gone for good.

Total ever registered

39,852

Currently taxed & on road

36,558

92% of all registered

SORN (off road)

3,294

8% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

+2.2% vs 2024

13,70336,558

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 1 Jul 2026

Common questions

Audi S3, answered

Is the Audi S3 ULEZ compliant?: Whether a Audi S3 is ULEZ compliant depends on its engine and registration date: petrol from 2006 and diesel from September 2015 generally qualify, and electric versions are always exempt.
What insurance group is the Audi S3 in?: The Audi S3 sits in insurance group 23 of 50. Your actual premium still depends on age, postcode, annual mileage and no-claims history.
Is the Audi S3 reliable?: Our reliability score for the Audi S3 is 69 out of 100 (about average), derived from DVSA MOT records, with a first-time MOT pass rate of about 86% at the reference age.
What economy does the Audi S3 get?: Expect roughly around 34 mpg combined for a typical Audi S3, based on official figures and our running-cost model. Real-world figures vary with driving style, load and conditions.
What are the common problems on the Audi S3?: On the Audi S3, the issues that come up most by mileage include Suspension, Tyres & wheels and Lighting & signalling. The section above breaks down each one with its typical mileage, repair cost and severity.
How many Audi S3s are on UK roads?: About 36,558 Audi S3s are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

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Same underpinnings

Built on the VW MQB platform

Volkswagen Group's modular transverse-engine platform underpinning a huge range of cars from supermini to mid-size SUV. Introduced 2012 with the Golf Mk7. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

Volkswagen Group Modularer Querbaukasten · Volkswagen Group

Common questions

Audi S3, answered from the data

Is the Audi S3 reliable?: The Audi S3 scores 69/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 54% of the cars we track. That is computed from 101,020 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used Audi S3 cost?: A 2023 Audi S3 with around 25,419 miles is worth roughly £30,650 today (typical range £27,150–£34,200). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Audi S3 depreciate?: A new Audi S3 typically loses about 35% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Audi S3?: The Audi S3 sits in insurance group 23 of 50 — the middle of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Audi S3?: The most common age-related issues we track for the Audi S3 are: suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); lighting & signalling (typically around over 100k miles, £15-£120 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Audi S3 cost to run?: Expect around 34 mpg combined, £195 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.