Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
Enter a registration number to see MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and more for any Tesla Model 3.
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With 129,404 currently licensed in the UK, the Tesla Model 3 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the Model 3 5 stars in 2019, with 96% adult occupant and 86% child protection scores.
It has a 86.2% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, tyres, lighting.
Annual running costs are estimated at £2,138 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £178/month or 27p/mile.
Theft risk is rated low at 4.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
NCAP Safety
2019
MOT Pass Rate
86.2%
25,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£178
est. annual total
New From
£38,000
Euro NCAP tested the Model 3 in 2019 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
96%
Child Occupant
86%
Pedestrian
74%
Safety Assist
94%
There are 34 known DVSA recalls affecting the Tesla Model 3. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/422
On affected vehicles one or both reverse lamps may fail to switch on when the driver selects reverse gear due to a loss of continuity in the rear lamp circuit.
Build dates: 2025-03-04 to 2025-04-17
R/2025/350
On affected vehicles a firmware feature that allowed for high-speed sampling of the right front window motor encoder was not enabled bringing vehicles out of compliance with the relevant regulations for Auto-reversing Requirements.
Build dates: 2025-03-03 to 2025-07-17
R/2025/049
On a small percentage of affected vehicles upon vehicle power up the car computer board may experience a short resulting in the loss of rear view camera functionality .
Build dates: 2024-01-21 to 2024-09-27
R/2025/049
On a small percentage of affected vehicles upon vehicle power up the car computer board may experience a short resulting in the loss of rear view camera functionality .
Build dates: 2024-04-10 to 2024-12-09
R/2025/049
On a small percentage of affected vehicles upon vehicle power up the car computer board may experience a short resulting in the loss of rear view camera functionality .
Build dates: 2024-06-11 to 2024-06-11
+ 29 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Based on 25,000 MOT tests, the Model 3 has a first-time pass rate of 86.2% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The Model 3 is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Tesla Model 3 are estimated at around £2,138 per year, or £178 per month.
Fuel
£0
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£1,688
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
Battery
60 kWh
Range (WLTP)
305 mi
Motor
208 kW
279 bhp
Drive
RWD
Rapid charge: 30 min (10-80%) | Home charge: 8h (0-100%)
Starting from £38,000 new, a Tesla Model 3 typically retains about 62% after 3 years and 51% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 83% | £31,350 | −£6,650 |
| 2 years | 70% | £26,650 | −£11,350 |
| 3 years | 62% | £23,450 | −£14,550 |
| 4 years | 56% | £21,100 | −£16,900 |
| 5 years | 51% | £19,400 | −£18,600 |
| 6 years | 48% | £18,050 | −£19,950 |
| 7 years | 45% | £16,950 | −£21,050 |
| 8 years | 42% | £16,150 | −£21,850 |
| 9 years | 40% | £15,300 | −£22,700 |
| 10 years | 38% | £14,550 | −£23,450 |
The Model 3 has a theft rate of 4.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.
There are currently 129,404 licensed and 805 SORN Model 3s in the UK (130,209 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The Model 3 has a 86.2% first-time MOT pass rate based on 25,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the Model 3 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2019. It scored 96% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant protection, 74% for vulnerable road users, and 94% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Model 3 are estimated at around £2,138 per year (£178/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 34 known safety recalls affecting the Model 3. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The Model 3 has a theft rate of 4.9 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.
A new Model 3 starts from around £38,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 51% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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