18.8%
Fluid leak
The vehicle is leaking a fluid — oil, coolant, fuel or hydraulic. A slight seep is common on older cars; a continuous drip is both a road hazard and a sign of something failing.
MOT wording: Oil leak, but not excessive
AudiUsed-car reliability
How reliable is a used Audi?
At 7 years old, the average Audi fails its MOT less often than the average UK car.
MOT fail rate · 7-year-old cars
Audi14.1%
UK average16.6%
Fails less often than the average 7-year-old car (about 1 in 6 MOTs, 16.6%)
Where to start
The lowest and highest fail rates in the Audi range
The Audi models whose MOT tests at 7 years old most and least often ended in a fail.
What actually goes wrong
What breaks on Audi cars
The most common MOT faults across the Audi range, in plain English. Models with more MOT tests count for more. The percentage is the share of MOT tests on Audi cars that recorded that defect.
18.2%
Tyre condition
A tyre is worn, cut, damaged or otherwise not fit for the road. Tyres are the only thing connecting the car to the road, so this is always worth taking seriously.
MOT wording: Tyre worn close to the legal limit or worn on the edge
12.8%
Wheel bearing
A wheel bearing is worn or damaged. Wheel bearings let the wheels spin smoothly — when worn, they make a humming or grinding noise and can cause the wheel to wobble.
MOT wording: Wheel bearing has slight play
10.5%
Suspension joint, pin or bush
A suspension ball joint, pin, or rubber bush is worn or has excessive play. These are the pivot points and flexible mountings that let the suspension move — wear causes knocking sounds and vague steering.
MOT wording: Suspension arm pin or bush worn, but not moving too much
Across all Audi models; models with more MOT tests count for more.
The whole range
Every Audi that ranks, in plain English
For each model, one number: the share of its MOT tests at 7 years old that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. Lower is better. The UK average (about 1 in 6 MOTs, 16.6%) is shown for reference. Only models with enough MOT data at 7 years old are ranked. The rest sit just below, unranked.
14 models
Audi R8
The lowest 7-year fail rate of any Audi here.
4.5%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A8
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
7.4%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi Q8
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
7.5%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi TT
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
10.4%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi Q2
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
10.4%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A7
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
11.6%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A3
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
12.1%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A6
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
12.7%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi Q5
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
13.3%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi Q3
Among the lower fail rates in the Audi range at 7 years old.
13.4%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi Q7
Above the Audi average, but below the UK average.
14.3%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A5
Above the Audi average, but below the UK average.
16.2%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A4
Above the Audi average, and at or above the UK average.
17.3%fail rate at 7 years old
Audi A1
Above the Audi average, and at or above the UK average.
17.9%fail rate at 7 years old
Fail rates are the share of MOT tests on 7-year-old cars ending in a fail, retests included (DVSA MOT results, 2025). UK average across all makes at the same age: 16.6%. How we count fail rates
Not directly comparable with the figures at 7 years old
Shown unranked. These models don’t have enough MOT data at 7 years old yet. They’re either too new (few cars old enough) or too old (few still on the road). Each is shown at the age with the most tests, so the percentages aren’t directly comparable to the list above.
Too new to rankAudi SQ5
5.8%fail rate at 3 years old · 600 MOT tests
Too new to rank
Audi RS6
7.5%fail rate at 4 years old · 616 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi RS3
8.0%fail rate at 3 years old · 922 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi S3
8.8%fail rate at 3 years old · 1,667 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi S4
8.8%fail rate at 5 years old · 611 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi e-tron
8.9%fail rate at 4 years old · 7,328 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi e-tron GT
9.0%fail rate at 3 years old · 905 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi S5
9.4%fail rate at 3 years old · 277 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi Q4 e-tron
10.4%fail rate at 3 years old · 6,431 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi SQ7
10.7%fail rate at 3 years old · 497 MOT tests
Too new to rankAudi RS5
12.4%fail rate at 4 years old · 315 MOT tests
Too old to rankAudi RS4
14.5%fail rate at 18 years old · 552 MOT tests
Too old to rank
Audi Coupe
21.0%fail rate at 25+ years old · 604 MOT tests
Too old to rank
Audi Cabriolet
25.7%fail rate at 25+ years old · 1,054 MOT tests
Too old to rankAudi 80
28.5%fail rate at 25+ years old · 970 MOT tests
Too old to rankAudi A2
33.4%fail rate at 23 years old · 1,738 MOT tests
Looking at one in particular?
Averages tell you the odds across the range. Enter a number plate to see that car’s own MOT history, its risk rating, and what’s likely to need attention.