Audi

Audi A6 build years & generations

Coverage 2004-present3 named generationsSaloonDIESEL / PETROL / HYBRID ELECTRIC

The Audi A6 spans several build years and named generations (2004-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest Audi A6 generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2004
Generation
C6
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2008
Generation
C6
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2009-2010
Generation
C6
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with C6 and C7 cars built in the same years.
Built 2011-2012
Generation
C7
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with C6 and C7 cars built in the same years.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
C7
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2017
Generation
C7
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with C7 and C8 cars built in the same years.
Built 2018-2020
Generation
C8
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with C7 and C8 cars built in the same years.
Built 2021+
Generation
C8
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted with every car built from 2021.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2004	C6	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2008	C6	2005-2008	Counted with this generation only.
2009-2010	C6	2009-2012	Counted together with C6 and C7 cars built in the same years.
2011-2012	C7	2009-2012	Counted together with C6 and C7 cars built in the same years.
2013-2016	C7	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2017	C7	2017-2020	Counted together with C7 and C8 cars built in the same years.
2018-2020	C8	2017-2020	Counted together with C7 and C8 cars built in the same years.
2021+	C8	2021 onwards	Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Audi A6 build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

C8 only

All C8 cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

8.4%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

8,135

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

4,9708.7%

4 years

3,1658.4%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 3 years old.

Built

2017-2020

A mix of C7 and C8

These build years include both C7 and C8 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

12.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

33,854

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

1,5977.6%

5 years

6,0039.8%

6 years

9,79911.1%

7 years

10,10512.7%

8 years

6,35013.5%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

C7 only

These build years are all C7, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

17.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

54,289

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

6,48513.7%

9 years

14,72814.7%

10 years

13,06115.7%

11 years

12,74017.3%

12 years

7,27517.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 11 years old.

Built

2009-2012

A mix of C6 and C7

These build years include both C6 and C7 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

24.2%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

31,028

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

3,88018.3%

13 years

9,27419.5%

14 years

8,06622.8%

15 years

7,06824.6%

16 years

2,74024.2%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 15 years old.

Built

2005-2008

C6 only

These build years are all C6, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

27.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

16,985

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

2,29427.1%

17 years

6,41326.0%

18 years

4,74526.9%

19 years

2,59227.0%

20 years

94127.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

C6 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the C6.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

27.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

3,105

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

52430.0%

21 years

82927.9%

22 years

62628.6%

23 years

33331.5%

24 years

20428.9%

25+ years

58927.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 23 years old.