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Audi A8 build years & generations

Coverage 2003-present3 named generationsSaloonPETROL / DIESEL

The Audi A8 spans several build years and named generations (2003-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

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 2003-2004

    Generation
    D3
    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
    D3
    Figures from
    cars built 2005-2008

    Counted with this generation only.

  • Built 2009

    Generation
    D3
    Figures from
    cars built 2009-2012

    Counted together with D3 and D4 cars built in the same years.

  • Built 2010-2012

    Generation
    D4
    Figures from
    cars built 2009-2012

    Counted together with D3 and D4 cars built in the same years.

  • Built 2013-2016

    Generation
    D4
    Figures from
    cars built 2013-2016

    Counted with this generation only.

  • Built 2017-2020

    Generation
    D5
    Figures from
    cars built 2017-2020

    Counted with this generation only.

  • Built 2021+

    Generation
    D5
    Figures from
    cars built 2021 onwards

    Counted with every car built from 2021.

“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 A8 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

D5 only

All D5 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)

6.2%

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

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

383

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
2375.1%
4 years
1466.2%

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 4 years old.

Built

2017-2020

D5 only

These build years are all D5, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

7.4%

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

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

2,910

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
1527.9%
5 years
5137.4%
6 years
9807.6%
7 years
8067.4%
8 years
4597.6%

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 4 years old.

Audi A8 2013-2016
Built

2013-2016

D4 only

These build years are all D4, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

8.7%

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

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

3,600

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
4099.8%
9 years
1,0048.6%
10 years
9517.7%
11 years
8799.4%
12 years
3578.7%

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.

Audi A8 2009-2012
Built

2009-2012

A mix of D3 and D4

These build years include both D3 and D4 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

18.5%

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

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

2,277

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
32915.5%
13 years
72912.9%
14 years
61413.0%
15 years
41013.9%
16 years
19518.5%

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 16 years old.

Built

2005-2008

D3 only

These build years are all D3, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

17.9%

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

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

1,941

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
21619.0%
17 years
73017.1%
18 years
46418.5%
19 years
35819.8%
20 years
17317.9%

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 19 years old.

Built

Before 2005

D3 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the D3.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

25.1%

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

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

681

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
5820.7%
21 years
14917.4%
22 years
9423.4%
23 years
9619.8%
24 years
9330.1%
25+ years
19125.1%

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 24 years old.