Audi A7 MOT pass rate & common failures
92,623 MOT tests on the Audi A7 (2007–2024) give it an 88.1% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (14.4% fail rate), the A7 comes out 2.5pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst A7 years
Ranked across A7 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2019 cars pass 91.0% of the time while 2011 cars manage 85.6%, a 5.4-point spread.
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 6.8% of all tests — 4.5 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 3,329 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 14.7% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.3pp more often than hybrid ones (12.1% vs 8.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.0% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every A7 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 772 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 9,435 | 85.6% | 14.4% | Tyres |
| 2012 | 7,597 | 86.6% | 13.4% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 11,106 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 11,068 | 87.3% | 12.7% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 11,460 | 88.6% | 11.3% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 13,413 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 9,246 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 7,693 | 90.8% | 9.2% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 6,546 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 2,165 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 1,562 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 538 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.8% | 6,326 |
| 2 | Suspension | 2.3% | 2,136 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 1,945 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 1,489 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.3% | 1,193 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 1,020 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.6% | 593 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.6% | 541 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 3,329 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 1,448 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,288 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,170 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 855 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 826 |
| 7 | Coil spring | 738 |
| 8 | Wipers | 669 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 22.0% | 20,378 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.7% | 10,847 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.2% | 9,399 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.1% | 5,656 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 3,887 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 2,318 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 8,090 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 26,302 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 27,445 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 18,265 | 13.6% |
| 120-150k | 8,646 | 13.6% |
| 150k+ | 3,866 | 14.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 82,896 | 12.1% |
| Petrol | 9,138 | 9.8% |
| Hybrid | 589 | 8.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,170 | 11.8% |
| 2022 | 18,454 | 11.5% |
| 2023 | 18,893 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 19,169 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 18,937 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a Audi A7
- Tyres (6.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (2.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (2.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Audi A7?
88.1% of the 92,623 Audi A7 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.9% fail rate, across model years 2007–2024.
What does the Audi A7 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 6.8% of tests, then suspension (2.3%).
Which A7 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 91.0% and 2011 the weakest at 85.6%, from 6,546 and 9,435 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect A7 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.7% for 150k+, a 6.7-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel A7 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 8.8% of the time against 12.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 92,623 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.