2016 Audi A7 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Audi A7 passed 88.2% of its 13,413 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as executive cars of a similar age (12.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.4% of tests against 1.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and malfunction indicator lamp — tread depth alone was recorded 388 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.4% versus 9.5%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.9% of the time against 11.9% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.4% | 992 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 212 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.6% | 209 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.4% | 185 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 154 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.9% | 127 |
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 | 388 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 177 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 176 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 119 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 109 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 109 |
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 | 20.6% | 2,761 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.1% | 1,482 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.7% | 1,036 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.1% | 816 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 487 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 166 |
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 | 726 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 5,165 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 4,988 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,893 | 13.3% |
| 120-150k | 489 | 11.9% |
| 150k+ | 152 | 16.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,970 | 11.9% |
| Petrol | 1,443 | 10.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,735 | 10.6% |
| 2022 | 2,709 | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 2,677 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 2,682 | 12.8% |
| 2025 | 2,610 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 A7
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (1.6% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (1.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Audi A7s pass their MOT?
88.2% of the 13,413 2016 Audi A7 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Audi A7?
Tyres, recorded in 7.4% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (1.6%).
Does the 2016 A7 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.5% in the 0-30k band to 16.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,413 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.