2020 Audi A7 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Audi A7 passed 90.7% of its 2,165 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 10.0%, so the 2020 A7 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 5.9% of all tests — 4.5 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and registration plates — tread depth alone was recorded 103 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 A7 fails 8.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 11.3% at 60-90k, a spread of only 3.2 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.2% of tests failed in 2022 against 8.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.9% | 128 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 30 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 25 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 24 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 17 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 14 |
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 | 103 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 28 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 23 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 21 |
| 5 | Wipers | 20 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 16 |
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 | 22.6% | 489 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.8% | 191 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.0% | 130 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.0% | 108 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 65 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 5 |
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 | 863 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,083 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 194 | 11.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,294 | 10.3% |
| Petrol | 448 | 6.5% |
| Hybrid | 423 | 9.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 31 | 3.2% |
| 2023 | 737 | 9.8% |
| 2024 | 717 | 10.0% |
| 2025 | 676 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a 2020 A7
On a 2020 A7, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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
How many 2020 Audi A7s pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 2,165 2020 Audi A7 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Audi A7?
Tyres, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.4%).
Does the 2020 A7 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.1% in the 0-30k band to 11.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,165 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.