Audi Q2 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 13 model years and 309,455 tests, the Audi Q2 passes its MOT 93.1% of the time. Against small SUVs of a similar age (9.4% fail rate), the Q2 comes out 2.4pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Q2 years
Ranked across Q2 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
The strongest year on this record is 2022 (94.8% pass rate); the weakest is 2016 (91.7%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — tyres (4.2%) and brakes (1.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 6,247 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.3% once past 150k — 4.0× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 6.6% fail against 8.3% for diesel, a 1.8-point gap across 309,455 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Q2 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3,719 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 65,407 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 77,920 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 70,901 | 93.3% | 6.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 47,710 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 30,172 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 13,191 | 94.8% | 5.2% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 416 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.2% | 12,849 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.8% | 5,445 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 4,899 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 3,378 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 1,140 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 1,006 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 955 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.2% | 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 | 6,247 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 4,632 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,765 |
| 4 | Washers | 2,458 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 1,806 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 1,054 |
| 7 | Wipers | 1,010 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 981 |
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 | 23.9% | 74,098 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.2% | 50,120 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 23,075 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 8,367 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.5% | 7,681 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 883 |
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 | 137,042 | 4.6% |
| 30-60k | 137,850 | 8.2% |
| 60-90k | 29,751 | 10.9% |
| 90-120k | 4,133 | 12.8% |
| 120-150k | 549 | 12.9% |
| 150k+ | 120 | 18.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 239,664 | 6.6% |
| Diesel | 69,791 | 8.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30,077 | 5.6% |
| 2022 | 47,513 | 6.0% |
| 2023 | 63,909 | 7.0% |
| 2024 | 77,458 | 7.4% |
| 2025 | 90,498 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a Audi Q2
- Tyres (4.2% 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.
- Brakes (1.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.6% 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 Q2?
93.1% of the 309,455 Audi Q2 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 6.9% fail rate, across model years 2012–2024.
What does the Audi Q2 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.2% of tests, then brakes (1.8%).
Which Q2 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 94.8% and 2016 the weakest at 91.7%, from 13,191 and 3,719 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Q2 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 18.3% for 150k+, a 13.7-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Q2 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 6.6% of the time against 8.3% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 309,455 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.