Audi Q5 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 17 model years and 565,925 tests, the Audi Q5 passes its MOT 88.0% of the time. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (15.1% fail rate), the Q5 comes out 3.1pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
Best and worst Q5 years
Ranked across Q5 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
Not every year is equal — 94.3% of 2022 examples pass against 78.6% of 2009 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (4.0%) and lighting & signalling (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, headlamp aim and tread depth — joints alone was recorded 15,866 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.8% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.7pp more often than hybrid ones (12.7% vs 7.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Q5 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,149 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 24,021 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2010 | 22,651 | 80.3% | 19.7% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2011 | 33,095 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2012 | 27,073 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 35,706 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 49,774 | 86.6% | 13.4% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 59,892 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 63,100 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 58,025 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 73,205 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 53,196 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 29,250 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 24,940 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 10,389 | 94.3% | 5.7% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 455 | 97.1% | 2.9% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.0% | 22,389 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 17,848 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.1% | 17,740 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.8% | 16,068 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.9% | 10,574 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.6% | 8,749 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 8,092 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.4% | 2,000 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 15,866 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 14,035 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 12,392 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 10,189 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 9,807 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 8,856 |
| 7 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 7,230 |
| 8 | Wipers | 4,861 |
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 | 21.7% | 122,564 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.9% | 84,515 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.3% | 63,900 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.8% | 55,540 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 21,702 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 15,225 |
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 | 82,202 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 191,013 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 145,595 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 87,182 | 16.2% |
| 120-150k | 40,837 | 18.7% |
| 150k+ | 18,921 | 20.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 444,638 | 12.7% |
| Petrol | 108,360 | 9.9% |
| Hybrid | 12,927 | 7.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 91,069 | 11.5% |
| 2022 | 104,190 | 11.7% |
| 2023 | 113,520 | 12.1% |
| 2024 | 124,322 | 12.3% |
| 2025 | 132,824 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a Audi Q5
- Tyres (4.0% 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 (3.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.1% 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.
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 Q5?
88.0% of the 565,925 Audi Q5 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.0% fail rate, across model years 2008–2024.
What does the Audi Q5 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (3.1%).
Which Q5 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 94.3% and 2009 the weakest at 78.6%, from 10,389 and 24,021 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Q5 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.8% for 150k+, a 14.4-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Q5 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 7.0% of the time against 12.7% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 565,925 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.