2016 Audi Q5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Audi Q5 passed 89.4% of its 63,100 recorded MOT tests. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 3.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, body, structure & corrosion and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.4%) and body, structure & corrosion (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, tread depth and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 1,390 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.1% versus 5.3%.
The diesel cars hold up better: 10.4% fail against 13.0% for petrol, a 2.6-point gap across 63,100 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.4% | 2,793 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 1,437 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 1,271 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.9% | 1,182 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 986 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.4% | 889 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 1,390 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,214 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,192 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,188 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 894 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 810 |
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 | 22.7% | 14,319 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.0% | 10,104 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.0% | 6,333 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.5% | 6,004 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 2,407 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 760 |
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 | 3,563 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 26,015 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 23,688 | 12.2% |
| 90-120k | 7,801 | 13.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,611 | 14.6% |
| 150k+ | 420 | 19.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 59,077 | 10.4% |
| Petrol | 4,023 | 13.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,437 | 7.8% |
| 2022 | 12,600 | 9.1% |
| 2023 | 12,688 | 10.9% |
| 2024 | 12,694 | 12.0% |
| 2025 | 12,681 | 13.0% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Q5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (2.3% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Lighting & signalling (2.0% 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
How many 2016 Audi Q5s pass their MOT?
89.4% of the 63,100 2016 Audi Q5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Audi Q5?
Tyres, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (2.3%).
Does the 2016 Q5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 19.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 63,100 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.