2020 Audi Q5 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 29,250 MOT tests, the 2020 Audi Q5 recorded a 93.2% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 8.7% of the time, so this is 2.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.8%) and lighting & signalling (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, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 509 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Q5 fails 5.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 2.8% at 120-150k, a spread of only 2.6 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 6.3% of the time against 7.7% for hybrid.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 18.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.9% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.8% | 1,122 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 527 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.9% | 270 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.7% | 208 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 149 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 104 |
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 | 509 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 403 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 300 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 165 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 131 |
| 6 | Wipers | 127 |
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 | 18.6% | 5,453 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.0% | 3,223 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.0% | 2,338 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 870 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.8% | 814 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 217 |
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 | 11,038 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 15,330 | 7.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,508 | 8.9% |
| 90-120k | 328 | 8.5% |
| 120-150k | 36 | 2.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 14,873 | 6.8% |
| Petrol | 9,188 | 6.3% |
| Hybrid | 5,189 | 7.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 461 | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 9,903 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 9,496 | 6.6% |
| 2025 | 9,367 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Q5
On a 2020 Q5, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.8% 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 (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (0.9% 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 2020 Audi Q5s pass their MOT?
93.2% of the 29,250 2020 Audi Q5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Audi Q5?
Tyres, recorded in 3.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.8%).
Does the 2020 Q5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 2.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 29,250 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.