Audi Q7 MOT pass rate & common failures
264,265 MOT tests on the Audi Q7 (2001–2024) give it an 86.8% pass rate. Against large SUVs of a similar age (14.9% fail rate), the Q7 comes out 1.7pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
Best and worst Q7 years
Ranked across Q7 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 — 91.8% of 2022 examples pass against 81.5% of 2008 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.9%) and lighting & signalling (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, coil spring and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 8,207 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.3% in the 0-30k band and 17.9% in the 150k+ band, a 9.6-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.8pp more often than hybrid ones (13.3% vs 8.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.9% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Q7 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 7,978 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 19,468 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 13,766 | 81.5% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 7,598 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 8,805 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Tyres |
| 2011 | 10,398 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Tyres |
| 2012 | 13,305 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 18,240 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 18,195 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 18,271 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 27,898 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 30,072 | 87.3% | 12.8% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 27,206 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 20,084 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 12,265 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 6,967 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 3,623 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 120 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.9% | 15,473 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 10,093 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.1% | 8,326 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.1% | 8,093 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 5,650 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 3,871 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 1,861 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.6% | 1,475 |
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 | 8,207 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 4,564 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 4,187 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 3,771 |
| 5 | Wipers | 3,474 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3,251 |
| 7 | Pins and bushes | 3,070 |
| 8 | Washers | 2,651 |
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 | 22.9% | 60,520 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.7% | 44,157 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.3% | 27,302 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.6% | 25,356 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.7% | 17,607 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 11,404 |
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 | 23,723 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 71,830 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 66,832 | 13.0% |
| 90-120k | 50,525 | 14.7% |
| 120-150k | 32,242 | 16.6% |
| 150k+ | 19,076 | 17.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 255,662 | 13.3% |
| Petrol | 6,878 | 9.8% |
| Hybrid | 1,721 | 8.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47,498 | 13.2% |
| 2022 | 51,114 | 12.8% |
| 2023 | 54,014 | 13.5% |
| 2024 | 55,325 | 13.5% |
| 2025 | 56,314 | 12.9% |
What to check before buying a Audi Q7
- 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 (3.8% 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 Q7?
86.8% of the 264,265 Audi Q7 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.2% fail rate, across model years 2001–2024.
What does the Audi Q7 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.9% of tests, then lighting & signalling (3.8%).
Which Q7 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.8% and 2008 the weakest at 81.5%, from 3,623 and 13,766 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Q7 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 17.9% for 150k+, a 9.6-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Q7 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 8.5% of the time against 13.3% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 264,265 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.