Audi Q8 MOT pass rate & common failures
17,029 MOT tests on the Audi Q8 (2016–2025) give it a 92.6% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 9.6% of the time, so this is 2.2pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests against 1.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, registration plates and malfunction indicator lamp — tread depth alone was recorded 387 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Q8 fails 5.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.1% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.8 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 7.4% of the time against 7.5% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Q8 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 3,216 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 7,506 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 2,798 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 2,222 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 1,176 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 106 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 800 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.1% | 187 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 167 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.0% | 163 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.9% | 162 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 133 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.3% | 58 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 38 |
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 | 387 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 269 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 164 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 144 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 129 |
| 6 | Wipers | 99 |
| 7 | Washers | 96 |
| 8 | Attachment | 54 |
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 | 18.1% | 3,089 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.7% | 2,333 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.4% | 1,254 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.7% | 467 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 459 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 55 |
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 | 5,296 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 9,037 | 8.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,329 | 8.2% |
| 90-120k | 316 | 8.2% |
| 120-150k | 39 | 5.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 14,753 | 7.4% |
| Petrol | 1,965 | 7.5% |
| Hybrid | 281 | 6.8% |
| Electric | 30 | 0.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 725 | 6.8% |
| 2022 | 2,581 | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 3,525 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 4,514 | 7.2% |
| 2025 | 5,684 | 7.9% |
What to check before buying a Audi Q8
- Tyres (4.7% 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.
- Visibility (1.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Q8?
92.6% of the 17,029 Audi Q8 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.4% fail rate, across model years 2016–2025.
What does the Audi Q8 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, then visibility (1.1%).
How much does mileage affect Q8 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 5.1% for 120-150k, a 0.8-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Q8 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 7.4% of the time against 7.5% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 17,029 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.