Audi R8 MOT pass rate & common failures
20,155 MOT tests on the Audi R8 (2007–2022) give it a 91.9% pass rate. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 15.5% of the time, so this is 7.5pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
Best and worst R8 years
Ranked across R8 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
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2016 cars pass 94.7% of the time while 2007 cars manage 88.5%, a 6.2-point spread.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.2%) and suspension (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, shock absorbers and registration plates — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 454 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.1% versus 5.6%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 11.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 9.1% in 2021 to 7.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every R8 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1,553 | 88.5% | 11.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 2,949 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 1,577 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 1,837 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 1,618 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 950 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 1,279 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 1,275 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 1,060 | 92.5% | 7.4% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 1,775 | 94.7% | 5.3% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 1,666 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 1,406 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 580 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Other defects |
| 2020 | 363 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 216 | 93.1% | 6.9% | Other defects |
| 2022 | 51 | 96.1% | 3.9% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 645 |
| 2 | Suspension | 2.1% | 429 |
| 3 | Tyres | 1.9% | 391 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 306 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.2% | 236 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 202 |
| 7 | Visibility | 0.7% | 137 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 86 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 454 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 428 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 380 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 197 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 185 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 130 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 81 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 81 |
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 | 11.8% | 2,368 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.0% | 1,607 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.9% | 1,383 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.0% | 396 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 362 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.8% | 361 |
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 | 9,434 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 8,316 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 2,109 | 11.8% |
| 90-120k | 254 | 12.6% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 16.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,047 | 9.1% |
| 2022 | 4,051 | 8.0% |
| 2023 | 4,040 | 7.9% |
| 2024 | 4,019 | 8.1% |
| 2025 | 3,998 | 7.2% |
What to check before buying a Audi R8
- Lighting & signalling (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (2.1% 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.
- Tyres (1.9% 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.
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 R8?
91.9% of the 20,155 Audi R8 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.1% fail rate, across model years 2007–2022.
What does the Audi R8 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.2% of tests, then suspension (2.1%).
Which R8 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2016 has the best pass rate at 94.7% and 2007 the weakest at 88.5%, from 1,775 and 1,553 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect R8 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 16.1% for 120-150k, a 10.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,155 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.