2020 Audi S6 — MOT failures & pass rate
276 MOT tests on the 2020 Audi S6 are in this dataset, and 91.7% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (9.3% fail rate), the 2020 S6 comes out 1.0pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests against 1.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, registration plates and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 5 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.2% once past 60-90k — 4.4× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 9.4% in 2023 to 7.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 13 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 4 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 4 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 3 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.7% | 2 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.7% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 5 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 4 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 3 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3 |
| 6 | Wipers | 2 |
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 | 18.5% | 51 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.1% | 25 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.2% | 20 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.1% | 14 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.7% | 13 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 2 |
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 | 80 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 150 | 6.7% |
| 60-90k | 36 | 22.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 96 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 88 | 8.0% |
| 2025 | 91 | 7.7% |
What to check before buying a 2020 S6
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.7% of tests. Start there.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.5% 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
How many 2020 Audi S6s pass their MOT?
91.7% of the 276 2020 Audi S6 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Audi S6?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.5%).
Does the 2020 S6 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 22.2% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 276 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.