Audi A5 MOT pass rate

In 2023, the Audi A5 passed 78.4% of its first MOT tests, from 121,266 tests in Great Britain. That is 7 points above the 71.4% average for all cars, taxis and light vans.

Pass rate78.4%
Tests in 2023121,266
Average age8.9 yrs
Average mileage80,387
Rank (of 100)17

Most common Audi A5 MOT failures

The area that failed most often was tyres, affecting 8.8% of tests. The red line shows the average for all cars.

Share of Audi A5 tests failing in each area
  • Tyres 8.8% vs 6.3%
  • Suspension 5.5% vs 8.9%
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 4.9% vs 11.3%
  • Brakes 3.2% vs 6.8%
  • Visibility 2.8% vs 4.8%
  • Noise, emissions and leaks 1.9% vs 3.1%
  • Body, chassis, structure 1.8% vs 3.4%
  • Identification of the vehicle 0.6% vs 0.4%

Average for all cars

Components that failed most often
  • Tyres: condition 5.6% vs 3.7%
  • Tread depth 3.5% vs 2.6%
  • Headlamp aim 2.4% vs 3.3%
  • Coil spring 2.0% vs 2.6%
  • Brake pads 1.9% vs 2.1%
  • Malfunction indicator lamp 1.5% vs 1.5%
  • Shock absorbers 1.5% vs 1.1%
  • Washers 1.4% vs 2.5%

Average for all cars

Top reasons for failure

Reason for failureShare of tests
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.4%
Tyres: condition: Has ply or cords exposed2.3%
Coil spring: Fractured or broken2.0%
Tyres: condition: Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.8%
Brake pads: Less than 1.5 mm thick1.6%
Shock absorbers: Has a serious fluid leak1.4%
Headlamp aim: Too low1.2%
Wipers: Does not clear the windscreen effectively1.2%
Pins and bushes: Pin or bush excessively worn1.2%
Joints: Constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.0%

Audi A5 pass rate by age

The pass rate changes with age: 87.3% for cars aged 3 to 5 years and 68.8% for those aged 15 years or more. Older cars usually fail more often because parts like suspension, brakes and exhausts wear with time and mileage.

First-time pass rate by vehicle age
  • 3 to 5 years 87.3% vs 71.4%
  • 6 to 9 years 81.0% vs 71.4%
  • 10 to 14 years 72.7% vs 71.4%
  • 15 years or more 68.8% vs 71.4%

Average for all cars (71.4%)

Pass rate by fuel type

FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel71,95975.9%
Petrol49,30382.1%

Most common Audi A5 advisories

Advisories do not fail the test, but they often become failures by the next MOT. These were noted most often:

Share of tests with an advisory in each area
  • Tread depth 20.9%
  • Brake pads 9.6%
  • Pins and bushes 8.6%
  • Tyres: condition 8.5%
  • Brake discs 7.9%
  • Shock absorbers 6.5%
  • Vehicle 4.8%
  • Registration plates 1.9%

See MOT advisories explained for what to do about them.

How we worked this out

These figures come from DVSA's anonymised MOT testing data for 2023, covering every class 4 MOT test in Great Britain (cars, taxis and light vans). We count normal tests only, not retests. A test counts as a first-time pass if the vehicle passed without any repairs. Tests where defects were fixed at the test centre within an hour (PRS) count as fails, in line with DVSA's own statistics. Failure areas show the share of tests with at least one failure in that area, so the figures add up to more than the fail rate.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, Open Government Licence v3.0. Model names are as recorded at the test.

Other Audi models

Similar popular models

See MOT pass rates for all 100 models

Frequently asked questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Audi A5?

In 2023, 78.4% of Audi A5 MOT tests were passed first time, from 121,266 tests in Great Britain. The average for all cars, taxis and light vans was 71.4%.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Audi A5?

The most common failure area was tyres, which caused 8.8% of tests to fail. Next came suspension (5.5%) and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (4.9%).

Is the Audi A5 reliable at its MOT?

Its first-time pass rate of 78.4% is 7 points above the average and ranks 17 of the 100 most-tested models. Age and mileage matter more than the model, so always check the history of the car you are buying.

How do I check a Audi A5's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free MOT history check. You will see every test, the mileage at each test and all failures and advisories.