Audi A4 years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year
Audi A4 years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2018 and 2022. Above it: 2003–2017 and 2020. The other 3 years can't be told apart from average.
- Below the average for their first-use year2018 and 2022
- Above the average for their first-use year2003–2017 and 2020
- Can't be told apart from average2002, 2019 and 2021
The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.
First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 72.9% to 73.3%.
In 2025, 73.1% of the 240,135 initial MOT tests on Audi A4 cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 69.3%. That is 3.8 points above the same-age average.
Check a specific A4
Audi A4 MOT pass rate by year
| Year | Chart | Testsmedian miles | Passed first time | Against all vehicles that year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022age 3 | 6,71229,100 | 87.7%±0.9 | −0.8 ptsall: 88.5% | |
| 2021age 4 | 7,13939,700 | 87.7%±0.8 | +0.5 ptsall: 87.2% | |
| 2020age 5 | 8,44245,400 | 87.5%±0.8 | +1.5 ptsall: 86.0% | |
| 2019age 6 | 13,10953,400 | 83.7%±0.7 | +0.2 ptsall: 83.5% | |
| 2018age 7 | 13,51862,000 | 79.9%±0.7 | −1.0 ptsall: 80.9% | |
| 2017age 8 | 21,02374,900 | 78.9%±0.6 | +0.7 ptsall: 78.2% | |
| 2016age 9 | 21,68385,900 | 78.5%±0.6 | +3.6 ptsall: 74.9% | |
| 2015age 10 | 16,06296,400 | 73.7%±0.7 | +1.8 ptsall: 71.9% | |
| 2014age 11 | 16,511106,300 | 72.7%±0.7 | +4.1 ptsall: 68.6% | |
| 2013age 12 | 15,555114,000 | 72.5%±0.8 | +6.7 ptsall: 65.8% | |
| 2012age 13 | 12,874124,200 | 70.9%±0.8 | +7.4 ptsall: 63.5% | |
| 2011age 14 | 13,129133,800 | 68.6%±0.8 | +7.4 ptsall: 61.2% | |
| 2010age 15 | 12,052138,200 | 65.9%±0.9 | +6.6 ptsall: 59.3% | |
| 2009age 16 | 11,447140,900 | 64.9%±0.9 | +6.6 ptsall: 58.3% | |
| 2008age 17 | 13,087139,000 | 62.8%±0.9 | +5.6 ptsall: 57.2% | |
| 2007age 18 | 12,415134,900 | 64.1%±0.9 | +6.7 ptsall: 57.4% | |
| 2006age 19 | 10,426133,500 | 62.9%±1.0 | +5.9 ptsall: 57.0% | |
| 2005age 20 | 5,680135,600 | 62.1%±1.3 | +4.5 ptsall: 57.6% | |
| 2004age 21 | 4,998141,900 | 61.9%±1.4 | +4.1 ptsall: 57.8% | |
| 2003age 22 | 2,804142,500 | 61.1%±1.9 | +2.4 ptsall: 58.7% | |
| 2002age 23 | 1,469146,300 | 61.3%±2.6 | +1.8 ptsall: 59.5% |
Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.
When a car's mileage doesn't add upCommon A4 problems at the MOT
MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.
What to check when viewing a A4
Suspension
- Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
- On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
- The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.
Lights and electrics
- Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
- Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
- Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.
Tyres
- Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
- Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
- Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.
Brakes
- On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
- Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
- Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.
Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.
Check a A4's MOT historyAfter an MOT advisory
Tyres
Of Audi A4 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 9.3% failed on tyres, against 6.1% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 29,831 and 98,372 cars.
Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 16.8% of those with a tyre advisory and 14.9% of the others.
Brakes
Of Audi A4 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 7.2% failed on brakes, against 3.6% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 20,342 and 107,784 cars.
Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 19.0% of those with a brake advisory and 14.6% of the others.
Suspension
Of Audi A4 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 13.6% failed on suspension, against 9.0% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 24,128 and 102,973 cars.
Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 20.3% of those with a suspension advisory and 14.0% of the others.
Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.
How we worked this outAudi A4 questions
Which Audi A4 years have lower MOT pass rates?
Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2018 and 2022. Above average: 2003–2017 and 2020. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.
Is the Audi A4 reliable?
MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 73.1% of initial MOT tests on Audi A4 cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 69.3%. That is 3.8 points above average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.
What are the most common Audi A4 problems at the MOT?
The most common failure areas are suspension (in 37.0% of failed tests), lights and electrics (in 29.7% of failed tests) and tyres (in 28.1% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.
What mileage is normal for a 10-year-old Audi A4?
At their 2025 MOT tests, Audi A4 cars first used in 2015, about 10 years old, had a median of 96,400 miles. Half had more and half had less.
How do I check a specific A4's MOT history?
Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.
Check a car's MOT history for freeWhat MOT data can't tell you about any Audi A4
Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.
Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't showOther Audi models
- Audi A3+4.8 pts against the same-age average
- Audi A1+1.2 pts against the same-age average
- Audi Q3+4.8 pts against the same-age average
- Audi A5+5.4 pts against the same-age average
- Audi A6+8.8 pts against the same-age average
- Audi Q5+7.0 pts against the same-age average
Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.
All 13 Audi modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by ageSource: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Audi A4 cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count