Audi A1: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Audi A1 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 213,203 individual Audi A1 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 79.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 Audi A1s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Audi A1 tested had covered 59,958 miles and was built around 2016.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Audi A1 sits 2.8 points above the national average, ranked 1,457 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific Audi A1 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Audi A1: £975 at UK salvage auction, from 29 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Audi A1

1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.3% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.6% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.9% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.4% of tests
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.6% of tests
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.3% of tests
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.8% of tests
8. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.8% of tests
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.4% of tests
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.9% of tests

From 212,955 DVSA-tracked Audi A1 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 6.97% of these flagged Audi A1 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Audi A1

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Audi A1 before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 19.5% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 20.7% of tests (1.34x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.4% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.8% of tests (1.18x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 27.5% of tests, also fails
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 14.1% of tests, also fails
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.2% of tests, also fails
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.8% of tests, also fails
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 2.2% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.1% of tests

From 212,955 DVSA-tracked Audi A1 tests, 2024.

Audi A1 pass rate by model year

From its 2010 to its 2022 model year, the Audi A1's first-time pass rate has risen 27.8 points, from 67.7% to 95.5%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Audi A1 year:

• 2010 Audi A1 - 67.7% first-time pass, 1,396 tests
• 2011 Audi A1 - 70% first-time pass, 16,216 tests
• 2012 Audi A1 - 72.7% first-time pass, 18,408 tests
• 2013 Audi A1 - 73.8% first-time pass, 22,285 tests
• 2014 Audi A1 - 76.8% first-time pass, 22,939 tests
• 2015 Audi A1 - 79.2% first-time pass, 23,808 tests
• 2016 Audi A1 - 79.4% first-time pass, 25,674 tests
• 2017 Audi A1 - 81.2% first-time pass, 23,024 tests
• 2018 Audi A1 - 84.5% first-time pass, 19,969 tests
• 2019 Audi A1 - 89.3% first-time pass, 19,962 tests
• 2020 Audi A1 - 90.9% first-time pass, 9,740 tests
• 2021 Audi A1 - 91.3% first-time pass, 8,477 tests
• 2022 Audi A1 - 95.5% first-time pass, 404 tests

Audi A1 by fuel type

The Audi A1's two most-tested fuel types split by 10 points: petrol passes first time 82.1% of the time (163,012 tests) against 72.1% for diesel (49,309 tests).

• Petrol Audi A1 - 82.1% first-time pass, 163,012 tests
• Diesel Audi A1 - 72.1% first-time pass, 49,309 tests

Other Audi models

• Audi A3 - 78.1%
• Audi A4 - 76.3%
• Audi A6 - 81.9%
• Audi A5 - 80.4%
• Audi Tt - 78.8%
• Audi Q3 - 83.5%
• Audi Q5 - 84.8%
• Audi Q2 - 91.9%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Renault Trafic Sl28 B-Ness+ Energy Dci - 79.6%
• Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Edition S/S - 79.6%
• Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 - 79.6%
• SEAT Leon - 79.5%
• Volkswagen Sharan - 79.5%
• Vauxhall Vivaro 2900 Sportive S/S - 79.5%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate