Diesel Audi A1: MOT pass rate

72.1% of diesel Audi A1s pass the MOT first time, measured across 49,309 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 88,479.

Diesel against the other Audi A1 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Audi A1 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 82.1%, and this diesel version sits 7.7 points below the 79.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Audi A1 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Audi A1 had covered 88,479 miles at test, against 53,023 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Audi A1 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Audi A1

1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.1% of tests (2.64x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5% of tests (2.18x the national rate for this defect)
3. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.7% of tests (1.69x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.1% of tests (1.68x the national rate for this defect)
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.7% of tests (1.68x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.2% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 5% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.6% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.1% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.8% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this defect)

From 49,514 DVSA-tracked diesel Audi A1 tests, 2024, split out from the Audi A1's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.29% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Audi A1

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.2% of tests (2.13x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 25.4% of tests (2.08x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 19.7% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1.2% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 33.7% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect), also fails
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 16.2% of tests, also fails
8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 9.4% of tests
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.1% of tests, also fails
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.6% of tests

From 49,514 DVSA-tracked diesel Audi A1 tests, 2024.

Other Audi A1 fuel types

• Petrol Audi A1 - 82.1%

All Audi A1 MOT data · Every model