Audi A7: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Audi A7 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 8.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 16,468 individual Audi A7 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 85.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 15 in every 100 Audi A7s 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 A7 tested had covered 82,914 miles and was built around 2015.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Audi A7 sits 8.8 points above the national average, ranked 1,207 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. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Audi A7 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 A7: £2,600 at UK salvage auction, from 4 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Audi A7

1. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.6% of tests (3.09x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.5% of tests (2.32x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 4% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this defect)
4. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.3% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect)
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.7% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.4% of tests
7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.1% of tests
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1% of tests
9. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.9% of tests
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.8% of tests

From 16,446 DVSA-tracked Audi A7 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.55% of these flagged Audi A7 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Audi A7

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 A7 before it actually fails on it.

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.2% of tests, also fails
2. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 12.4% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 8.8% of tests, also fails
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 8.2% of tests, also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.5% of tests
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.4% of tests
7. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.8% of tests
8. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2% of tests
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.8% of tests, also fails
10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.5% of tests

From 16,446 DVSA-tracked Audi A7 tests, 2024.

Audi A7 pass rate by model year

From its 2011 to its 2021 model year, the Audi A7's first-time pass rate has risen 2.3 points, from 83.5% to 85.8%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Audi A7 year:

• 2011 Audi A7 - 83.5% first-time pass, 1,549 tests
• 2012 Audi A7 - 84.7% first-time pass, 1,262 tests
• 2013 Audi A7 - 83.9% first-time pass, 1,880 tests
• 2014 Audi A7 - 85% first-time pass, 1,918 tests
• 2015 Audi A7 - 87.4% first-time pass, 2,009 tests
• 2016 Audi A7 - 85.5% first-time pass, 2,367 tests
• 2017 Audi A7 - 86% first-time pass, 1,681 tests
• 2018 Audi A7 - 89.3% first-time pass, 1,414 tests
• 2019 Audi A7 - 90.9% first-time pass, 1,409 tests
• 2020 Audi A7 - 87.9% first-time pass, 347 tests
• 2021 Audi A7 - 85.8% first-time pass, 388 tests

Audi A7 by fuel type

The Audi A7's two most-tested fuel types split by 4.4 points: diesel passes first time 85.7% of the time (14,726 tests) against 90.1% for petrol (1,620 tests).

• Diesel Audi A7 - 85.7% first-time pass, 14,726 tests
• Petrol Audi A7 - 90.1% first-time pass, 1,620 tests

Other Audi models

• Audi A3 - 78.1%
• Audi A4 - 76.3%
• Audi A1 - 79.5%
• Audi A6 - 81.9%
• Audi A5 - 80.4%
• Audi Tt - 78.8%
• Audi Q3 - 83.5%
• Audi Q5 - 84.8%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Volvo Xc60 Inscrp Pro T8rechrg Awd A - 85.6%
• Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace Sel Tdi - 85.6%
• Abarth 695 - 85.6%
• Abarth 595c - 85.5%
• Kia Proceed GT Isg S-A - 85.5%
• Bentley Turbo - 85.5%

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?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Audi A7? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/audi-a7"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/audi-a7.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Audi A7 MOT Pass Rate: 85.5% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Audi A7's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/audi-a7"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/audi-a7.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Audi A7 most common MOT failure: Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.6% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate