Audi R8: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Audi R8 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 14 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 3,862 individual Audi R8 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 90.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 9 in every 100 Audi R8s 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 R8 tested had covered 35,675 miles and was built around 2013.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Audi R8 bought as a 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 R8 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 what damaged Audi R8s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Audi R8

1. Number plate showing an incorrect registration, 0.2% of tests (13.92x the national rate for this defect)
2. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.6% of tests (3.76x the national rate for this defect)
3. Number plate missing or so insecure that it is likely to fall off, 0.1% of tests (3.59x the national rate for this defect)
4. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.8% of tests (2.49x the national rate for this defect)
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.1% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
6. Fuel system leaking, or missing or ineffective filler cap, 0.1% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.5% of tests
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 0.4% of tests
9. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.2% of tests
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.2% of tests

From 12,627 DVSA-tracked Audi R8 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.49% of these flagged Audi R8 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Audi R8 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Audi R8 year:

• 2007 Audi R8 - 88.7% first-time pass, 266 tests
• 2008 Audi R8 - 88.1% first-time pass, 544 tests
• 2009 Audi R8 - 88.5% first-time pass, 286 tests
• 2010 Audi R8 - 89.3% first-time pass, 337 tests
• 2011 Audi R8 - 90.1% first-time pass, 303 tests
• 2013 Audi R8 - 95.7% first-time pass, 233 tests
• 2014 Audi R8 - 95.1% first-time pass, 244 tests
• 2015 Audi R8 - 93% first-time pass, 201 tests
• 2016 Audi R8 - 94% first-time pass, 336 tests
• 2017 Audi R8 - 92.8% first-time pass, 321 tests
• 2018 Audi R8 - 94.9% first-time pass, 257 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

• BMW M135i Xdrive Auto - 90.7%
• Volkswagen Id3 Life - 90.7%
• Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tsi - 90.7%
• MG Hs Exclusive - 90.7%
• BMW M235i Xdrive Auto - 90.7%
• Vauxhall Corsa Elite - 90.7%

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

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate