Audi A2
From 9,700 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 434 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 434 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 431 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 344 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 329 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 303 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 257 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 235 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 232 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 227 |
| a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 208 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 20% of A2 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 39.8% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £127.
Audi A2 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 572 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 570. At this rate, roughly 13.4 years until none remain. Now at 41.4% of its peak (18,333 in 2009 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 5,296 | 2,298 | +2 | -102 | -100 |
| 2025 Q2 | 5,423 | 2,271 | +0 | -147 | -147 |
| 2025 Q1 | 5,583 | 2,258 | +0 | -124 | -124 |
| 2024 Q4 | 5,765 | 2,200 | +0 | -199 | -199 |
| 2024 Q3 | 5,985 | 2,179 | +0 | -205 | -205 |
| 2024 Q2 | 6,219 | 2,150 | +0 | -155 | -155 |
| 2024 Q1 | 6,412 | 2,112 | +0 | -163 | -163 |
| 2023 Q4 | 6,622 | 2,065 | +0 | -114 | -114 |
12 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Tdi Se | Diesel | 1,657 | 31% |
| A2 Se | Petrol | 980 | 19% |
| A2 Tdi 90Bhp | Diesel | 485 | 9% |
| A2 Tdi Special Edition | Diesel | 400 | 8% |
| A2 Tdi | Diesel | 347 | 7% |
| A2 Tdi Sport | Diesel | 333 | 6% |
| A2 | Diesel | 302 | 6% |
| A2 Fsi Se | Petrol | 261 | 5% |
| A2 Fsi Sport | Petrol | 178 | 3% |
| A2 Special Edition | Petrol | 164 | 3% |
| A2 Sport | Petrol | 131 | 2% |
| A2 Fsi | Petrol | 58 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 67.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2004 | 69.1% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 67.9% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2002 | 67.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
2 earlier years
| 2001 | 67.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 65.2% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources |
Typical mileage
Half of all A2s tested had between 77,945 and 135,324 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 105,787 median miles, the A2 has 0.03 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Audi models
Common questions
What is the Audi A2 MOT pass rate?
The Audi A2 has a 67.9% MOT pass rate based on 9,700 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Audi A2?
The most common MOT failure on the Audi A2 is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 434 failures. Other common issues include a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
How many Audi A2s are on UK roads?
There are 5,296 Audi A2s currently licensed on UK roads, with 2,298 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Audi A2 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Audi A2 is 105,787 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 77,945 and 135,324 miles.
Buying a used A2?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 67.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £127 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.