Audi A6
From 208,181 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer A6s fare better: 2021 models pass at 92.3% vs 67.6% for 2002.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a tyre seriously damaged. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 6,440 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.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 6,440 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 4,979 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 3,761 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 2,484 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 2,177 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 2,139 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 2,117 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 1,961 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 1,665 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 1,341 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 21.5% of A6 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 49.4% 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 £122.
Audi A6 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 7,214 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 3,619 newly registered, a net loss of 3,595. At this rate, roughly 38.3 years until none remain. Now at 88% of its peak (156,423 in 2018 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 119,920 | 17,700 | +1,342 | -1,886 | -544 |
| 2025 Q2 | 120,871 | 17,293 | +767 | -1,778 | -1,011 |
| 2025 Q1 | 122,019 | 17,156 | +683 | -1,848 | -1,165 |
| 2024 Q4 | 123,479 | 16,861 | +827 | -1,702 | -875 |
| 2024 Q3 | 124,399 | 16,816 | +1,145 | -2,120 | -975 |
| 2024 Q2 | 125,598 | 16,592 | +863 | -1,886 | -1,023 |
| 2024 Q1 | 126,791 | 16,422 | +961 | -1,984 | -1,023 |
| 2023 Q4 | 128,259 | 15,977 | +1,162 | -1,629 | -467 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| A6 S Line Tdi Ultra S-A | Diesel | 7,692 | 11% |
| A6 Se Tdi | Diesel | 6,836 | 10% |
| A6 Sline Black Ed Tdi Ultra Sa | Diesel | 6,619 | 9% |
| A6 S Line 40 Tdi S-A | Diesel | 6,508 | 9% |
| A6 S Line Tdi | Diesel | 5,277 | 7% |
| A6 S Line Tdi Cvt | Diesel | 4,638 | 6% |
| A6 Se Tdi Cvt | Diesel | 3,649 | 5% |
| A6 S Line Black Ed Tdi Quat Sa | Diesel | 3,244 | 5% |
| A6 Allroad Tdi Quattro A | Diesel | 2,855 | 4% |
| A6 S Line Tdi Ultra | Diesel | 2,826 | 4% |
| A6 S Line 40 Tfsi Mhev S-A | Petrol | 2,766 | 4% |
| A6 Se Tdi Ultra S-A | Diesel | 2,718 | 4% |
| A6 Sport 40 Tfsi Mhev S-A | Petrol | 2,393 | 3% |
| A6 Se Executive Tdi Ultra S-A | Diesel | 2,367 | 3% |
| A6 Sport 40 Tdi S-A | Diesel | 2,350 | 3% |
| A6 S Line Special Ed Tdi | Diesel | 1,963 | 3% |
| A6 S Ln Blk Ed 40Tdi Mhev Q Sa | Diesel | 1,889 | 3% |
| A6 S Line Tdi Quattro S-A | Diesel | 1,804 | 3% |
| A6 S Line Black Edit Tdi Ultra | Diesel | 1,796 | 2% |
| A6 S Line Tdi Quattro Auto | Diesel | 1,712 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 92.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 92.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2019 | 91.6% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2018 | 90.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
23 earlier years
| 2017 | 88.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 88.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2015 | 87% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2014 | 85.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 84.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 83.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 79.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2010 | 77.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2009 | 76.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources |
| 2008 | 73.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 73.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 72.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2005 | 72.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 70.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2003 | 68.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2002 | 67.6% | 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 |
| 2001 | 71.5% | 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 |
| 2000 | 65.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1999 | 73% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective |
| 1998 | 70.7% | a tyre seriously damaged, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1997 | 70.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a door will not open using the relevant control or close properly |
| 1996 | 74.7% | emissions levels exceed default limits, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1995 | 76.6% | a tyre seriously damaged, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated |
Typical mileage
Half of all A6s tested had between 100,327 and 178,842 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 131,296 median miles, the A6 has 0.012 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Audi models
Common questions
What is the Audi A6 MOT pass rate?
The Audi A6 has a 83.7% MOT pass rate based on 208,181 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Audi A6?
The most common MOT failure on the Audi A6 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 6,440 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Audi A6s are on UK roads?
There are 119,920 Audi A6s currently licensed on UK roads, with 17,700 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Audi A6 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Audi A6 is 131,296 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 100,327 and 178,842 miles.
Buying a used A6?
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 83.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £122 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.