Audi A7
From 32,108 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer A7s fare better: 2021 models pass at 90.3% vs 85.7% for 2011.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin and bush or joint excessively worn. The top issue, a tyre seriously damaged, caused 685 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 tyre seriously damaged | 685 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 671 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 469 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 387 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 181 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 169 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 139 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 138 |
| number plate does not conform to the specified requirements | 124 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 118 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 54.5% of A7 failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 11.4% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £104.
Audi A7 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 416 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 191 newly registered, a net loss of 225. At this rate, roughly 74.5 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 15,711 | 967 | +31 | -142 | -111 |
| 2025 Q2 | 15,858 | 931 | +25 | -117 | -92 |
| 2025 Q1 | 15,976 | 905 | +44 | -86 | -42 |
| 2024 Q4 | 16,086 | 837 | +91 | -71 | +20 |
| 2024 Q3 | 16,147 | 756 | +88 | -144 | -56 |
| 2024 Q2 | 16,257 | 702 | +109 | -124 | -15 |
| 2024 Q1 | 16,302 | 672 | +105 | -147 | -42 |
| 2023 Q4 | 16,387 | 629 | +183 | -162 | +21 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| A7 S Line Black Ed Tdi Quat Sa | Diesel | 2,897 | 20% |
| A7 S Line Black Edit Tdi Qut A | Diesel | 2,126 | 15% |
| A7 S Line Tdi Quattro Auto | Diesel | 1,626 | 11% |
| A7 S Line 50 Tdi Mhev Quat S-A | Diesel | 1,151 | 8% |
| A7 S Line Tdi Auto | Diesel | 802 | 6% |
| A7 S Line Tdi Quattro S-A | Diesel | 753 | 5% |
| A7 S Line 40 Tdi S-A | Diesel | 717 | 5% |
| A7 Se Tdi Quattro Auto | Diesel | 595 | 4% |
| A7 S Ln Blk Ed 40Tdi Mhev Q Sa | Diesel | 454 | 3% |
| A7 S Line Tdi Ultra S-A | Diesel | 412 | 3% |
| A7 Se Executive Tdi Ultra S-A | Diesel | 360 | 3% |
| A7 Se Executive Tdi Quattro Sa | Diesel | 338 | 2% |
| A7 Sln Blk Ed 45Tfsi Mhev Q Sa | Petrol | 334 | 2% |
| A7 S Line 55 Tfsi Mhev Quat Sa | Petrol | 333 | 2% |
| A7 Se Tdi Auto | Diesel | 317 | 2% |
| A7 S Line 45 Tdi Quattro Auto | Diesel | 299 | 2% |
| A7 S Line 40 Tdi Mhev Quat S-A | Diesel | 263 | 2% |
| A7 S Line Quattro Tdi Auto | Diesel | 254 | 2% |
| A7 S Ln Blk Ed 50Tdi Mhev Q Sa | Diesel | 123 | <1% |
| A7 S Line 45 Tfsi Mhev Quat Sa | Petrol | 119 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 90.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 91.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, number plate does not conform to the specified requirements |
| 2019 | 92.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2018 | 90.9% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
8 earlier years
| 2017 | 89.5% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 88% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 87.8% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 88.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 88.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 86.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2011 | 85.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2010 | 88% | 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all A7s tested had between 46,291 and 73,926 miles on the clock.
At 69,572 median miles, the A7 has 0.016 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Audi models
Common questions
What is the Audi A7 MOT pass rate?
The Audi A7 has a 88.7% MOT pass rate based on 32,108 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Audi A7?
The most common MOT failure on the Audi A7 is a tyre seriously damaged, which caused 685 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Audi A7s are on UK roads?
There are 15,711 Audi A7s currently licensed on UK roads, with 967 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Audi A7 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Audi A7 is 69,572 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 46,291 and 73,926 miles.
Buying a used A7?
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.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.