Audi A4 MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on an Audi A4 in Great Britain in 2025 — 243,350 tests. Figures cover every A4 first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the A4 ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
73.0%
0.7 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
243,350
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
7.9%
of A4 first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
96,250
middle half: 76,250–121,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Audi A4 cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 290,564 Audi A4 cars that were taxed or on SORN: 245,933 taxed and 44,631 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Audi A4 vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
245,933
84.6% of the 290,564 A4 cars taxed or on SORN; 492 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
44,631
declared off the road by their keepers — 15.4% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed A4 cars peaked at 347,133 at the end of 2016 and has since fallen by 101,200 (29.2%) to 245,933 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 10,110 at the end of 2014 to 44,631 at the end of 2025, up 341.5%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed A4 cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

0100k200k300k400k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed A4 cars, year 2014: 339kTaxed A4 cars, year 2015: 341kTaxed A4 cars, year 2016: 347kTaxed A4 cars, year 2017: 346kTaxed A4 cars, year 2018: 334kTaxed A4 cars, year 2019: 321kTaxed A4 cars, year 2020: 308kTaxed A4 cars, year 2021: 298kTaxed A4 cars, year 2022: 287kTaxed A4 cars, year 2023: 276kTaxed A4 cars, year 2024: 263kTaxed A4 cars, year 2025: 246k246k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed A4 cars
2014338,978
2015340,707
2016347,133
2017345,528
2018334,344
2019321,411
2020308,487
2021298,194
2022287,475
2023275,739
2024263,245
2025245,933

A4 cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

010k20k30k40k50k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)A4 cars on SORN, year 2014: 10kA4 cars on SORN, year 2015: 14kA4 cars on SORN, year 2016: 18kA4 cars on SORN, year 2017: 22kA4 cars on SORN, year 2018: 26kA4 cars on SORN, year 2019: 31kA4 cars on SORN, year 2020: 35kA4 cars on SORN, year 2021: 36kA4 cars on SORN, year 2022: 38kA4 cars on SORN, year 2023: 40kA4 cars on SORN, year 2024: 43kA4 cars on SORN, year 2025: 45k45k
View this chart as a table
YearA4 cars on SORN
201410,110
201513,628
201618,168
201722,453
201826,237
201931,469
202035,114
202136,204
202237,645
202340,479
202442,678
202544,631

Which model years survive

Taxed A4 cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 245,933 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed A4 cars
20247,5773.1%
20237,5673.1%
20226,2072.5%
20216,7822.8%
20208,2763.4%
201912,6955.2%
201811,5574.7%
201719,3747.9%
201622,3489.1%
201516,4516.7%
201416,8936.9%
201316,0506.5%
201213,3635.4%
201113,2655.4%
201011,8194.8%
200910,8444.4%
200811,7004.8%
200710,3184.2%
20068,3173.4%
20054,6801.9%
20044,0171.6%
All other build years (13 years, each under 1%)5,8332.4%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name A4 under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the A4 ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, A4 vs all cars, 2025.

Audi A4All cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Audi A4, vehicle age 3: 87.7%Audi A4, vehicle age 4: 87.7%Audi A4, vehicle age 5: 87.5%Audi A4, vehicle age 6: 83.7%Audi A4, vehicle age 7: 79.9%Audi A4, vehicle age 8: 78.9%Audi A4, vehicle age 9: 78.5%Audi A4, vehicle age 10: 73.7%Audi A4, vehicle age 11: 72.7%Audi A4, vehicle age 12: 72.5%Audi A4, vehicle age 13: 70.9%Audi A4, vehicle age 14: 68.6%Audi A4, vehicle age 15: 65.9%Audi A4, vehicle age 16: 64.9%Audi A4, vehicle age 17: 62.8%Audi A4, vehicle age 18: 64.1%Audi A4, vehicle age 19: 62.9%Audi A4, vehicle age 20: 62.1%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%Audi A4 62.1%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)A4 testsA4 pass rateAll cars
36,71287.7%88.5%
47,13987.7%87.2%
58,44287.5%86.0%
613,10983.7%83.5%
713,51879.9%80.9%
821,02378.9%78.2%
921,68378.5%74.9%
1016,06273.7%71.9%
1116,51172.7%68.6%
1215,55572.5%65.8%
1312,87470.9%63.5%
1413,12968.6%61.2%
1512,05265.9%59.3%
1611,44764.9%58.3%
1713,08762.8%57.2%
1812,41564.1%57.4%
1910,42662.9%57.0%
205,68062.1%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The A4's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the A4 beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

A4 aheadA4 behind
-8-4+0+4+8Age 3: -0.8 points vs the average car3Age 4: +0.5 points vs the average carAge 5: +1.5 points vs the average car5Age 6: +0.2 points vs the average carAge 7: -1.0 points vs the average car7Age 8: +0.7 points vs the average carAge 9: +3.6 points vs the average car9Age 10: +1.8 points vs the average carAge 11: +4.1 points vs the average car11Age 12: +6.7 points vs the average carAge 13: +7.4 points vs the average car13Age 14: +7.4 points vs the average carAge 15: +6.6 points vs the average car15Age 16: +6.6 points vs the average carAge 17: +5.6 points vs the average car17Age 18: +6.7 points vs the average carAge 19: +5.9 points vs the average car19Age 20: +4.5 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3-0.8
4+0.5
5+1.5
6+0.2
7-1.0
8+0.7
9+3.6
10+1.8
11+4.1
12+6.7
13+7.4
14+7.4
15+6.6
16+6.6
17+5.6
18+6.7
19+5.9
20+4.5

The A4 fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the A4 fleet still in use.

07k15k22k30kAge 3: 6k3Age 4: 7kAge 5: 8k5Age 6: 13kAge 7: 13k7Age 8: 21kAge 9: 21k9Age 10: 16kAge 11: 16k11Age 12: 15kAge 13: 12k13Age 14: 13kAge 15: 12k15Age 16: 11kAge 17: 13k17Age 18: 12kAge 19: 10k19Age 20: 5k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
36,712
47,139
58,442
613,109
713,518
821,023
921,683
1016,062
1116,511
1215,555
1312,874
1413,129
1512,052
1611,447
1713,087
1812,415
1910,426
205,680

What an A4 fails on

Where the failure items land when an A4 fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Suspension24.7%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment19.8%
Tyres17.2%
Brakes11.8%
Body, chassis, structure8.6%
Visibility5.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.8%
Steering2.5%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (96.4% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a A4, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Suspension: 34.5% of advisories34.5%Tyres: 29.2% of advisories29.2%Brakes: 21.1% of advisories21.1%Non-component advisories: 4.5% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 3.8% of advisoriesIdentification of the vehicle: 2.4% of advisories
SuspensionTyresBrakesNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksIdentification of the vehicle
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Suspension34.5%
Tyres29.2%
Brakes21.1%
Non-component advisories4.5%
Noise, emissions and leaks3.8%
Identification of the vehicle2.4%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid A4?

First-time pass rate for the two most-tested A4 fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Diesel: 70.4% of 157,431 tests70.4%Diesel157,431 testsPetrol: 77.8% of 85,797 tests77.8%Petrol85,797 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel157,43170.4%
Petrol85,79777.8%

What mileage is normal for an A4?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) A4; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical A4 (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k175k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 28,750 miles (middle half 21,250–38,750)Age 4: typical 38,750 miles (middle half 28,750–53,750)Age 5: typical 46,250 miles (middle half 33,750–58,750)Age 6: typical 53,750 miles (middle half 41,250–71,250)Age 7: typical 61,250 miles (middle half 48,750–78,750)Age 8: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 58,750–96,250)Age 9: typical 86,250 miles (middle half 66,250–108,750)Age 10: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 76,250–121,250)Age 11: typical 106,250 miles (middle half 81,250–133,750)Age 12: typical 113,750 miles (middle half 88,750–141,250)Age 13: typical 123,750 miles (middle half 98,750–151,250)Age 14: typical 133,750 miles (middle half 106,250–161,250)Age 15: typical 138,750 miles (middle half 111,250–166,250)Age 16: typical 141,250 miles (middle half 113,750–168,750)Age 17: typical 138,750 miles (middle half 111,250–168,750)Age 18: typical 133,750 miles (middle half 106,250–163,750)Age 19: typical 133,750 miles (middle half 106,250–163,750)Age 20: typical 136,250 miles (middle half 103,750–168,750)136k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
321,25028,75038,750
428,75038,75053,750
533,75046,25058,750
641,25053,75071,250
748,75061,25078,750
858,75073,75096,250
966,25086,250108,750
1076,25096,250121,250
1181,250106,250133,750
1288,750113,750141,250
1398,750123,750151,250
14106,250133,750161,250
15111,250138,750166,250
16113,750141,250168,750
17111,250138,750168,750
18106,250133,750163,750
19106,250133,750163,750
20103,750136,250168,750

What fails at each age

The A4's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresSuspensionBrakesVisibilityNoise, emissions and leaksLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentBody, chassis, structureEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres61.6%
3-5 yrsSuspension9.5%
3-5 yrsBrakes7.6%
3-5 yrsVisibility6.6%
3-5 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks3.7%
3-5 yrsEverything else11.0%
6-9 yrsSuspension36.5%
6-9 yrsTyres31.5%
6-9 yrsBrakes10.1%
6-9 yrsVisibility5.9%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks4.9%
6-9 yrsEverything else11.1%
10-13 yrsSuspension26.1%
10-13 yrsTyres21.5%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment17.9%
10-13 yrsBrakes10.7%
10-13 yrsBody, chassis, structure10.2%
10-13 yrsEverything else13.6%
14+ yrsSuspension26.4%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.0%
14+ yrsBrakes14.6%
14+ yrsTyres12.1%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure10.8%
14+ yrsEverything else18.1%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.