Audi A6 MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on an Audi A6 in Great Britain in 2025 — 122,792 tests. Figures cover every A6 first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the A6 ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
79.7%
7.4 points above the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
122,792
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
6.6%
of A6 first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
101,250
middle half: 81,250–126,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Audi A6 cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 149,486 Audi A6 cars that were taxed or on SORN: 129,631 taxed and 19,855 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 A6 vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
129,631
86.7% of the 149,486 A6 cars taxed or on SORN; 286 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
19,855
declared off the road by their keepers — 13.3% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed A6 cars peaked at 153,369 at the end of 2017 and has since fallen by 23,738 (15.5%) to 129,631 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 4,251 at the end of 2014 to 19,855 at the end of 2025, up 367.1%. 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 A6 cars, year by year

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

050k100k150k200k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed A6 cars, year 2014: 137kTaxed A6 cars, year 2015: 144kTaxed A6 cars, year 2016: 152kTaxed A6 cars, year 2017: 153kTaxed A6 cars, year 2018: 152kTaxed A6 cars, year 2019: 152kTaxed A6 cars, year 2020: 146kTaxed A6 cars, year 2021: 144kTaxed A6 cars, year 2022: 142kTaxed A6 cars, year 2023: 138kTaxed A6 cars, year 2024: 133kTaxed A6 cars, year 2025: 130k130k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed A6 cars
2014136,724
2015144,093
2016152,458
2017153,369
2018152,150
2019152,015
2020145,924
2021143,767
2022141,791
2023138,095
2024133,471
2025129,631

A6 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.

05k10k15k20k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)A6 cars on SORN, year 2014: 4kA6 cars on SORN, year 2015: 6kA6 cars on SORN, year 2016: 7kA6 cars on SORN, year 2017: 9kA6 cars on SORN, year 2018: 10kA6 cars on SORN, year 2019: 13kA6 cars on SORN, year 2020: 14kA6 cars on SORN, year 2021: 15kA6 cars on SORN, year 2022: 16kA6 cars on SORN, year 2023: 17kA6 cars on SORN, year 2024: 18kA6 cars on SORN, year 2025: 20k20k
View this chart as a table
YearA6 cars on SORN
20144,251
20155,601
20167,312
20178,984
201810,487
201912,588
202014,394
202115,228
202215,994
202317,431
202418,500
202519,855

Which model years survive

Taxed A6 cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 129,631 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 4 taxed A6 cars have no recorded year of manufacture and are not in the table, so the rows add up to 129,627. 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 A6 cars
20254,0543.1%
20243,6132.8%
20234,1123.2%
20223,7392.9%
20214,3303.3%
20203,4702.7%
20198,8596.8%
20187,7936.0%
20178,8036.8%
201612,8309.9%
201510,7048.3%
201410,5138.1%
201310,3248.0%
20127,8606.1%
20116,4455.0%
20105,9194.6%
20093,4602.7%
20084,0523.1%
20073,8022.9%
20061,9981.5%
All other build years (13 years, each under 1%)2,9472.3%

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 A6 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 A6 ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, A6 vs all cars, 2025.

Audi A6All cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Audi A6, vehicle age 3: 90.9%Audi A6, vehicle age 4: 90.9%Audi A6, vehicle age 5: 90.2%Audi A6, vehicle age 6: 88.2%Audi A6, vehicle age 7: 85.9%Audi A6, vehicle age 8: 85.1%Audi A6, vehicle age 9: 83.5%Audi A6, vehicle age 10: 82.1%Audi A6, vehicle age 11: 79.5%Audi A6, vehicle age 12: 79.3%Audi A6, vehicle age 13: 77.9%Audi A6, vehicle age 14: 72.7%Audi A6, vehicle age 15: 69.3%Audi A6, vehicle age 16: 68.8%Audi A6, vehicle age 17: 65.7%Audi A6, vehicle age 18: 65.6%Audi A6, vehicle age 19: 64.7%Audi A6, vehicle age 20: 63.9%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 A6 63.9%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)A6 testsA6 pass rateAll cars
34,09590.9%88.5%
44,59290.9%87.2%
53,46390.2%86.0%
68,73188.2%83.5%
78,07785.9%80.9%
89,20385.1%78.2%
912,92483.5%74.9%
1011,02382.1%71.9%
1110,36979.5%68.6%
1210,00479.3%65.8%
137,66577.9%63.5%
146,50572.7%61.2%
156,14269.3%59.3%
163,81768.8%58.3%
174,67265.7%57.2%
184,41165.6%57.4%
192,40364.7%57.0%
201,36563.9%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The A6's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the A6 beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

A6 ahead
-16-8+0+8+16Age 3: +2.4 points vs the average car3Age 4: +3.7 points vs the average carAge 5: +4.2 points vs the average car5Age 6: +4.7 points vs the average carAge 7: +5.0 points vs the average car7Age 8: +6.9 points vs the average carAge 9: +8.6 points vs the average car9Age 10: +10.2 points vs the average carAge 11: +10.9 points vs the average car11Age 12: +13.5 points vs the average carAge 13: +14.4 points vs the average car13Age 14: +11.5 points vs the average carAge 15: +10.0 points vs the average car15Age 16: +10.5 points vs the average carAge 17: +8.5 points vs the average car17Age 18: +8.2 points vs the average carAge 19: +7.7 points vs the average car19Age 20: +6.3 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+2.4
4+3.7
5+4.2
6+4.7
7+5.0
8+6.9
9+8.6
10+10.2
11+10.9
12+13.5
13+14.4
14+11.5
15+10.0
16+10.5
17+8.5
18+8.2
19+7.7
20+6.3

The A6 fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the A6 fleet still in use.

05k10k15k20kAge 3: 4k3Age 4: 4kAge 5: 3k5Age 6: 8kAge 7: 8k7Age 8: 9kAge 9: 12k9Age 10: 11kAge 11: 10k11Age 12: 10kAge 13: 7k13Age 14: 6kAge 15: 6k15Age 16: 3kAge 17: 4k17Age 18: 4kAge 19: 2k19Age 20: 1k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
34,095
44,592
53,463
68,731
78,077
89,203
912,924
1011,023
1110,369
1210,004
137,665
146,505
156,142
163,817
174,672
184,411
192,403
201,365

What an A6 fails on

Where the failure items land when an A6 fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Tyres21.8%
Suspension20.8%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment20.3%
Brakes9.9%
Visibility7.0%
Body, chassis, structure6.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.8%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems2.4%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (95.9% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a A6, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 33.7% of advisories33.7%Suspension: 29.3% of advisories29.3%Brakes: 21.6% of advisories21.6%Non-component advisories: 4.7% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 3.3% of advisoriesIdentification of the vehicle: 2.7% of advisories
TyresSuspensionBrakesNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksIdentification of the vehicle
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres33.7%
Suspension29.3%
Brakes21.6%
Non-component advisories4.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks3.3%
Identification of the vehicle2.7%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid A6?

First-time pass rate for the three most-tested A6 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: 78.7% of 106,565 tests78.7%Diesel106,565 testsPetrol: 85.5% of 14,316 tests85.5%Petrol14,316 testsHybrid electric: 93.2% of 1,886 tests93.2%Hybrid1,886 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel106,56578.7%
Petrol14,31685.5%
Hybrid electric1,88693.2%

What mileage is normal for an A6?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) A6; 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 A6 (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k175k200k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 21,250–41,250)Age 4: typical 38,750 miles (middle half 28,750–53,750)Age 5: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 36,250–63,750)Age 6: typical 58,750 miles (middle half 46,250–78,750)Age 7: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 51,250–86,250)Age 8: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 61,250–101,250)Age 9: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 71,250–113,750)Age 10: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 81,250–126,250)Age 11: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 88,750–136,250)Age 12: typical 118,750 miles (middle half 96,250–146,250)Age 13: typical 131,250 miles (middle half 106,250–156,250)Age 14: typical 138,750 miles (middle half 113,750–166,250)Age 15: typical 146,250 miles (middle half 118,750–176,250)Age 16: typical 153,750 miles (middle half 123,750–186,250)Age 17: typical 156,250 miles (middle half 128,750–186,250)Age 18: typical 163,750 miles (middle half 133,750–193,750)Age 19: typical 166,250 miles (middle half 136,250–196,250)Age 20: typical 161,250 miles (middle half 126,250–193,750)161k mi

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

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
321,25031,25041,250
428,75038,75053,750
536,25048,75063,750
646,25058,75078,750
751,25068,75086,250
861,25081,250101,250
971,25091,250113,750
1081,250101,250126,250
1188,750111,250136,250
1296,250118,750146,250
13106,250131,250156,250
14113,750138,750166,250
15118,750146,250176,250
16123,750153,750186,250
17128,750156,250186,250
18133,750163,750193,750
19136,250166,250196,250
20126,250161,250193,750

What fails at each age

The A6'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.

TyresBrakesVisibilitySuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structureLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres55.0%
3-5 yrsBrakes11.6%
3-5 yrsVisibility8.4%
3-5 yrsSuspension6.1%
3-5 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.1%
3-5 yrsEverything else12.8%
6-9 yrsTyres39.1%
6-9 yrsSuspension15.4%
6-9 yrsBrakes10.7%
6-9 yrsBody, chassis, structure9.0%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks8.2%
6-9 yrsEverything else17.6%
10-13 yrsTyres27.7%
10-13 yrsSuspension26.2%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment12.7%
10-13 yrsBrakes9.1%
10-13 yrsBody, chassis, structure8.1%
10-13 yrsEverything else16.2%
14+ yrsSuspension25.9%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment22.5%
14+ yrsTyres14.3%
14+ yrsBrakes12.0%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure6.7%
14+ yrsEverything else18.6%

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.