2016 Audi A6 MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 83.5% of Audi A6s first used in 2016 passed their MOT first time, against 74.9% for all cars first used in 2016. Across 39,711 A6 first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were tyres, suspension and noise, emissions and leaks.

This page analyses first MOT tests for Audi A6s first used in 2016 (all trims grouped): 2021 to 2025 for the pass-rate trend, and 2023 to 2025 for the failure and advisory analysis — plus what is worth checking before you buy one.

Data: DVSA anonymised MOT tests to December 2025 · Calculated by SortedCars · Updated October 2026

Passed first time, 2025
83.5%
of 12,924 first tests; all cars first used in 2016: 74.9%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
39,711
first tests, 2023–2025; 12,924 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
50.5%
of 12,924 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
90,500
middle half: 71,500–113,500 miles; all cars first used in 2016: 67,500

How the 2016 Audi A6 MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, A6s first used in 2016 against all cars first used in 2016 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the A6 figure was 8.6 points higher.

2016 A6All cars first used in 2016
70%80%90%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2016, test year 2021: 82.7%All cars first used in 2016, test year 2022: 80.9%All cars first used in 2016, test year 2023: 78.6%All cars first used in 2016, test year 2024: 76.7%All cars first used in 2016, test year 2025: 74.9%2016 A6, test year 2021: 88%2016 A6, test year 2022: 86.8%2016 A6, test year 2023: 85.5%2016 A6, test year 2024: 84%2016 A6, test year 2025: 83.5%83.5%74.9%
View this chart as a table
Test year2016 A6All cars first used 2016A6 first tests
202188.0%82.7%13,967
202286.8%80.9%13,716
202385.5%78.6%13,524
202484.0%76.7%13,263
202583.5%74.9%12,924

Common 2016 Audi A6 MOT failures

Share of the 6,219 failed first tests (2023–2025) with at least one failure in each area. A test can fail in more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Tyres41.4%
Suspension16.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks15.2%
Body, chassis, structure14.0%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment13.6%
Brakes11.1%
Visibility8.5%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems5.2%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Tread depth: below requirements of 1.6mm16.1%1,002
Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt10.6%662
Tyre condition: has ply or cords exposed9.3%581
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction9.1%569
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords8.8%547

Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.

What to check on a 2016 Audi A6 before buying

The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.

  1. Tyres. Worth checking the tread depth across the whole width of each tyre, and the sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
  2. Suspension. Worth looking behind the front wheels with a torch at the coil springs, and listening for knocks over bumps on the test drive.
  3. Engine and emissions. Worth checking that the engine warning light goes out after starting, looking for oil leaks under the car, and noticing any smoke from the exhaust.

Common 2016 Audi A6 MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2016 A6s, as a share of all 39,711 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge16.3%6,483
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement7.4%2,950
Brake pads: wearing thin7.1%2,837
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened4.3%1,698
Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil2.7%1,091

Questions about the 2016 Audi A6 MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2016 Audi A6?

In 2025, 83.5% of A6s first used in 2016 passed their MOT first time, against 74.9% for all cars first used in 2016. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2016 A6 most often fail its MOT on?

Tyres (in 41.4% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), suspension (16.9%) and noise, emissions and leaks (15.2%). The single most common item was “Tread depth: below requirements of 1.6mm” (16.1%).

How often does a 2016 Audi A6 fail its MOT?

In 2025, 16.5% of first tests on A6s first used in 2016 did not pass first time: 14.0% failed, and a further 2.5% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 6,219 of 39,711 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2016 Audi A6 MOT advisories?

“Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (on 16.3% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement” (7.4%), “Brake pads: wearing thin” (7.1%), “Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened” (4.3%) and “Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil” (2.7%).

Is a 2016 Audi A6 reliable?

An MOT pass rate shows what failed at the test, not how reliable a car is. For this group of cars the first-time pass rate went from 88.0% in 2021 to 83.5% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2016

The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.

2016 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2016 Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics · 2016 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2016 Ford Focus MOT statistics · 2016 Nissan Qashqai MOT statistics

How the 2016 Audi A6 MOT data is calculated

Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test data for Great Britain, 2021–2025. “2016 A6” means an Audi A6 whose date of first use falls in 2016 (65, 16 and 66 plates), all trims grouped. Class 4 vehicles, first tests only — retests are not counted. Pass rate = passed ÷ all first tests; a car with a fault fixed during the test (PRS) counts as a fail. Our national first-test pass rate matches DVSA’s published figure (table DVSA/MOT/01) to within 0.04 points in every year. Clean pass = passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded. Mileage is the reading recorded at the test. Comparisons are with all cars first used in 2016, any make or fuel, and are not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use. Failure and advisory item names are DVSA’s own wording. No figure is shown for fewer than 500 tests; an item is shown only if it appears on at least 50 tests and 1% of the base. Pass rates describe a group of cars, not one car: a well-kept example can pass and a neglected one can fail. This page is general information, not advice about any particular vehicle; always have a used car inspected before you buy. SortedCars is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. You can check any car’s MOT history free on the official service: gov.uk/check-mot-history. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.