MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Audi A4 — MOT statistics 2024

All Audi A4 variants tested in Great Britain in 2024 — 406,182 MOT tests, every generation and engine together.

MOT risk index
84.6
100 = normal for its age

This car fails its MOT about 15% less often than expected for its age.

Rank 4 of 25 families published so far · margin of error ±1 points

What this means for buyers

Checklist when viewing a used A4:
  1. Listen for knocks over bumps — worn suspension joints are common
  2. Ask the seller about: A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely d
  3. Check wipers, washers and windscreen chips in the driver's view
  4. Check tyre tread depth across the full width

Top specific failures

Exact defect wording from test records, per 100 tests.

What failedper 100
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.72
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated7.31
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view6.22
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements5.59
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened5.2
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources4.86
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated4.86
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc4.37
A tyre seriously damaged3.98
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements3.9

Failures by component area

Suspension 23.7 Lamps & electrical 20.3 Body & structure 13.9 Tyres 13.3 Brakes 12.1 Visibility 12

Early warnings (advisories)

Advisories are wear the tester noted but didn't fail — what will need money soon.

Suspension 88.6 Tyres 80.1 Brakes 59.6 Non-component advisories 11.2 Emissions & leaks 9.8 Body & structure 7

How it ages

3579111315171946%car age, years

Takeaway: a 10-year-old A4 has roughly a 23% chance of failing its MOT; from about age 20 it does worse than the average car.

Data table
AgeAudi A4All cars
34.5%10.9%
49.8%11.6%
511.4%13.5%
613.5%15.6%
716.1%18.2%
819.4%21.3%
921.4%24.4%
1022.8%27.7%
1124.1%30.6%
1226.1%33.4%
1327.7%36.0%
1429.7%38.6%
1530.9%39.9%
1634.1%41.5%
1734.7%41.5%
1836.3%42.4%
1937.4%42.2%
2039.2%37.5%

Petrol, diesel, hybrid — which ages best?

FuelTests% failing
Diesel269,24027.4%
Petrol136,89620.6%

Where they fail most

Every dot is a postcode area — size = how many were tested there, colour = share failing. Raw rates: coastal and rural areas run older fleets and salted roads.

Torquay (TQ): 37.2% failing, 1,655 testsExeter (EX): 37% failing, 4,656 testsBath (BA): 34.3% failing, 3,778 testsBrighton (BN): 34% failing, 3,624 testsSalisbury (SP): 33.6% failing, 2,176 testsDorchester (DT): 33.5% failing, 1,657 testsTruro (TR): 33.5% failing, 2,495 testsPlymouth (PL): 32.9% failing, 3,962 testsSwansea (SA): 31.2% failing, 4,644 testsDundee (DD): 31.1% failing, 2,247 testsLincoln (LN): 30.9% failing, 2,593 testsKirkcaldy (KY): 30.9% failing, 2,751 testsBournemouth (BH): 30.7% failing, 4,231 testsGloucester (GL): 30.6% failing, 5,147 testsIpswich (IP): 30.6% failing, 5,005 testsSwindon (SN): 30.5% failing, 3,159 testsBristol (BS): 30.4% failing, 6,124 testsPortsmouth (PO): 30% failing, 4,893 testsHull (HU): 29.6% failing, 2,517 testsSouthampton (SO): 29.4% failing, 4,036 testsNorthampton (NN): 29% failing, 4,714 testsWorcester (WR): 28.7% failing, 1,955 testsCardiff (CF): 28.3% failing, 6,678 testsOxford (OX): 28.3% failing, 4,757 testsGuildford (GU): 28.2% failing, 4,932 testsNorwich (NR): 28% failing, 5,395 testsBlackpool (FY): 28% failing, 1,378 testsColchester (CO): 27.7% failing, 2,676 testsTaunton (TA): 27.7% failing, 3,090 testsCanterbury (CT): 27.6% failing, 2,603 testsAberdeen (AB): 27.6% failing, 4,652 testsShrewsbury (SY): 27.3% failing, 2,421 testsHuddersfield (HD): 27.3% failing, 1,735 testsTonbridge (TN): 27.3% failing, 5,096 testsInverness (IV): 27.1% failing, 2,421 testsWigan (WN): 26.9% failing, 1,783 testsDarlington (DL): 26.6% failing, 2,372 testsChester (CH): 26.5% failing, 3,998 testsMedway (ME): 26.4% failing, 4,092 testsCrewe (CW): 26.3% failing, 2,109 testsNewport (NP): 26.3% failing, 3,400 testsNottingham (NG): 25.9% failing, 7,090 testsRedhill (RH): 25.8% failing, 4,377 testsLlandudno (LL): 25.8% failing, 4,357 testsStoke-on-Trent (ST): 25.7% failing, 4,570 testsStevenage (SG): 25.7% failing, 2,371 testsYork (YO): 25.6% failing, 3,464 testsSouthend-on-Sea (SS): 25.5% failing, 2,513 testsCambridge (CB): 25.4% failing, 2,969 testsEdinburgh (EH): 25.3% failing, 5,397 testsFalkirk (FK): 25.1% failing, 2,060 testsHalifax (HX): 25% failing, 872 testsCarlisle (CA): 24.7% failing, 2,511 testsMilton Keynes (MK): 24.6% failing, 4,012 testsLancaster (LA): 24.5% failing, 2,168 testsPaisley (PA): 24.4% failing, 1,850 testsReading (RG): 24.3% failing, 6,228 testsLeicester (LE): 24.1% failing, 6,651 testsDoncaster (DN): 23.9% failing, 6,138 testsSunderland (SR): 23.9% failing, 1,730 testsSt Albans (AL): 23.8% failing, 1,570 testsPerth (PH): 23.7% failing, 1,598 testsWarrington (WA): 23.7% failing, 3,797 testsDudley (DY): 23.6% failing, 2,122 testsLondon W (W): 23.5% failing, 1,017 testsStockport (SK): 23.4% failing, 3,849 testsPeterborough (PE): 23.4% failing, 8,489 testsHemel Hempstead (HP): 23.3% failing, 4,452 testsChelmsford (CM): 23.3% failing, 3,866 testsWakefield (WF): 23.3% failing, 4,183 testsCleveland (TS): 23.3% failing, 4,368 testsNewcastle (NE): 23.2% failing, 8,050 testsWalsall (WS): 23.1% failing, 2,492 testsBolton (BL): 23.1% failing, 3,411 testsPreston (PR): 22.8% failing, 3,652 testsTelford (TF): 22.7% failing, 1,728 testsCoventry (CV): 22.6% failing, 6,034 testsManchester (M): 22.6% failing, 7,020 testsOldham (OL): 22.5% failing, 3,197 testsWatford (WD): 22.5% failing, 1,283 testsHarrogate (HG): 22.4% failing, 1,008 testsDerby (DE): 22.3% failing, 5,661 testsHereford (HR): 22.2% failing, 1,755 testsMotherwell (ML): 22.2% failing, 2,702 testsLiverpool (L): 21.9% failing, 3,501 testsDumfries (DG): 21.9% failing, 1,064 testsLeeds (LS): 21.8% failing, 5,011 testsKilmarnock (KA): 21.7% failing, 3,486 testsWolverhampton (WV): 21.6% failing, 3,024 testsTwickenham (TW): 21.5% failing, 3,247 testsLondon SW (SW): 21.5% failing, 1,813 testsDurham (DH): 20.9% failing, 2,721 testsKingston upon Thames (KT): 20.8% failing, 2,718 testsLuton (LU): 20.8% failing, 2,829 testsBlackburn (BB): 20.7% failing, 4,588 testsBirmingham (B): 20.6% failing, 14,311 testsLondon SE (SE): 20.6% failing, 2,349 testsSheffield (S): 20.5% failing, 10,253 testsRomford (RM): 20.5% failing, 2,296 testsCroydon (CR): 20.4% failing, 1,809 testsSlough (SL): 20.3% failing, 2,937 testsBromley (BR): 20.2% failing, 1,241 testsGlasgow (G): 20% failing, 8,991 testsBradford (BD): 19.7% failing, 5,682 testsLondon NW (NW): 19.4% failing, 2,470 testsIlford (IG): 19.3% failing, 1,359 testsHarrow (HA): 19.3% failing, 1,642 testsDartford (DA): 18.9% failing, 2,025 testsLondon N (N): 18.8% failing, 2,352 testsEnfield (EN): 18.8% failing, 1,988 testsUxbridge (UB): 18.1% failing, 2,488 testsLondon E (E): 16.9% failing, 3,122 tests % failing 19% 34%
Toughest areas% failing
Exeter (EX)36.98%
Bath (BA)34.28%
Brighton (BN)34.02%
Salisbury (SP)33.59%
Truro (TR)33.47%
Easiest areas% failing
London E (E)16.91%
Uxbridge (UB)18.13%
London N (N)18.79%
Dartford (DA)18.91%
London NW (NW)19.43%

Does the test month matter?

Takeaway: the spread between best and worst month is 2.0 percentage points — booking month barely matters for this family.

25.55% in month 1 J25.03% in month 2 F23.87% in month 3 M24.81% in month 4 A24.89% in month 5 M25.38% in month 6 J25.38% in month 7 J24.54% in month 8 A24.67% in month 9 S25.83% in month 10 O25.59% in month 11 N25.55% in month 12 D 29% 22%

bars: Audi A4 · dashed: all class-4 cars

Month-by-month table
MonthAudi A4All cars
Jan25.55%27.37%
Feb25.03%26.14%
Mar23.87%24.75%
Apr24.81%26.01%
May24.89%25.01%
Jun25.38%25.01%
Jul25.38%26.04%
Aug24.54%25.79%
Sep24.67%25.19%
Oct25.83%27.13%
Nov25.59%27.2%
Dec25.55%26.29%

Is the mileage normal?

A typical 8-year-old A4 has ~77,437 miles on the clock. Much more — ask why; much less — check for gaps in the MOT history.

369121518car age, years 194k mi 0

line: median · band: middle half of the fleet (p25–p75)

Mileage by age (p25 / median / p75)
Agep25Medianp75Tests
315,83522,78731,258507
426,80136,25047,52812,117
533,43643,98457,92423,083
640,72253,17467,88524,079
751,02765,78984,31936,293
860,19577,43798,81334,957
967,81487,582110,44226,820
1075,66897,473123,73827,957
1183,248105,846131,93826,691
1292,976117,528144,09821,852
13100,371126,306155,31721,795
14107,117133,621161,62920,753
15108,589135,756164,23520,939
16108,335136,445165,02524,796
17105,487134,259163,50024,550
18106,541133,807163,82620,976
19107,106137,086169,22812,045
20+109,715144,594184,30525,927

Quick answers

What most commonly fails on a Audi A4 MOT?
The most frequent specific failures in 2024 were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn; a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated; windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view.
Is the Audi A4 reliable for its age?
Across 406,182 initial tests in 2024, it fails its MOT about 15% less often than expected for its age (MOT Risk Index 84.6, where 100 = normal for its age).
Are diesel A4s worse than petrol at the MOT?
27.4% of diesel tests found a failing defect vs 20.6% of petrol.
What mileage is normal for a 8-year-old A4?
The median is about 77,437 miles; the middle half of the fleet sits between 60,195 and 98,813.
How often are dangerous defects found on the Audi A4?
About 15 dangerous defects were recorded per 100 initial tests in 2024 — with a dangerous defect the car legally cannot be driven away.

Compare with

Honda Civic · 100.7Kia Sportage · 107.8Ford Kuga · 91.3Honda Jazz · 85

Data details & how to cite

Scope: class-4 vehicles (cars), initial tests only, outcomes pass / fail / fixed-on-the-spot at the station (PRS counts towards the failure rate — the defect was present at arrival). Index = observed initial failures ÷ failures expected for this fleet's exact age profile, ×100; margin of error is a 95% confidence interval. Covers ALL generations together — a 3-year-old and a 15-year-old are very different cars; a generation split is on the roadmap. Dataset release dvsa-2024-v1, frozen baseline. Full method: methodology.

Cite: MOT Risk Index (2026). Audi A4 MOT statistics 2024 (dvsa-2024-v1). https://motriskindex.co.uk/cars/audi-a4/ · Published 2026-07-30.