How reliable is the Audi A2 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Audi A2, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 56.4% across 5,762 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Audi A2?

The item recorded most often is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", which appears in 16.9% of failed Audi A2 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Audi A2?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 20.4% of all Audi A2 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Audi A2 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 132,537 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Audi A2 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Audi A2 cars tested, 60% are diesel, 40% are petrol. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Audi A2 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 5,762 recorded MOT tests of the Audi A2, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 5,762 MOT tests, 56.4% of Audi A2 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Audi A2 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, which appears in 16.9% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 132,537 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

56.4%unadjusted, not comparable5,762 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the A2. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 5,762 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Audi A2 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened16.9%
358 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
2.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements15.6%
331 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
3.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement11.5%
245 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
4.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc11.0%
233 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
5.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.1%
173 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
6.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction7.4%
157 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
7.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc7.3%
155 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
8.Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements7.2%
153 occurrencesLamp of the wrong colour, position or intensity explained
9.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements7.2%
153 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
10.A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched7.1%
150 occurrencesBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Audi A2 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements20.4%
1,173 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured17.5%
1,009 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users16.5%
953 tests
4.A tyre seriously damaged15.5%
895 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened13.0%
748 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
6.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded12.1%
698 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
7.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage8.0%
461 testsShock absorber defective explained
8.Number plate inscription missing or illegible7.6%
437 testsRegistration plate missing, insecure or illegible explained

What gets tested

The A2 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 132,537
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel59.6%
Petrol40.4%

Check a specific Audi A2

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Audi models

Audi A3 — 77.8% adjusted
Audi A4 — 77.8% adjusted
Audi A1 — 73.7% adjusted
Audi Q3 — 81.5% adjusted
Audi A5 — 79.1% adjusted
Audi A6 — 82.4% adjusted
All Audi models

Common questions

How reliable is the Audi A2 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Audi A2, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 56.4% across 5,762 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Audi A2?: The item recorded most often is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", which appears in 16.9% of failed Audi A2 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Audi A2?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 20.4% of all Audi A2 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Audi A2 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 132,537 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Audi A2 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Audi A2 cars tested, 60% are diesel, 40% are petrol. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.