Is the Audi A8 reliable?

On MOT evidence the Audi A8 is well above average. It passes 88.6% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 6 of 262 models with enough data for a fair comparison. This measures how often the car meets the MOT standard, not how often it breaks down or what a repair costs.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Audi A8?

The item recorded most often is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", which appears in 16.5% of failed Audi A8 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 A8?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 20.3% of all Audi A8 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Audi A8 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 102,500 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.

Which Audi A8 years are the most reliable?

Going by MOT pass rate, Audi A8 cars first registered 2020–2022 do best at 93.6%, and those registered 2010 and earlier do worst at 78.3%. But that ordering is mostly age, not build year: almost every model passes less often as it wears, so the newest cars top this list whatever they are. A specific year looking strong here means little on its own; the failure items above, and the individual car's own MOT history, tell you far more.

Does a Audi A8 get harder to pass as it ages?

Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 93.6% of Audi A8 tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 78.3%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.

Are most Audi A8 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Audi A8 cars tested, 78% are diesel, 20% are petrol, 2% are hybrid. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Audi A8 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 11,122 recorded MOT tests of the Audi A8, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

The Audi A8 passes 88.6% of MOT tests once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, against a national average of 72.3%. That is well above average, ranking it 6 of 262 models with enough data to compare fairly. Based on 11,122 tests. Its most commonly recorded failure is tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, which appears in 16.5% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 102,500 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

88.6%national average72.3%unadjusted87.2%range covered94%rank6 of 262

The A8 is 16.3 percentage points above the national pass rate once age and mileage are accounted for, which is well above average. The unadjusted figure is 87.2%; the difference is what the age and mileage of this model’s fleet was hiding.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Audi A8 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements16.5%
184 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A tyre cords visible or damaged15.3%
171 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
3.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn15.2%
170 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
4.A tyre seriously damaged11.4%
127 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.7%
86 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.2%
80 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
7.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.7%
75 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.6%
74 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
9.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.9%
66 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
10.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction5.5%
61 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Audi A8 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 requirements20.3%
2,260 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn13.4%
1,485 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured9.5%
1,054 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
4.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm6.0%
663 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
5.A tyre seriously damaged5.4%
598 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users3.9%
429 tests
7.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn3.6%
399 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
8.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.3%
367 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Audi A8

The 23 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

How wear changes the picture

A8 pass rate by age and registration year

How often the Audi A8 passes at each age, with the years those cars were first registered. Tests are from 2025, so a car aged 3 to 5 was first used in 2020–2022.

3–5 yrsreg. 2020–202294%

6–8 yrsreg. 2017–201992%

9–11 yrsreg. 2014–201691%

12–14 yrsreg. 2011–201387%

15+ yrsreg. 2010 and earlier78%

Read this as an age curve rather than a verdict on particular model years. Nearly every car passes less often as it gets older, so a newer A8 outscoring an older one says more about wear than about how that year’s cars were built. Bands holding too few tests to be meaningful are omitted rather than shown as a rate.

What gets tested

The A8 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 102,500
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel78.0%
Petrol19.5%
Hybrid2.3%

Trim names grouped into this model (30)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

A8 55 TFSI MHEV QUATTRO AUTO
A8 60 TFSI E QUATTRO AUTO
A8 BLACK ED 50 TDI MHEV QUAT A
A8 BLACK ED 55TFSI MHEV QUAT A
A8 BLACK ED 60 TFSI E QUAT A
A8 L
A8 L 60 TFSI E QUATTRO AUTO
A8 L BLK ED 50 TDI MHEV QUAT A
A8 L LAUNCH ED 50 TDI MHEV Q A
A8 L S LINE 50 TDI MHEV QUAT A
A8 L S LINE 60 TFSI E QUAT A
A8 L S LN VSPRUNG 50TDI QUAT A
A8 L S LNE 55 TFSI MHEV QUAT A
A8 L SPORT 50 TDI MHEV QUAT A
A8 L SPORT 60 TFSI E QUATTRO A
A8 L VSPRUNG 50TDI MHEV QUAT A
A8 L VSPRUNG 60 TFSI E QUAT A
A8 LAUNCH ED 50TDI MHEV QUAT A
A8 QUATTRO 3.0 TDI
A8 QUATTRO TDI
A8 S LINE 50TDI MHEV QUATTRO A
A8 S LINE 55 TFSI MHEV QUAT A
A8 S LINE 60 TFSI E QUATTRO A
A8 S LINE BLK ED 50 TDI QUAT A
A8 S LN BLACK ED 55TFSI QUAT A
A8 S LN VSPRUNG 50 TDI QUAT A
A8 SPORT 50 TDI MHEV QUATTRO A
A8 SPORT 55TFSI MHEV QUATTRO A
A8 SPORT 60 TFSI E QUATTRO A
A8 TDI QUATTRO

Check a specific Audi A8

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

Similar test volumes

Compare against other makes

Mitsubishi Mirage — 77.3% adjusted, ranked 82
Toyota Alphard — 75.4% adjusted, ranked 102
Volkswagen Jetta — 69.3% adjusted, ranked 177
Tesla Model S — 81.5% adjusted, ranked 43

Common questions

Is the Audi A8 reliable?: On MOT evidence the Audi A8 is well above average. It passes 88.6% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 6 of 262 models with enough data for a fair comparison. This measures how often the car meets the MOT standard, not how often it breaks down or what a repair costs.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Audi A8?: The item recorded most often is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", which appears in 16.5% of failed Audi A8 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 A8?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 20.3% of all Audi A8 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Audi A8 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 102,500 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.
Which Audi A8 years are the most reliable?: Going by MOT pass rate, Audi A8 cars first registered 2020–2022 do best at 93.6%, and those registered 2010 and earlier do worst at 78.3%. But that ordering is mostly age, not build year: almost every model passes less often as it wears, so the newest cars top this list whatever they are. A specific year looking strong here means little on its own; the failure items above, and the individual car's own MOT history, tell you far more.
Does a Audi A8 get harder to pass as it ages?: Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 93.6% of Audi A8 tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 78.3%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.
Are most Audi A8 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Audi A8 cars tested, 78% are diesel, 20% are petrol, 2% are hybrid. 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. The adjusted rate is directly standardised across twenty-five age and mileage bands and reweighted onto the national distribution, so this model is compared against cars that have lived a similar life rather than against a younger or lighter-used fleet.

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.