Is the Audi Q5 reliable?

On MOT evidence the Audi Q5 is well above average. It passes 81.6% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 42 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 do testers most often warn about on a Audi Q5?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 24.4% of all Audi Q5 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Audi Q5 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 73,470 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.

Does a Audi Q5 get harder to pass as it ages?

Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 91.4% of Audi Q5 tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 67.6%. 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 Q5 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Audi Q5 cars tested, 73% are diesel, 23% are petrol, 5% are hybrid. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Audi Q5 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 118,070 recorded MOT tests of the Audi Q5, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

The Audi Q5 passes 81.6% 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 42 of 262 models with enough data to compare fairly. Based on 118,070 tests. Its most commonly recorded failure is transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which appears in 20.1% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 73,470 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

81.6%national average72.3%unadjusted83.7%range covered99%rank42 of 262

The Q5 is 9.3 percentage points above the national pass rate once age and mileage are accounted for, which is well above average. The unadjusted figure is 83.7%; 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 Q5 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc20.1%
3,272 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
2.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn19.2%
3,136 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements16.4%
2,680 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened13.0%
2,121 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
5.A tyre seriously damaged12.9%
2,108 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.1%
1,641 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
7.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction6.6%
1,084 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
8.A tyre cords visible or damaged6.1%
991 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
9.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen5.4%
885 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements4.8%
778 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Audi Q5 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 requirements24.4%
28,824 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn17.8%
20,975 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
3.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm12.4%
14,666 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
4.A tyre seriously damaged6.3%
7,476 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured6.0%
7,128 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
6.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn4.4%
5,237 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
7.Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.3%
5,105 tests
8.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.4%
4,032 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained

How wear changes the picture

Pass rate by vehicle age

3–5 yrs91%

6–8 yrs86%

9–11 yrs82%

12–14 yrs75%

15+ yrs68%

Bands holding too few tests to be meaningful are omitted rather than shown as a rate.

What gets tested

The Q5 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 73,470
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel72.6%
Petrol22.9%
Hybrid4.5%

Trim names grouped into this model (28)

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

AUDI Q5
Q5 45 TFSI QUATTRO
Q5 COMP 55 TFSI E QUATTRO S-A
Q5 COMP VOR 55 TFSI E QUAT S-A
Q5 QUATTRO
Q5 S LINE
Q5 S LINE + TFSI QUATTRO
Q5 S LINE 40 TDI MHEV QUAT S-A
Q5 S LINE 45 TFSI MHEV QUAT SA
Q5 S LINE 50 TFSI E QUATTRO SA
Q5 S LINE BLK ED40 TDI QUAT SA
Q5 S LN BLK ED 40TDI MHEV Q SA
Q5 S LN COMP 55 TFSI E QUAT SA
Q5 S LN ED 1 50 TFSI E QUAT SA
Q5 S LN ED1 40TDI MHEV QUAT SA
Q5 S LN VOR 40TDI MHEV QUAT SA
Q5 S LNE VOR 50 TFSI E QUAT SA
Q5 SLN BLK ED 45TFSI MHEV Q SA
Q5 SLN BLK ED 50TFSI E QUAT SA
Q5 SLN ED1 45TFSI MHEV QUAT SA
Q5 SLN VOR 45TFSI MHEV QUAT SA
Q5 SPORT 40 TDI MHEV QUAT S-A
Q5 SPORT 45 TFSI MHEV QUAT S-A
Q5 SPORT 50 TFSI E QUATTRO S-A
Q5 TDI QUATTRO
Q5 TFSI S-LINE QUATTRO
Q5 VOR 45 TFSI MHEV QUAT S-A
Q5 VOR COMP 55 TFSI E QUAT S-A

Check a specific Audi Q5

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

Dacia Sandero — 64.4% adjusted, ranked 226
Volvo XC60 — 79.1% adjusted, ranked 62
Land Rover Defender — 74.4% adjusted, ranked 117
Land Rover Discovery Sport — 81.9% adjusted, ranked 40

Common questions

Is the Audi Q5 reliable?: On MOT evidence the Audi Q5 is well above average. It passes 81.6% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 42 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 Q5?: The item recorded most often is "A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc", which appears in 20.1% of failed Audi Q5 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 Q5?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 24.4% of all Audi Q5 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Audi Q5 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 73,470 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.
Does a Audi Q5 get harder to pass as it ages?: Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 91.4% of Audi Q5 tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 67.6%. 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 Q5 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Audi Q5 cars tested, 73% are diesel, 23% are petrol, 5% 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.