Is the Audi A6 reliable?
The Audi A6 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 79.3%, from 371,991 tests on cars dating from 2002 to 2023. All cars together manage 71.7%. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each A6 with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 8.6 points better than a typical car, which makes it well above average. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the A6 scores 90.7% against 87.9% for all cars. When a A6 does fail, tyre tread below the legal minimum is the item recorded most often.
What fails a Audi A6 at its MOT
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is recorded on 14.2% of failed Audi A6 tests, followed by a dashboard warning light at 9.9% and a tyre worn or cut to the cords at 5.9%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Tread is the one item a driver can check at home with a 20p coin: if the outer band of the coin shows above the tread, the tyre is close to the 1.6mm limit.
Advisories to expect on a A6
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Audi A6: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 17.9% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
Does fuel type matter on a A6?
The hybrid A6 has the better record at 93.5%; the diesel manages 78.7%. 14.8 points is a real difference. Allow for the hybrid fleet being younger.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 78.7% | 333,075 |
| Petrol | 84.8% | 34,880 |
| Hybrid | 93.5% | 2,841 |
Audi A6 pass rate by year
Pass rates run from 57.9% for 2002 cars to 94.8% for 2023 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A6 2023 | 94.8% | 1,024 | 30,087 | – |
| Audi A6 2022 | 91.2% | 4,295 | 11,180 | 90.9% |
| Audi A6 2021 | 90.6% | 9,338 | 11,207 | 90.3% |
| Audi A6 2020 | 90.7% | 10,836 | 10,808 | 90.8% |
| Audi A6 2019 | 89.1% | 26,465 | 10,797 | – |
| Audi A6 2018 | 87.4% | 24,331 | 10,524 | – |
| Audi A6 2017 | 86.1% | 27,856 | 10,867 | – |
| Audi A6 2016 | 84.3% | 39,297 | 10,838 | – |
| Audi A6 2015 | 83.1% | 33,463 | 10,922 | – |
| Audi A6 2014 | 80% | 31,692 | 10,711 | – |
| Audi A6 2013 | 79.5% | 30,871 | 10,522 | – |
| Audi A6 2012 | 78% | 23,992 | 10,501 | – |
| Audi A6 2011 | 72.7% | 20,659 | 10,463 | – |
| Audi A6 2010 | 69.8% | 19,797 | 10,330 | – |
| Audi A6 2009 | 69% | 12,709 | 10,115 | – |
| Audi A6 2008 | 66.1% | 16,850 | 9,781 | – |
| Audi A6 2007 | 66.2% | 16,623 | 9,566 | – |
| Audi A6 2006 | 64.6% | 9,691 | 9,255 | – |
| Audi A6 2005 | 63.7% | 5,513 | 8,581 | – |
| Audi A6 2004 | 62.1% | 3,238 | 7,796 | – |
| Audi A6 2003 | 61.1% | 2,184 | 7,436 | – |
| Audi A6 2002 | 57.9% | 1,267 | 7,355 | – |
Mileage matters more than the badge
Take the 2016 A6, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 90.5% of the time, and that falls to 82.4% over 100,000. A 8-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2016 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.5% | 1,755 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.1% | 6,597 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.2% | 10,599 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83.6% | 9,194 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.4% | 11,150 |
How the A6 compares
The average Audi passes 78.1% of tests, so the A6 is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see Audi A3 reliability (75.2%), the A4 (72.8%), Audi A1 reliability (77.2%) and how the Q3 does (83.3%), or every Audi model compared. For a cross-make comparison, the Hyundai i20 and Toyota RAV4 have similar test volumes and their own pages. The reliability index for all makes and models puts them side by side, and the UK pass rates by age and fuel give the baseline.
Each A6 year in detail
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Audi A6 2023 94.8% pass 1,024 tests
On a 2023 Audi A6, headlamp aim out of adjustment appears on 28.3% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 18.9%.
2023 cars pass 95.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 90.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 95.6% | 518 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 95.9% | 197 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 92.7% | 151 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 95.3% | 86 |
| Over 100,000 | 90.3% | 72 |
Audi A6 2022 91.2% pass 4,295 tests90.9% at first MOT
On a 2022 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 35.1% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 21.9%.
2022 cars pass 91.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 90% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.8% | 3,199 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 89.7% | 844 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86% | 171 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 92.2% | 51 |
| Over 100,000 | 90% | 30 |
By fuel: petrol 90.9% (2,605 tests), diesel 91.6% (1,348 tests).
Audi A6 2021 90.6% pass 9,338 tests90.3% at first MOT
On a 2021 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 24.9% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 19.9%.
2021 cars pass 91.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 86.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.5% | 5,835 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 90% | 2,373 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 87.7% | 762 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 87.4% | 223 |
| Over 100,000 | 86.9% | 145 |
By fuel: diesel 89.3% (5,000 tests), petrol 91.7% (3,318 tests), hybrid 93.6% (1,020 tests).
Audi A6 2020 90.7% pass 10,836 tests90.8% at first MOT
On a 2020 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 26.9% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 17.8%.
2020 cars pass 91.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 87% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.6% | 5,732 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 90% | 3,160 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 89.5% | 1,243 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 88.3% | 461 |
| Over 100,000 | 87% | 239 |
By fuel: diesel 90% (7,356 tests), petrol 91.7% (2,470 tests), hybrid 92.6% (1,010 tests).
Audi A6 2019 89.1% pass 26,465 tests
On a 2019 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 26.9% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 14.3%.
2019 cars pass 90.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 88.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.9% | 8,610 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.3% | 9,286 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 87.8% | 5,054 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 88% | 2,111 |
| Over 100,000 | 88.4% | 1,403 |
By fuel: diesel 88.9% (24,301 tests), petrol 90.8% (2,158 tests).
Audi A6 2018 87.4% pass 24,331 tests
On a 2018 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 18.7% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 13.5%.
2018 cars pass 90.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.9% | 4,671 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.6% | 8,355 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86.8% | 6,076 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 85.4% | 2,951 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.4% | 2,277 |
By fuel: diesel 87.5% (18,090 tests), petrol 87% (6,241 tests).
Audi A6 2017 86.1% pass 27,856 tests
On a 2017 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 15.6% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 11.7%.
2017 cars pass 90.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.9% | 2,593 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.3% | 7,031 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.6% | 7,915 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 84% | 5,140 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.5% | 5,174 |
By fuel: diesel 85.8% (25,403 tests), petrol 89.1% (2,452 tests).
Audi A6 2016 84.3% pass 39,297 tests
On a 2016 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 16% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 13.8%.
2016 cars pass 90.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 82.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.5% | 1,755 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.1% | 6,597 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.2% | 10,599 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83.6% | 9,194 |
| Over 100,000 | 82.4% | 11,150 |
By fuel: diesel 84.1% (36,993 tests), petrol 88.7% (2,304 tests).
Audi A6 2015 83.1% pass 33,463 tests
On a 2015 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 16.2% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 15.4%.
2015 cars pass 91.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.5% | 871 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.4% | 3,386 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.3% | 7,026 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.6% | 8,123 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.8% | 14,056 |
By fuel: diesel 82.6% (31,390 tests), petrol 91.6% (2,073 tests).
Audi A6 2014 80% pass 31,692 tests
On a 2014 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 15.7% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 11.2%.
2014 cars pass 88.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.9% | 550 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.6% | 2,009 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.5% | 4,913 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.8% | 7,447 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.9% | 16,771 |
By fuel: diesel 79.6% (30,387 tests), petrol 89.3% (1,289 tests).
Audi A6 2013 79.5% pass 30,871 tests
On a 2013 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 16.5% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 10.4%.
2013 cars pass 88.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 78.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.3% | 307 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87% | 1,321 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.3% | 3,537 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79.2% | 6,159 |
| Over 100,000 | 78.4% | 19,543 |
By fuel: diesel 79.3% (30,192 tests), petrol 87.8% (617 tests).
Audi A6 2012 78% pass 23,992 tests
On a 2012 Audi A6, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 16.8% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 12.4%.
2012 cars pass 91.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.3% | 183 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86% | 665 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.9% | 1,872 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.2% | 3,586 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.1% | 17,681 |
By fuel: diesel 77.8% (23,454 tests), petrol 86.2% (506 tests).
Audi A6 2011 72.7% pass 20,659 tests
On a 2011 Audi A6, a broken coil spring appears on 12.5% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 10.2%.
2011 cars pass 85.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 71.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.9% | 135 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.1% | 430 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.1% | 1,048 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 75.5% | 2,355 |
| Over 100,000 | 71.5% | 16,688 |
By fuel: diesel 72.6% (20,120 tests), petrol 78.2% (536 tests).
Audi A6 2010 69.8% pass 19,797 tests
On a 2010 Audi A6, a dashboard warning light appears on 14.4% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 13.3%.
2010 cars pass 83.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 68.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.8% | 80 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79.4% | 286 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 76.7% | 848 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.2% | 1,790 |
| Over 100,000 | 68.8% | 16,791 |
By fuel: diesel 69.6% (18,917 tests), petrol 74.9% (880 tests).
Audi A6 2009 69% pass 12,709 tests
On a 2009 Audi A6, a dashboard warning light appears on 16.6% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 14.5%.
2009 cars pass 89.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 67.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.7% | 78 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.5% | 215 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81% | 457 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.1% | 984 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.7% | 10,973 |
By fuel: diesel 68% (11,593 tests), petrol 79.4% (1,116 tests).
Audi A6 2008 66.1% pass 16,850 tests
On a 2008 Audi A6, a number plate light not working appears on 15.2% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 12.1%.
2008 cars pass 73.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 73.3% | 45 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.2% | 147 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 74.1% | 394 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70.9% | 1,040 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.5% | 15,221 |
By fuel: diesel 65.9% (15,830 tests), petrol 70% (1,016 tests).
Audi A6 2007 66.2% pass 16,623 tests
On a 2007 Audi A6, a number plate light not working appears on 12.7% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 12%.
2007 cars pass 74.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 74.5% | 47 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72.9% | 133 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.3% | 370 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 71% | 825 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.6% | 15,246 |
By fuel: diesel 66.1% (15,246 tests), petrol 67.7% (1,376 tests).
Audi A6 2006 64.6% pass 9,691 tests
On a 2006 Audi A6, a number plate light not working appears on 14.1% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 12.7%.
2006 cars pass 84.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.2% | 19 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.8% | 66 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.3% | 203 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70.3% | 397 |
| Over 100,000 | 63.8% | 9,005 |
By fuel: diesel 64.3% (8,532 tests), petrol 66.8% (1,159 tests).
Audi A6 2005 63.7% pass 5,513 tests
On a 2005 Audi A6, a sidelight not working appears on 13.1% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 12.6%.
2005 cars pass 84.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 63% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.2% | 19 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 75.4% | 69 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.2% | 149 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.6% | 324 |
| Over 100,000 | 63% | 4,948 |
By fuel: diesel 63% (4,393 tests), petrol 66.6% (1,109 tests).
Audi A6 2004 62.1% pass 3,238 tests
On a 2004 Audi A6, a split CV boot appears on 17.3% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 12.2%.
2004 cars pass 68% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 68% | 25 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.6% | 68 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.3% | 122 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 68.9% | 264 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.4% | 2,759 |
By fuel: diesel 60% (2,357 tests), petrol 68.3% (872 tests).
Audi A6 2003 61.1% pass 2,184 tests
On a 2003 Audi A6, a split CV boot appears on 19.7% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 15.2%.
2003 cars pass 82.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 59.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82.4% | 17 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 78.8% | 33 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.5% | 102 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.5% | 203 |
| Over 100,000 | 59.1% | 1,828 |
By fuel: diesel 55.9% (1,398 tests), petrol 70.5% (783 tests).
Audi A6 2002 57.9% pass 1,267 tests
On a 2002 Audi A6, a split CV boot appears on 18.2% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 13.1%.
2002 cars pass 75% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 56.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 75% | 4 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 90% | 10 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75% | 52 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 63.8% | 94 |
| Over 100,000 | 56.3% | 1,107 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Audi A6?
On MOT evidence the Audi A6 is well above average. It passes 79.3% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 8.6 points. 90.7% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 371,991 DVSA tests.
What fails a Audi A6 MOT most often?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum (14.2% of failed tests), a dashboard warning light (9.9%) and a tyre worn or cut to the cords (5.9%). Tread is the one item a driver can check at home with a 20p coin: if the outer band of the coin shows above the tread, the tyre is close to the 1.6mm limit.
What is the best year for a used Audi A6?
Among years with a large sample, 2020 cars have the highest pass rate at 90.7% and 2005 cars the lowest at 63.7%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Audi A6 usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 17.9% of all A6 tests, then a worn suspension bush (10.4%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Audi A6 do?
About 10,521 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is above the UK average of roughly 7,400, which is typical of a car bought for commuting or work.
Does the Audi A6 pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Own a A6?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 10,521 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.