How reliable is the Audi Q8?
DVSA recorded 12,561 MOT tests on the Audi Q8 (2018 to 2022 cars) in 2023 to 2025. 90.5% of them were a pass, against 71.7% for every car tested. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each Q8 with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 5.3 points better than a typical car, which makes it above average. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the Q8 scores 90.7% against 87.9% for all cars. The most common reason for a fail is a tyre worn or cut to the cords.
What fails a Audi Q8 at its MOT
The Q8's failures cluster around tyres: a tyre worn or cut to the cords on 23.4% of fails, tyre tread below the legal minimum on 17.7%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
Warning signs on the certificate
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Audi Q8: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 13.6% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. Nationally, an advisory on lights becomes a failure 36.1% of the time.
Does fuel type matter on a Q8?
The petrol Q8 has the better record at 91.4%; the diesel manages 90.5%. The difference is within noise.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 90.5% | 10,167 |
| Petrol | 91.4% | 1,214 |
Every Q8 year, 2018 to 2022
Between 2018 (90.9%) and 2022 (90.5%) the pass rate moves mostly with age.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q8 2022 | 90.5% | 1,100 | 10,451 | 90.4% |
| Audi Q8 2021 | 91.2% | 2,031 | 10,787 | 90.9% |
| Audi Q8 2020 | 90.9% | 2,563 | 9,698 | 90.9% |
| Audi Q8 2019 | 89.9% | 5,055 | 9,751 | – |
| Audi Q8 2018 | 90.9% | 1,812 | 9,130 | – |
Mileage matters more than the badge
Take the 2019 Q8, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 91% of the time, and that falls to 87.5% over 100,000. A 4-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2019 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91% | 1,869 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.7% | 1,921 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 90% | 911 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 90.8% | 273 |
| Over 100,000 | 87.5% | 80 |
Audi stablemates and rivals
The average Audi passes 78.1% of tests, so the Q8 is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see Audi A3 reliability (75.2%), the A4 (72.8%), how the A1 does (77.2%) and Q3 common problems (83.3%), or other Audi models. For a cross-make comparison, the Kia ProCeed and Mercedes-Benz AMG have similar test volumes and their own pages. The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the UK pass rates by age and fuel give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Audi Q8 2022 90.5% pass 1,100 tests90.4% at first MOT
On a 2022 Audi Q8, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 31.7% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 19.2%.
2022 cars pass 90.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 100% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.9% | 860 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 90.2% | 205 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.9% | 31 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 66.7% | 3 |
| Over 100,000 | 100% | 1 |
Audi Q8 2021 91.2% pass 2,031 tests90.9% at first MOT
On a 2021 Audi Q8, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 30.7% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 19.6%.
2021 cars pass 92.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 85.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.2% | 1,276 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 89.1% | 587 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 89.8% | 128 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 93.9% | 33 |
| Over 100,000 | 85.7% | 7 |
By fuel: diesel 90.8% (1,291 tests), petrol 92.2% (510 tests).
Audi Q8 2020 90.9% pass 2,563 tests90.9% at first MOT
On a 2020 Audi Q8, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 21.9% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 20.6%.
2020 cars pass 92.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.1% | 1,557 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.7% | 715 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 91.7% | 217 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 86.4% | 59 |
| Over 100,000 | 80% | 15 |
Audi Q8 2019 89.9% pass 5,055 tests
On a 2019 Audi Q8, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 20.7% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 15.8%.
2019 cars pass 91% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 87.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91% | 1,869 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 88.7% | 1,921 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 90% | 911 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 90.8% | 273 |
| Over 100,000 | 87.5% | 80 |
Audi Q8 2018 90.9% pass 1,812 tests
On a 2018 Audi Q8, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 21.8% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 13.9%.
2018 cars pass 92.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.2% | 448 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 91% | 758 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 89.6% | 412 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 93.8% | 129 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.1% | 65 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Audi Q8?
On MOT evidence the Audi Q8 is above average. It passes 90.5% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 5.3 points. 90.7% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 12,561 DVSA tests.
What fails a Audi Q8 MOT most often?
A tyre worn or cut to the cords (23.4% of failed tests), tyre tread below the legal minimum (17.7%) and a dashboard warning light (10.9%). A tyre fail usually means a tyre that was already an advisory last year. Worth looking at the previous certificate before booking.
What advisories does a Audi Q8 usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 13.6% of all Q8 tests, then worn brake discs (7.6%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Audi Q8 do?
About 9,879 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 Q8 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 Q8?
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 9,879 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.