Audi A1 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 235,805 initial MOT tests on the Audi A1 in Great Britain, and 76.3% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Audi A1 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 235,805
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 76.3%
Failed at firstIncluding 3.2% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 23.7%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.7%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 3,877 off the road (SORN): 274,860

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the A1 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Suspension
9.1%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Tyres
7.0%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
3Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
5.4%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
4Brakes
4.5%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Visibility
2.6%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Body, chassis and structure
1.8%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
1.6%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
1.2%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.8%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.3%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

ConditionTyres4.5%
Suspension armsSuspension4.1%
SpringsSuspension3.4%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes3.0%
Tread depthTyres2.6%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.5%
Anti-roll barsSuspension2.0%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks1.6%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2023	943	93.5%	2.4%
2022	15,060	90.5%	3.8%
2021	14,116	89.7%	4.5%
2020	13,340	87.6%	5.9%
2019	20,502	84.1%	6.4%
2018	19,892	79.7%	7.2%
2017	22,857	77.1%	7.9%
2016	25,390	74.1%	8.9%
2015	23,472	74.0%	8.3%
2014	22,842	71.4%	8.7%
2013	22,145	67.0%	9.5%
2012	18,174	66.6%	9.5%
2011	15,694	64.0%	9.4%
2010	1,341	65.0%	8.7%

Mileage

A1 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	20,300 miles	12,372
3 years	25,900 miles	13,102
4 years	31,900 miles	13,567
5 years	38,000 miles	17,331
6 years	43,400 miles	19,444
7 years	49,400 miles	20,916
8 years	57,500 miles	23,949
9 years	65,500 miles	24,562
10 years	72,300 miles	22,244
11 years	79,100 miles	22,596
12 years	87,300 miles	19,850
13 years	95,100 miles	16,595
14 years	101,300 miles	8,988

Checking a particular A1?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Audi A1: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Audi A1?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Audi A1 was suspension: 9.1% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came tyres (7.0%) and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (5.4%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Audi A1?

76.3% of 235,805 initial MOT tests on the Audi A1 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 3.2% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Audi A1 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 7.7% of initial tests on the Audi A1 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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