Verdict
The Audi A1 passes its MOT first time on 79.5% of tests, 2.1 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (77.4%). That puts it ahead of 64% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2015 A1 does best (beats 71% of cars) and the 2018 worst (beats 44%).
Of its engines, the 1.4 Petrol does best (beats 69%) and the 1.0 Petrol worst (beats 45%).
Better than average on lights & electrics, visibility, body & structure.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 80.4% | Beats 69% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 73.4% | Beats 61% | B |
| 1.0 Petrol | 84.7% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.2 Petrol | 75.2% | Beats 69% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 88.6% | Beats 67% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.3% | Beats 90% | A |
| 2.0 Diesel | 75.9% | Beats 80% | B |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Suspension arm bushes 3.0× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Brake discs 1.7× typical
Look through the wheel spokes for scored discs or a heavy rust lip on the edge. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Coil springs
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre damage & cracking | 4.2% | 3.3% | 1.3× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.6% | 2.2% | 1.2× |
| Coil springs | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.3× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 2.3% | 0.7% | 3.0× |
| Headlight aim | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.0× |
| Brake pads | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.0× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.3% | 1.6% | 0.8× |
| Brake discs | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.7× |
| Ball joint dust covers | 0.8% | 0.4% | 2.2× |
| Windscreen wipers | 0.8% | 2.0% | 0.4× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A tyre seriously damaged | 26.6 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 25.9 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 25.7 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 24.0 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 22.1 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 17.3 |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | 14.1 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 12.8 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2023 Audi A11 engine89.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 89.3% | Beats 56% | C |
2022 Audi A12 engines90.6% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 90.4% | Beats 67% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 92.6% | Beats 88% | A |
2021 Audi A12 engines89.2% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 89.0% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.5 Petrol | 90.4% | Beats 73% | B |
2020 Audi A13 engines88.2% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.9% | Beats 60% | C |
| 1.5 Petrol | 89.0% | Beats 66% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 91.2% | Beats 92% | A |
2019 Audi A13 engines86.4% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 85.9% | Beats 52% | C |
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.5% | Beats 64% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.5% | Beats 75% | B |
2018 Audi A14 engines84.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 85.3% | Beats 54% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 82.6% | Beats 25% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 81.2% | Beats 41% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 88.4% | Beats 81% | A |
2017 Audi A14 engines82.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 83.9% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.0 Petrol | 80.4% | Beats 23% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 79.0% | Beats 33% | D |
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.3% | Beats 83% | A |
2016 Audi A14 engines81.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 83.3% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.0 Petrol | 79.8% | Beats 36% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 78.5% | Beats 46% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 86.9% | Beats 90% | A |
2015 Audi A15 engines81.8% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 83.9% | Beats 80% | A |
| 1.6 Diesel | 78.3% | Beats 61% | B |
| 1.0 Petrol | 80.5% | Beats 56% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 87.0% | Beats 96% | A |
| 1.2 Petrol | 81.0% | Beats 67% | B |
2014 Audi A15 engines78.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 80.4% | Beats 74% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 75.3% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.6% | Beats 70% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 78.4% | Beats 79% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 83.9% | Beats 92% | A |
2013 Audi A14 engines74.8% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 77.2% | Beats 72% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 71.3% | Beats 60% | B |
| 1.2 Petrol | 75.8% | Beats 68% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 75.5% | Beats 79% | B |
2012 Audi A14 engines72.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 74.6% | Beats 72% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 69.7% | Beats 66% | B |
| 1.2 Petrol | 73.3% | Beats 69% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 73.9% | Beats 83% | A |
2011 Audi A13 engines69.3% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 71.6% | Beats 73% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 66.3% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.2 Petrol | 70.8% | Beats 70% | B |
2010 Audi A13 engines67.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 68.7% | Beats 68% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 64.9% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.2 Petrol | 68.5% | Beats 67% | B |
FAQ
What is the Audi A1 MOT pass rate?
79.5% of MOT tests on the Audi A1 were passed first time, based on 1,630,983 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2010–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 77.4% of the time.
Is the Audi A1 reliable?
On MOT results it rates B (good): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 64% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Audi A1 year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2015 A1 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 71% of cars on UK roads. The 2018 does worst: it beats 44%.
Which Audi A1 engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.4 Petrol does best: it beats 69% of cars on UK roads. The 1.0 Petrol does worst: it beats 45%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Audi A1?
The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, tyre tread depth, coil springs. Compared with similar cars, suspension arm bushes comes up 3.0× as often.