Audi
A2
12,210 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where A2s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.3 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
67.2%
Pass-after-fix
4.6%
Fail
27.2%
Avg miles
132,362
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
The picture
Audi A2: challenging MOT record across 9,817 tests
The Audi A2 (internally designated Typ 8Z) is a compact MPV-styled supermini car produced by the German manufacturer Audi from November 1999 (for the 2000 model year) to August 2005. It is a five-door hatchback with four or five seats.
MOT data from 9,817 tests puts this car on a 65.7% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 128,474 miles. The most common fail item is suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated, followed by cracked or discoloured windscreen.
The A2's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–20
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–20
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
687 occurrences · 5.6% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
628 occurrences · 5.1% of tests
- 03
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
593 occurrences · 4.9% of tests
- 04
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
589 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 05
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
494 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 06
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
403 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 07
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
363 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 08
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
359 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 09
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
346 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 10
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
325 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£98–£355
If every one of this A2's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-215 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-216 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
Draper Expert
Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW
£18.69
View at My Motor World →
Draper Expert
Draper Expert Audi/VW Drain Plug Key, 1/2" Sq. Dr.
£21.99
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
2 UK recalls on record.
The A2 has 2 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping an A2?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an A2 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.