Audi
5,278 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where A5 S Line 35 Tdi Mhev S As pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
90.8%
Pass-after-fix
1.7%
Fail
7.2%
Avg miles
33,760
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered from September 2015 generally meet Euro 6 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 5,278 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old A5 S Line 35 Tdi Mhev S A examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
91.2%
Fail
7.4%
PRS
1.1%
Avg mileage at test
36,175 mi
Pass
90.6%
Fail
7.0%
PRS
2.1%
Avg mileage at test
31,976 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,071 MOT tests, the A5 S Line 35 Tdi Mhev S-A returns 89.4% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A seriously damaged tyre and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 28,419, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. 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 →
28–42
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
117 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
65 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
49 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Wiper blade defective
48 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
46 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
33 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
30 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
26 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
25 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
23 occurrences · 0.4% 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
£140–£235
If every one of this A5 S Line 35 Tdi Mhev S A'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.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Audi A5 S Line 35 Tdi Mhev S A makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
91.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 91.2% — a 0.6-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
90.6%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 90.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 91.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, blade defective, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 31,976 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (91.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (90.6% pass). That's a 0.6-point spread across 3,034 older tests and 2,244 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
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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 A5 S Line 35 Tdi Mhev S A 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.
