The picture
A7: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 18,563 MOT tests, the A7 returns 85.6% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Windscreen damage and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 77,818, 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.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
684 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
601 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
354 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 04
A tyre seriously damaged
333 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
245 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
A tyre seriously damaged
197 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 07
A tyre seriously damaged
196 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 08
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
155 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 09
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
144 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade defective
129 occurrences · 0.7% 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
£200–£430
If every one of this A7'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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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.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
A model described as a four-door coupe designed to be a more practical alternative to the Audi A8 and a rival to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS. 4,970mm long x 1,910mm wide. Up to 1,390 litres luggage capacity.
Buying or keeping a A7?
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 a A7 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.