Audi
S5
3,844 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where S5s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 7.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.3%
Pass-after-fix
2.7%
Fail
11.5%
Avg miles
91,762
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
The picture
S5: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 1,696 MOT tests, the S5 returns 82.4% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A broken or weak spring and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 87,227, 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
Group 38–46
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. 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 →
38–46
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A tyre cords visible or damaged
80 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
77 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 03
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
61 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
52 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
49 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
47 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
38 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 08
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
32 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 09
A tyre seriously damaged
32 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 10
A tyre seriously damaged
28 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
£220–£575
If every one of this S5'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.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Summit ADRG-215 Audi Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
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Buying or keeping an S5?
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 S5 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.