Audi A6 years to avoid — 349,868 MOT tests ranked

No clear negative outlier after correcting for age. Strongest in the data: 2009 or 2012. The ranking uses 349,868 MOT tests across 19 registration years (2023–2025) and compares each year with all UK cars of the same age. Fuel-type signal: diesels show an average 3.3-point pass-rate deficit on this model. That may reflect mileage and use as well as the car itself, so inspect DPF and emissions history rather than treating fuel type as a verdict.

Every A6 year, ranked

The age-adjusted MOT index sets 100 as the pass rate of all UK cars registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Higher is better. This prevents an old car being labelled a “bad year” simply because it is old.

RankYearIndexVs same-agePass rateTests
1 2012 Strong 110.7 +10.7 pts 81.9% 23,981
2 2009 Strong 109.8 +9.8 pts 76.2% 12,702
3 2013 109.6 +9.6 pts 83.0% 30,863
4 2007 109.0 +9.0 pts 74.1% 16,621
5 2008 108.7 +8.7 pts 73.8% 16,845
6 2006 108.7 +8.7 pts 73.2% 9,688
7 2010 108.6 +8.6 pts 75.9% 19,780
8 2011 108.2 +8.2 pts 77.4% 20,654
9 2014 107.6 +7.6 pts 83.5% 31,671
10 2005 107.3 +7.3 pts 71.8% 5,513
11 2015 107.2 +7.2 pts 85.9% 33,453
12 2016 105.4 +5.4 pts 86.7% 39,274
13 2004 105.1 +5.1 pts 69.4% 3,234
14 2017 104.2 +4.2 pts 88.3% 27,856
15 2003 103.0 +3.0 pts 67.9% 2,184
16 2018 102.8 +2.8 pts 89.2% 24,321
17 2019 102.0 +2.0 pts 90.5% 24,245
18 2020 101.8 +1.8 pts 91.7% 5,157
19 2021 101.0 +1.0 pts 91.4% 1,826

How to use this before buying

  • Rankings describe the cohort, not the car. A cherished older example beats a neglected 2009 one — always run the specific reg through the free MOT history check.
  • Read the advisories. Repeated notes for the same component across years mean the owner has been ignoring it. Decode them in our advisory library.
  • Fuel matters on this model. The diesel deficit (3.3 points) usually traces to DPF and emissions kit on low-mileage use — check for P2463-type soot codes on the test drive.
  • Scan before you pay. A 2-minute OBD scan reveals stored faults the dashboard hides — see our scanner guide.

FAQs

Which A6 years should I avoid?

No year is a clear negative outlier after correcting for age, so buy on condition and history rather than year.

What is the best A6 year to buy used?

2009 and 2012 lead the age-adjusted MOT ranking. The score compares each registration year with all UK cars of the same age; the specific car's history and condition still take priority.

Is the A6 reliable overall?

Across 349,868 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 107.3 (100 equals the pass rate of all cars registered in the same year). Use the spread between years as one signal, then check the individual registration.

Methodology: index = 100 + the model-year cohort’s MOT pass-rate difference versus all UK vehicles registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded; at least 1,500 tests per page. “Inspect” years are below both the same-age baseline and the model’s median index by at least 2 points. Association is not proof of a model-year defect. DVSA anonymised data 2023–2025, OGL v3.0.