2012 Audi A8 MOT pass rate: 89.6% (2,154 tests)

2012-registered Audi A8s passed 89.6% of 2,154 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 18.3 points better than all UK cars registered in 2012 (71.2%).

89.6%Pass rate, 2012 cars

118.3Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

2,154Tests analysed

111,518 miMedian mileage at test

87.5% / 89.7%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2012 A8 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2012-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	89.6% +17.3 vs same-age
2024	90.5% +19.5 vs same-age
2025	88.5% +18.2 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2012 A8

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	135	32.2%
2	Suspension	81	19.3%
3	Brakes	50	11.9%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	43	10.3%
5	Body, chassis, structure	35	8.4%
6	Visibility	27	6.4%

All A8 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2007	1,654	82.1%	+17.0 pts	145,168
2008	1,988	85.7%	+20.6 pts	141,035
2011	2,118	89.3%	+20.2 pts	118,580
2012 (this page)	2,154	89.6%	+18.3 pts	111,518
2013	2,170	90.5%	+17.1 pts	100,020
2014	2,564	92.4%	+16.5 pts	94,841
2015	2,862	92.2%	+13.5 pts	82,082
2016	2,669	92.3%	+11.0 pts	70,964
2017	1,976	93.4%	+9.4 pts	62,706
2018	2,882	93.4%	+7.1 pts	52,679
2019	2,138	94.5%	+6.1 pts	45,554

Buying a 2012 A8? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2012 Audi A8 reliable?

2012-registered examples passed 89.6% of their MOT tests (2,154 tests, 2023–2025), +18.3 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 14 years old with a median 111,518 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2012 A8?

The median tested example shows 111,518 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.