3,495 tests in 2025
Audi R8 reliability and MOT pass rate
92.2% passed first time. The 7.8% fail rate is 14.8 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 34,403 miles.
Pass rate
92.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 7.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
1.3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
34,403 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 239 | 4.6% |
| 6-9 years | 955 | 4.8% |
| 10-13 years | 772 | 6% |
| 14+ years | 1,529 | 11.2% |
What the R8 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2 dangerous27.7%
- Suspension2 dangerous27%
- Tyres55 dangerous23%
- Brakes22 dangerous19.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous12%
- Visibility9.5%
- Identification of the vehicle7.3%
- Body, chassis, structure4.7%
Is the R8 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.6 points to 7.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.9 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,797 | 10 | 8.5% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 3,799 | 11 | 8.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,201 | 12 | 8.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 3,460 | 12 | 7.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical R8 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a R8 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rear fog lamp: not working59 tests
- 2Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak55 tests
- 3Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords23 tests
- 4Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits17 tests
- 5Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements17 tests
- 6Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively14 tests
- 7Condition: has ply or cords exposed13 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm13 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical R8 collects 2.21 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm186 tests
- 2Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak172 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure165 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened150 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine69 tests
- 6Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded56 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick53 tests
- 8Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords41 tests
Questions
What is the Audi R8 MOT pass rate?
92.2% of the 3,495 Audi R8 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 7.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 1.3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Audi R8 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rear fog lamp: not working", recorded on 59 failed tests, followed by "Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak" and "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 27.7% of failures, suspension appears in 27% of failures, tyres appears in 23% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 4.6%; at 14+ years it was 11.2%. The median Audi R8 tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 34,403 miles.
Is the Audi R8 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.6 points to 7.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.9 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every R8 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 6 safety recalls naming the Audi R8: Audi R8 recalls.
Other Audi models
Checking a particular R8?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.