2,012 tests in 2025
Audi S5 reliability and MOT pass rate
84.5% passed first time. The 15.5% fail rate is 7.1 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 13 years old with 73,623 miles.
Pass rate
84.5%
22.6% of all cars failed; 15.5% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
73,623 mi
13 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 644 | 9.6% |
| 6-9 years | 85 | — |
| 10-13 years | 364 | 17.6% |
| 14+ years | 900 | 19.6% |
What the S5 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.
- Tyres119 dangerous39.9%
- Suspension1 dangerous33.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks17.4%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment16.1%
- Brakes27 dangerous11.9%
- Visibility8%
- Body, chassis, structure1 dangerous7.7%
- Identification of the vehicle5.5%
Is the S5 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2.1 points to 18.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.3 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,561 | 12 | 16.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,478 | 13 | 16.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,328 | 14 | 17.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,310 | 15 | 18.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical S5 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 S5 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has ply or cords exposed45 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken38 tests
- 3Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn37 tests
- 4Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords36 tests
- 5Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction24 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm23 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick22 tests
- 8Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak16 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical S5 collects 2.57 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 1.6mm279 tests
- 2Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn200 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened133 tests
- 4Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine125 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick113 tests
- 6Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure78 tests
- 7Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak71 tests
- 8Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened71 tests
Questions
What is the Audi S5 MOT pass rate?
84.5% of the 2,012 Audi S5 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 15.5% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Audi S5 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has ply or cords exposed", recorded on 45 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn". By section, tyres appears in 39.9% of failures, suspension appears in 33.1% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 17.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 9.6%; at 14+ years it was 19.6%. The median Audi S5 tested in 2025 was 13 years old with 73,623 miles.
Is the Audi S5 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2.1 points to 18.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.3 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 S5 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Audi models
Checking a particular S5?
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.