Car statistics by year

1999 Audi A4

Audi A4 cars first registered in 1999: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 1999, so like is set against like.

A year of the Audi A4. “1999” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
627 MOT tests of 1999 Audi A4 cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 62.0% All 1999 cars 65.4%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 156,700 miles; all 1999 cars 94,800
  • Left at the end of 2025 1,659 21.2% of the 7,815 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 9.1% All 1999 cars 6.8%
  • Tests with an advisory 69.7% All 1999 cars 61.7%
  • MOT tests in 2025 627 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 1999 Audi A4s do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 26 years old, 62.0% of 1999 Audi A4 MOT tests were passed first time, against 65.4% for all cars first registered in 1999. 1999 Audi A4s did worse than average for their age, by 3.4 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 66.0% of the time (all 1999 cars 63.8%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Audi A4 vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Audi A4 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Audi A4 compared with all cars
First registered Audi A4All cars
’99 62.0%65.4%
’00 61.9%63.1%
’01 63.4%61.5%
’02 61.3%59.7%
’03 61.1%58.9%
’04 61.9%57.9%
’05 62.1%57.7%
’06 62.9%56.9%
’07 64.1%57.3%
’08 62.8%57.0%
’09 64.9%58.2%
’10 65.9%59.3%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 1999 Audi A4

Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt was the most common single reason a 1999 Audi A4 failed, on 19.3% of about 200 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (43.7% of failed tests; all 1999 cars 34.8%). 9.1% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.8% for all cars first registered in 1999. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 1999 Audi A4 tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 19.3%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 16.8%
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension 8.8%
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 8.8%
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play Steering 8.8%
Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault Brakes 8.4%
SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 8.4%
Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 7.1%
Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks 6.7%
Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks 6.7%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Audi A4 vs all 1999 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 1999 Audi A4 MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 1999 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Suspension 43.7%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 39.1%
Brakes 33.6%
Body, chassis, structure 27.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks 20.6%
Steering 17.2%
Tyres 14.7%
Visibility 12.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 1999 Audi A4

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 69.7% of 1999 Audi A4 tests had at least one (all 1999 cars 61.7%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 1999 Audi A4 tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 22.5%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 21.1%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 17.5%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 11.3%
Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension 10.2%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 9.3%
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 9.1%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 8.1%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 7.7%
Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension 7.2%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 1999 Audi A4?

Half of the 1999 Audi A4s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 156,700 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 120,700 and a quarter more than 199,900. For all cars first registered in 1999, the middle figure was 94,800 miles, so 1999 Audi A4s have been driven 65.3% further than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 1999 Audi A4 and all 1999 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
1999 Audi A4 83,900 120,700 156,700 199,900 239,500 588
All 1999 cars 44,400 66,000 94,800 128,700 166,000 48,891
miles

Half of the 1999 Audi A4s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 156,700 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 1999 Audi A4s are left?

At the end of 2014, 7,815 1999 Audi A4s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 1,659 were: 432 licensed and 1,227 declared off the road (SORN). That is 21.2% still on the record, against 23.9% for all cars first registered in 1999.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

1999 Audi A4s on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 1999 cars
Year end 1999 Audi A4All 1999 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 84.1%82.3%
2016 69.9%67.6%
2017 55.7%54.8%
2018 45.3%45.6%
2019 38.3%39.4%
2020 33.5%35.4%
2021 29.1%31.6%
2022 26.6%29.3%
2023 24.5%27.4%
2024 22.5%25.2%
2025 21.2%23.9%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 1999

1 of the Audi A4’s 33 recalls in DVSA’s records covers cars built during 1999. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 1999 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 1999 may have been built in 1998, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Audi A4 recalls whose build dates include 1999
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
22 Sept 2021 The deployment of the takata airbag may be delayed or insufficiently powerful due to a potential reduction in the performance of the gas generator 14 Apr 1997 to 23 Dec 1999 57,169 (all models)

Every Audi A4 recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Audi A4

24 years of the Audi A4, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2012 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (70.9% passed first time) and the 1999 cars worst (62.0%).

Audi A4s by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
1999 1,659 62.0% 65.4%
2000 1,884 61.9% 63.1%
2001 2,359 63.4% 61.5%
2002 4,271 61.3% 59.7%
2003 6,019 61.1% 58.9%
2004 7,757 61.9% 57.9%
2005 8,712 62.1% 57.7%
2006 12,115 62.9% 56.9%
2007 13,610 64.1% 57.3%
2008 14,601 62.8% 57.0%
2009 12,416 64.9% 58.2%
2010 12,740 65.9% 59.3%
2011 13,987 68.6% 61.5%
2012 14,007 70.9% 63.6%
2013 16,375 72.5% 66.0%
2014 19,909 17,252 72.7% 69.1%
2015 18,922 16,793 73.7% 72.6%
2016 26,327 22,846 78.5% 75.6%
2017 22,412 19,848 78.9% 79.1%
2018 12,748 11,803 79.9% 81.8%
2019 13,318 12,830 83.7% 84.4%
2020 8,965 8,357 87.5% 86.9%
2021 7,475 6,848 87.7% 88.4%
2022 6,754 6,251 87.6% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 627 MOT tests of 1999 Audi A4 cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 1,659 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Audi A4 cars first registered in 1999; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 1999.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.