Car statistics by year

2021 Audi A4

Audi A4 cars first registered in 2021: 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 2021, so like is set against like.

A year of the Audi A4. “2021” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
7,139 MOT tests of 2021 Audi A4 cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 87.7% All 2021 cars 88.4%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 39,800 miles; all 2021 cars 30,700
  • Left at the end of 2025 6,848 91.6% of the 7,475 at the end of 2021
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 6.0% All 2021 cars 3.8%
  • Tests with an advisory 35.1% All 2021 cars 33.1%
  • MOT tests in 2025 7,139 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2021 Audi A4s do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 4 years old, 87.7% of 2021 Audi A4 MOT tests were passed first time, against 88.4% for all cars first registered in 2021. 2021 Audi A4s did about as well as average for their age. A year earlier the same cars passed 87.6% of the time (all 2021 cars 88.7%).

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
’11 68.6%61.5%
’12 70.9%63.6%
’13 72.5%66.0%
’14 72.7%69.1%
’15 73.7%72.6%
’16 78.5%75.6%
’17 78.9%79.1%
’18 79.9%81.8%
’19 83.7%84.4%
’20 87.5%86.9%
’21 87.7%88.4%
’22 87.6%89.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2021 Audi A4

Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords was the most common single reason a 2021 Audi A4 failed, on 18.8% of about 900 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (63.7% of failed tests; all 2021 cars 41.9%). 6.0% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 3.8% for all cars first registered in 2021. 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 2021 Audi A4 tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 18.8%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres 17.5%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 16.5%
Tyres: tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres 7.7%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks 7.3%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 6.4%
Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres 5.6%
Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension 4.1%
Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 3.9%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 3.8%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Audi A4 vs all 2021 cars

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

Share of failed 2021 Audi A4 MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2021 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Tyres 63.7%
Visibility 12.2%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.4%
Brakes 8.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks 8.0%
Suspension 7.3%
Road wheels 2.5%
Identification of the vehicle 2.3%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2021 Audi A4

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 35.1% of 2021 Audi A4 tests had at least one (all 2021 cars 33.1%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2021 Audi A4 tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 17.3%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 6.3%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 4.0%
Nail in tyre Non-component advisories 3.0%
Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 2.9%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 2.7%
Coil springs: mounting corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 2.7%
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories 2.5%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 1.5%
Tyres: slightly damaged Tyres 1.3%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2021 Audi A4?

Half of the 2021 Audi A4s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 39,800 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 29,700 and a quarter more than 52,900. For all cars first registered in 2021, the middle figure was 30,700 miles, so 2021 Audi A4s have been driven 29.6% 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, 2021 Audi A4 and all 2021 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2021 Audi A4 22,400 29,700 39,800 52,900 68,900 6,782
All 2021 cars 14,300 21,300 30,700 42,500 56,500 1,457,950
miles

Half of the 2021 Audi A4s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 39,800 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2021 Audi A4s are left?

At the end of 2021, 7,475 2021 Audi A4s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 6,848 were: 6,771 licensed and 77 declared off the road (SORN). That is 91.6% still on the record, against 96.0% for all cars first registered in 2021.

Share still on the record since 2021

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2021. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2021 Audi A4s on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2021, compared with all 2021 cars
Year end 2021 Audi A4All 2021 cars
2021 100.0%100.0%
2022 97.9%98.4%
2023 96.9%97.6%
2024 92.7%94.7%
2025 91.6%96.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2021

2 of the Audi A4’s 33 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2021. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2021 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2021 may have been built in 2020, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Audi A4 recalls whose build dates include 2021
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
14 Feb 2022 Following a previous campaign the toe and/or camber values on the rear axle may in certain circumstances incorrectly be changed without this being noticed 7 Nov 2019 to 20 Feb 2021 5,327 (all models)
25 Jun 2021 Rear axle suspension links nuts do not meet specifications 7 Nov 2019 to 18 Feb 2021 10,089 (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 7,139 MOT tests of 2021 Audi A4 cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 6,848 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 2021; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2021.
  • 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.