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1997 Audi A4 1.8 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years
Current Age
49.1%
Latest Pass Rate
2,150
Total Tests (All Years)
141,261 mi
Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 19

This car: 49.1%
Average: 55.4%

⚠️ 6.3% below average (7550 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Audi A4 1.8 as it ages.

12 yrs37.1%
13 yrs41.3%
14 yrs37.8%
15 yrs36.2%
16 yrs40.6%
17 yrs32.2%
18 yrs44.9%
19 yrs49.1%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 12 to 19 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
12 yrs37.1%700
13 yrs41.3%419
14 yrs37.8%331
15 yrs36.2%260
16 yrs40.6%187
17 yrs32.2%118
18 yrs44.9%78
19 yrs49.1%57

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Audi A4 1.8 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

Trend shows improving over 8 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2016 (19 yrs)49.1%57
2015 (18 yrs)44.9%78
2014 (17 yrs)32.2%118
2013 (16 yrs)40.6%187
2012 (15 yrs)36.2%260
2011 (14 yrs)37.8%331
2010 (13 yrs)41.3%419
2009 (12 yrs)37.1%700

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate
37.1%
Age (yrs) 12Tests 700Avg Mileage 127,270Top Failure Suspension — 44.6%
2010High Fail Rate
41.3%
Age (yrs) 13Tests 419Avg Mileage 130,928Top Failure Suspension — 41.1%
2011High Fail Rate
37.8%
Age (yrs) 14Tests 331Avg Mileage 136,345Top Failure Suspension — 46.5%
2012High Fail Rate
36.2%
Age (yrs) 15Tests 260Avg Mileage 136,808Top Failure Suspension — 43.5%
2013High Fail Rate
40.6%
Age (yrs) 16Tests 187Avg Mileage 139,003Top Failure Suspension — 98.9%
2014High Fail Rate
32.2%
Age (yrs) 17Tests 118Avg Mileage 135,438Top Failure Suspension — 111.9%
2015High Fail Rate
44.9%
Age (yrs) 18Tests 78Avg Mileage 137,202Top Failure Suspension — 73.1%
2016High Fail Rate
49.1%
Age (yrs) 19Tests 57Avg Mileage 141,261Top Failure Brakes — 82.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Audi A4 1.8, with age trends.

Suspension
64.5%
↑ Increases with age
Brakes
49.5%
↑ Increases with age
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment
34.8%
— Consistent
Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions
32.0%
— Consistent
Tyres
27.8%
↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Brakes34.4% (12 yrs)82.5% (19 yrs)
+48.1%
🔴 ↑
Suspension44.6% (12 yrs)56.1% (19 yrs)
+11.5%
🔴 ↑
Tyres21.4% (12 yrs)17.5% (19 yrs)
-3.9%
🟢 ↓
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment27.1% (12 yrs)24.6% (19 yrs)
-2.5%
🟢 ↓
Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions19.0% (12 yrs)21.1% (19 yrs)
+2.1%
🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Audi A4 1.8 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Audi A4 1.8 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2016, covering 2,150 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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