Used car guide

2018 Audi A7 petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Audi A7 first registered in 2018 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 824 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

824MOTs of 2018 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
92%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 83%)
8,000typical miles a year
42×the usual rate for coil springs

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2018 Audi A7 petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2018 Audi A7 petrol than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Coil springs42× usual
    Audi A7
    4.2% All 2018 cars
    0.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

Better than most

Tyre condition: 6.6% here, against 13.6% of all 2018 cars. Brake discs: 4.5% here, against 9.8% of all 2018 cars.

Common 2018 Audi A7 petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2018 Audi A7 petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    21% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    10% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    7% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Lights and electrics
    2% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2018 Audi A7 petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 42× as often on the 2018 Audi A7 petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at an Audi A7?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Audi A7 compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
2022490Tyres 26%
20211,389Tyres 27%
20201,949Tyres 26%
20194,338Tyres 24%
20174,930Tyres 26%
20167,045Tyres 27%
20156,021Tyres 25%
20145,709Tyres 29%
20135,686Tyres 29%
20123,793Tyres 29%
20114,619Tyres 31%
2010358Suspension 29%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Audi A7 cars first registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score