Audi A5: common problems, best years and what to check
Stylish coupé, Sportback and cabriolet based on the A4. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Audi A5 a good used buy?
Best buy
2017+ F5 Sportback 40 TDI
Avoid
8T Multitronic CVT
Who it suits: Drivers wanting a stylish premium coupé or Sportback.
What's good
- Beautiful styling
- Quality interior
- Sportback is practical
- Refined diesels
What's not
- Multitronic CVT issues on 8T
- Rear headroom tight
- Pricey options
- Firm on S line
By the numbers
- #70 most common model on UK roads, with about 122k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2017: 10.7k cars still licensed.
- 2010 cars survive 6% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2012 cars survive 7% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 2.0 TDI uses a belt (130k / 10 yrs): budget £550–£800 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Piston rings → oil burning (up to £4,000).
Audi A5 common problems by generation and engine
Audi A5 8T (2007–2016) · coupé/Sportback/cabrio
How to spot it: 07 plate to 16 plate. Long-bonnet coupé with a wave-like shoulder line.
2.0 TDI (CAGA / CGLC, diesel, 2008–2016)
Frugal
- EGR / DPF£400–£1,50070k+
2.0 TFSI (EA888, petrol, 2008–2012)
Oil consumption on early cars
- Piston rings → oil burning£1,500–£4,00060k+
Faults on any 8T (2007–2016) engine
- Multitronic CVT failure£1,500–£3,50060k+
Audi A5 F5 (2016–2024) · coupé/Sportback/cabrio
How to spot it: 16 plate onwards. Sharper lines; 2020 facelift has a wider, flatter grille.
40 TDI / 40 TFSI (EA288 / EA888 evo, diesel / petrol, 2016–2024)
Refined
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Audi A5 years
How many Audi A5s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2010. Years that fall off the road faster: 2012, 2013, 2017 — check these harder.
Audi A5 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Audi A5s pass their MOT first time 5 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (77% vs 72%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 68% | 57% | 134k miles |
| 2009 | 70% | 58% | 127k miles |
| 2010 | 69% | 59% | 122k miles |
| 2011 | 70% | 61% | 115k miles |
| 2012 | 73% | 63% | 109k miles |
| 2013 | 74% | 66% | 104k miles |
| 2014 | 76% | 69% | 96k miles |
| 2015 | 78% | 72% | 87k miles |
| 2016 | 79% | 75% | 77k miles |
| 2017 | 80% | 78% | 68k miles |
| 2018 | 81% | 81% | 57k miles |
| 2019 | 84% | 84% | 48k miles |
| 2020 | 87% | 86% | 41k miles |
| 2021 | 88% | 87% | 35k miles |
| 2022 | 89% | 89% | 27k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm4.18 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken3.63 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.8 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed2.64 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.17 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.78 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low1.78 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm27.21 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn20.83 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.8 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened8.49 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak7.48 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear7.16 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3.96 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm3.91 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Audi A5 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 TDI | belt | 130k / 10 yrs | £550–£800 |
| 2.0 TFSI | chain | check from 70k | £900–£1,600 |
Audi A5 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Audi A5 ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Audi A5 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A5 | 122k | 29–42 | 465 l | 2017+ F5 Sportback 40 TDI |
| BMW 4 Series | 112k | 29–43 | 445 l | 2016–2020 420d/420i Gran Coupé |
| Mercedes C-Class Coupé | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| VW Arteon | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Lexus RC | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Volvo S60 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Audi A5
- Avoid Multitronic
Audi A5 FAQ
›Is the Audi A5 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2017+ F5 Sportback 40 TDI. Avoid: 8T Multitronic CVT.
›What is the Audi A5 MOT pass rate?
77% of Audi A5s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (111,487 tests), better than the 72% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Audi A5 problems?
The costliest known faults are Piston rings → oil burning; EGR / DPF. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Audi A5 have a timing belt or chain?
2.0 TDI: belt; 2.0 TFSI: chain.
›What is the best year Audi A5 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Audi A5 cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.0 TDI 48–58 mpg; 2.0 TFSI 36–44 mpg. Insurance groups 29–42. A minor service is about £230–£320 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Audi A5?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Audi A5 ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.