Audi A6: common problems, best years and what to check
Executive saloon and Avant; superb on motorways. Covers 2011–2024 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 A6 a good used buy?
Best buy
2015–2018 C7 2.0 TDI Ultra
Avoid
early C8 with unresolved mild-hybrid faults
Who it suits: High-mileage drivers wanting a refined executive car.
What's good
- Superb refinement
- Avant is huge
- Quality interior
- Frugal diesels
What's not
- Expensive repairs
- Many ex-fleet high-milers
- Complex electronics
- C8 mild-hybrid faults
By the numbers
- #74 most common model on UK roads, with about 116k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 12.8k cars still licensed.
- 2015 cars survive 17% 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: Air suspension faults (allroad) (up to £2,500).
Audi A6 common problems by generation and engine
Audi A6 C7 (2011–2018) · saloon/Avant
How to spot it: 11 plate to 18 plate. Sleek, wide body; 2015 facelift with Matrix LED option.
2.0 TDI / 3.0 TDI (CGLC / CDUC, diesel, 2011–2018)
Strong; frugal
- EGR / DPF£400–£1,50080k+
- Oil cooler leak (3.0)£600–£1,20080k+
Faults on any C7 (2011–2018) engine
- Air suspension faults (allroad)£800–£2,500any
Audi A6 C8 (2018–) · saloon/Avant; TFSI e
How to spot it: 18 plate onwards. Broad hexagonal grille and twin touchscreens.
40 TDI / 50 TDI (EA288 evo / EA897, diesel mild hybrid, 2018–)
Refined
- Mild-hybrid battery/starter faults£0–£1,500any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Audi A6 years
How many Audi A6s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. Years that fall off the road faster: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 — check these harder.
Audi A6 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2011+ cars)
Audi A6s pass their MOT first time 9 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (83% vs 74%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 73% | 61% | 138k miles |
| 2012 | 78% | 63% | 130k miles |
| 2013 | 79% | 66% | 120k miles |
| 2014 | 79% | 69% | 111k miles |
| 2015 | 82% | 72% | 102k miles |
| 2016 | 83% | 75% | 91k miles |
| 2017 | 85% | 78% | 80k miles |
| 2018 | 86% | 81% | 67k miles |
| 2019 | 88% | 84% | 60k miles |
| 2020 | 90% | 86% | 49k miles |
| 2021 | 91% | 87% | 40k miles |
| 2022 | 91% | 89% | 30k miles |
| 2023 | 95% | 92% | 54k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Hybrid
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 1.6mm3.54 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.64 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2.25 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken1.87 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.85 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.84 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.62 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.27 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm27.3 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn17.49 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick8.91 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened8.88 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear5.3 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm4.03 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3.8 per 100
- Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened3.74 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 A6 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 TDI | belt | 130k / 10 yrs | £550–£800 |
| 3.0 TDI | chain | check from 100k | £1,500–£3,000 |
Audi A6 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 A6 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 A6 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi A6 | 116k | 29–43 | 530 l | 2015–2018 C7 2.0 TDI Ultra |
| BMW 5 Series | 170k | 30–44 | 530 l | 2017+ G30 520d |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | 192k | 29–43 | 540 l | 2016–2023 W213 E220d |
| Volvo S90 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Jaguar XF | 88k | 29–43 | 540 l | 2017+ X260 2.0d 180 with history |
| Lexus ES | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Audi A6
- Many ex-fleet cars — check history
Audi A6 FAQ
›Is the Audi A6 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2015–2018 C7 2.0 TDI Ultra. Avoid: early C8 with unresolved mild-hybrid faults.
›What is the Audi A6 MOT pass rate?
83% of Audi A6s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (87,504 tests), better than the 74% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common Audi A6 problems?
The costliest known faults are EGR / DPF; Mild-hybrid battery/starter faults; Oil cooler leak. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Audi A6 have a timing belt or chain?
2.0 TDI: belt; 3.0 TDI: chain.
›What is the best year Audi A6 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2022, 2023, 2024 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Audi A6 cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.0 TDI 48–56 mpg; 3.0 TDI 40–46 mpg. Insurance groups 29–43. A minor service is about £260–£360 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Audi A6?
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 A6 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.