Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2021 Audi A6?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2021 Audi A6?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2021 Audi A6?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2021 Audi A6 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 953 vehicles, the 2021 Audi A6 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 93.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2021 Audi A6?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2021 Audi A6 are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (28.7% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (27.7% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (18.2% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2021 Audi A6?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Audi A6 (2021)

953 real MOT outcomes analysed • 93.4% first-time pass rate

2021 Audi A6

CarHunch analysed 953 real MOT records for the 2021 Audi A6. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 Audi A6 is a reliably built car, passing its first MOT 10 percentage points above the UK average at 90.0%, with a low dangerous defect rate of just 8.9% — well below the concern threshold. Diesel variants, which dominate the sample at 915 of 953 cars, perform almost identically at 89.7%, so fuel choice isn't a differentiator here.

At 38,400 miles median, these cars are lightly used for their age, which partly explains the strong pass rate. The average A6 picked up just 0.2 failures and 1.6 advisories per test, suggesting that when issues do occur they're typically minor wear items rather than fundamental problems — but before committing to a purchase, run a full pre-buy inspection to catch any overlooked advisory items, as they won't stop the car passing MOT but will cost you later.

The 2021 Audi A6 passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (93.4% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

93.4%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

8.9%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.2

Over 2.2 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

38k

Middle half: 28k–50k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 93.4% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 1.6 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 953 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 953 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 28.7%

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 18%

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 8.2%

Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread

Suspension & steering 6%

Offside Rear Lower Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2021.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 953 Audi A6 cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Audi A6

Based on MOT data from 953 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 8.9% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (96%)	915	93.2%	0.2

Colour Breakdown

Based on 240,591 Audi A6 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 26%

62,598

Grey 24%

57,670

Blue 16.7%

40,196

Silver 16.6%

39,979

White 7.7%

18,587

Green 5.2%

12,435

Red 3%

7,200

Beige 0.4%

885

Gold 0.2%

538

Brown 0.1%

278

Purple 0.1%

167

Maroon 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Audi A6 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

38,407

typical

28,442

low mileage

50,159

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Audi A6 vehicles fall between 28,442 and 50,159 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 28,442 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 28,442–50,159 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Audi A6s sit.

⚠ Over 67,714 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2021 Audi A6 — Still on the Road

Almost all 2021 Audi A6s are still on the road.

Strong survival — 827 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 93% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2023–2025.

MOT History Averages

2.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.2

Avg failures per vehicle

1.6

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Audi A6: All A6 years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2021 Audi A6 stacks up against a rival.

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