Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2011 Audi Q5?

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 2011 Audi Q5?

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 2011 Audi Q5?

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.

How many 2011 Audi Q5 vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

30% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2011 Audi Q5 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 6,151 vehicles, the 2011 Audi Q5 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 85.2%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2011 Audi Q5?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2011 Audi Q5 are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (45.7% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (44.9% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (40.8% 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 2011 Audi Q5?

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 Q5 (2011)

6,151 real MOT outcomes analysed • 85.2% first-time pass rate

2011 Audi Q5

CarHunch analysed 6,151 real MOT records for the 2011 Audi Q5. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2011 Q5 passes its MOT at 85.2%, a solid 5 percentage points above the UK average, though nearly a third of these cars (30.3%) have recorded a dangerous defect at some point—a serious buyer concern worth investigating on any used example. Petrol and diesel variants perform similarly, both comfortably above 85%.

At around 81,500 miles for a 13-year-old car, these Q5s show typical wear, and the average of 2.12 failures per test suggests mechanical issues aren't rare once things start to go wrong. The high advisory rate of 15.4 per vehicle points to creeping deterioration across trim, seals, and wear items rather than catastrophic faults; when shopping, have a trusted mechanic run a pre-purchase inspection and specifically check suspension, brakes, and diesel particulate filter condition.

The 2011 Audi Q5 has a decent first-time pass rate (85.2%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 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

85.2%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

30.3%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

2.12

Over 13.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

81k

Middle half: 66k–99k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 85.2% 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 15.4 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 6,151 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.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 6,151 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 45.7%

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 44.9%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin

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

Other issues 30.7%

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components · Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay · …

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2011.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 6,151 Audi Q5 cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

87%

Petrol

646 vehicles

85%

Diesel

5,505 vehicles

Before you buy a 2011 Audi Q5

Based on MOT data from 6,151 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 30.3% 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 (89%)	5,505	85%	2.16
Petrol (11%)	646	87%	1.76

Colour Breakdown

Based on 102,449 Audi Q5 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Grey 29.7%

30,414

Black 27.2%

27,899

Blue 17.9%

18,386

White 16.7%

17,131

Silver 6.6%

6,790

Red 1.1%

1,174

Green 0.2%

248

Brown 0.2%

215

Beige 0.1%

Purple 0.1%

Maroon 0%

Orange 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2011 Audi Q5 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.

81,491

typical

65,590

low mileage

99,419

high mileage

Half of all 2011 Audi Q5 vehicles fall between 65,590 and 99,419 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 65,590 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.

✓ 65,590–99,419 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2011 Audi Q5s sit.

⚠ Over 134,215 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2011 Audi Q5 — Still on the Road

Most 2011 Audi Q5s are still being driven.

Strong survival — 5,071 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 89% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

13.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

2.12

Avg failures per vehicle

15.4

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Audi Q5: All Q5 years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2011 Audi Q5 stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing