2016 Audi A1 1.6L Diesel · YF66 NFN

A clear pattern emerges from the MOT history of this 2016 Audi A1 centred on tyres, with edge wear and perishing advisories appearing in four of the eight recorded tests, most recently on both front tyres at the May 2026 pass. The intervening years have not all been quiet either, with the October 2024 test logging both rear tyres at the legal limit alongside a note that the rear brake pads were wearing thin. The vehicle has not failed an MOT across this period, and tests in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 returned no advisories at all, so the overall roadworthiness record is reasonable rather than spotless, and the trend suggests that outer rubber and rear braking are the components to watch going forward. Annual mileage sits at roughly 6,700 miles, which is broadly in line with the average for a ten year old car and indicates regular if modest use rather than long periods of standing or high motorway accumulation. There are no extended gaps between tests, with the vehicle appearing annually since first MOT eligibility, and the mileage progression is steady, which is the kind of usage profile that tends to preserve suspension bushes, brake components, and drivetrain parts without subjecting them to either the dryness of inactivity or the thermal stress of high speed cruising. For a prospective buyer, the recurring advisories point attention to the suspension geometry, as consistent inner or outer edge wear on both front and rear tyres across multiple tests is often symptomatic of alignment deviation, worn suspension linkages, or tired bushes that allow geometry to drift under braking and cornering. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocks from the front end over speed humps and uneven surfaces, and feel for vagueness in the steering or a tendency to pull either way under braking, as these would suggest that bushes, wishbone arms, or the rear beam bushings may be nearing the end of their service life. The 2024 advisory on rear brake pad wear should prompt a physical inspection of pad material thickness and a check of the rear disc surface condition, looking for lipping, scoring, or signs of a binding caliper that would accelerate future pad wear. Given the pattern of tyre edge wear, it is worth jacking the car and inspecting the front and rear springs and shock absorbers for any signs of corrosion, as the MOT test will not always catch early stage coil spring fatigue on a vehicle of this age, and a sagging rear will exacerbate the camber issues that produce shoulder wear. Verify that the tyre wear is even across both axles now, as a fresh matching set fitted since the May 2026 test would address the advisory but not the underlying cause, and any residual drift towards the edges on the new rubber would confirm the geometry fault. Finally, check the rear brake disc condition through the wheel and confirm the handbrake holds on an incline, since a binding rear caliper is a common cause of the pad wear pattern recorded in 2024 and may not have been rectified.