Audi A8
Every model year 2016–2027: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
_1X7A1787.jpg){kind=link}
Every Audi A8 model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Hybrid | A | 0 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2026 | Hybrid | A | 1 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2025 | Hybrid | A | 1 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2024 | Hybrid | B | 2 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2023 | Hybrid | B | 2 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2022 | Hybrid | B | 3 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2021 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | F | 10 | 6 | — | 23 mpg | |
| 2020 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | D | 5 | 3 | — | 23 mpg | |
| 2019 | Hybrid | B | 3 | 14 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2018 | Gas | B | 2 | 0 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2017 | Gas | C | 3 | 8 | — | 22 mpg | |
| 2016 | Gas Diesel | C | 4 | 11 | — | 28 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2018 is the cleanest A8 year we hold, and the 2021 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2022: dropped plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 23 → 22; 3 → 1 EPA configurations
- 2020: added plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 22 → 23; 2 → 3 EPA configurations
- 2019: added hybrid; dropped gas
- 2017: dropped diesel; best combined mpg 28 → 22; 4 → 2 EPA configurations
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 A8 vs Lucid Air · Large Sedan | Air +40.4 | |
| 2027 A8 vs Dodge Charger · Large Sedan | Charger +31.8 | |
| 2027 A8 vs Kia K5 · Large Sedan | K5 +12.2 | |
| 2027 A8 vs Hyundai Sonata · Large Sedan | Sonata +20.7 |
Common questions about the Audi A8
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Audi A8 year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2018 A8 comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade B (85/100), 2 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Audi A8 years should I avoid?
2020, 2021 have the weakest recall records in this range. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every A8 model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Audi A8 have?
Across model years 2016–2027, NHTSA has posted 36 recall campaigns for the Audi A8. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.