Your vehicleHome›Audi›Q8› 2023

Audi · Large SUV

2023 Audi Q8

Hybrid

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

89 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints1 crash · 1 injured reported 7

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 20 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019

The 2023 Audi Q8 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid large SUV. The most efficient version, the Q8, is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about the service brakes. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Audi Q8 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Audi Q8 · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Q8	Hybrid	AWD	3.0L 6-cyl turbo + 48V Li-Ion	18	23	20	$4,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45630.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Q8	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

335 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S Line quattro Premium Plus, S Line quattro Prestige, quattro Premium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	196.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	78.7 in
Height	67.3 in
Wheelbase	118.1 in
Track, front	66.1 in
Track, rear	66.5 in
Curb weight	4,729 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	55/45

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

○minor

Back Over Prevention

90TV

356,894 vehicles 58% reported repaired

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V900000 reported Dec 19, 2025 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

69GA

1,001 vehicles 95% reported repaired

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2023-2024 SQ8, RSQ8, Q8, Q7, and 2024 SQ7 vehicles. The driver's seat side air bag may have been improperly mounted to the seatback frame. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 214, "Side Impact Protection." Risk An improperly mounted air bag may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air bag as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69GA.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V868000 reported Dec 20, 2023 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Q8

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Audi publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Audi’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Audi Q8, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

7complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

4.2 per 10,000 built · Audi reported 16,749 Q8 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Unspecified 4

Service Brakes 2

Exterior Lighting 1

Forward Collision Avoidance 1

Electrical System 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

1. The front brake on my 2023 Audi Q8 produce an ear-piercing noise when backing up after the car has set for a period of time. 2. The dealer and manufacture state this is not a safety concern, but rather just an annoying noise I have to put up with. 3/4.

Service Brakes Mar 27, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11727557

My 2023 Audi Q8 Pre Sense collision braking system has engaged erroneously on numerous occasions under completely normal driving conditions. It’s terrifying and potentially life-threatening liability. My vehicle would consistently flash warning signals on my dash and my screen went completely black.

Forward Collision Avoidance Aug 27, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11683313

This is a loaner Audi Q8 from Molly Audi of Kansas City. My 2023 Audi Q7 is in the shop for this exact same issue. The brake pedal randomly does not respond. This prevents the vehicle from being able to start, shift out of gear when parked, and the rear brake lights do not respond. My main concern is the brake lights not responding.

Service Brakes Aug 16, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11538953

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Audi itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 6.0 per 100,000 built. Every Q8 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Audi warranty extension AWA 24-04Diagnosed and confirmed malfunction of the vehicle’s AEB system that resulted from failure or malfunction of the AEB system’s control unit, camera(s), LIDAR, and/or sensor(s) which enable automatic…

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,046

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1005 service bulletins, 27 others, 12 service campaigns

Most often about: Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Equipment, Structure, Engine.

TSB_2083409_1 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
TSB_2069531_2 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Engine
This bulletin provides information when the MIL is on, EVAP pressure/temp sensor incorrect DTC displayed: P202400, P045000, P045200, P24D600, P24D800, P2B7B00.
TSB_2052680_2 Service bulletin
2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
TSB_2083385_1 Service bulletin
2026-09-23 · Electrical System
This bulletin provides information when there is a warning message in the instrument cluster about external sound.
TSB_2076396_3 Service bulletin
2026-09-23 · Electrical System
This bulletin provides information regarding driver assist systems; Audi adaptive light, Audi pre sense system fault, adaptive cruise assist inop (DTC C12D5FA).
TSB_2063336_5 Service bulletin
2026-09-23 · Electrical System
This bulletin provides information when DTC C12BFF0 is stored in the lane change modeul or the radar sensor; intersection assist/lane change assist are inoperable.
TSB_2074846_5 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Steering
This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
TSB_2020552_15 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Visibility/Wiper
This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0327 P0327 on Audi →	Knock sensor 1 signal too low.	Engine	1 bulletin
P0328 P0328 on Audi →	Knock sensor 1 signal too high.	Engine · Knock sensor →	1 bulletin
P0332 P0332 on Audi →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	1 bulletin
P0333 P0333 on Audi →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	1 bulletin

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.2%

failed emissions

555 initial inspections of 544 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 Q8	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.2%	1.6%	554
Failed the safety inspection	0.36%	1.1%	555
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.36%	0.16%	555
Miles driven a year	8,713	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	27,975	32,673	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Q8 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 0 19 mpg 2026 A 1 0 19 mpg 2025 B 2 3 19 mpg 2024 B 3 23 19 mpg 2023 this page B 2 7 20 mpg 2022 B 3 2 20 mpg 2021 C 7 30 20 mpg 2020 B 3 28 18 mpg 2019 D 5 110 19 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 Q8

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Audi Q8 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2023 Audi Q8. The most serious on file is 23V868000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Audi Q8?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Audi Q8 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (89/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Audi Q8?

For the 2023 Audi Q8, the best EPA combined figure is 20 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2023 Audi Q8?

Transport Canada measured it at 196.5 in long, 78.7 in wide (body, without mirrors), 67.3 in tall, on a 118.1 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,729 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Audi Q8?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Audi Q8, most often about unspecified, service brakes, exterior lighting. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Audi Q8?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Audi Q8 is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Audi Q8?

The manufacturer has filed 1046 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Audi Q8, most often covering electrical system, unknown or other, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2023 Audi Q8 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Audi Q8 failed the emissions check on 2.2% of first inspections — higher than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.36% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	1 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	1 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	7	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	1046	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API