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2021 Audi S3

Gas

Subcompact Cars
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns1

Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA0

Crash ratingNHTSA overall—

Fuel economybest combined, EPA25 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2021 Audi S3 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car. The EPA did not publish a separate 2021 certification; fuel-economy figures below are carried over from the 2020 listing. The most efficient version, the S3, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
S3	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	29	25	$3,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41987. Figures carried over from the 2020 EPA listing; no separate 2021 certification was published.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Seat Belts

69CR, 69CS

45,496 vehicles

ProblemVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant CrRiskAn unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.FixDealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

NHTSA campaign 21V606000reported Aug 5, 2021Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

No owner complaints on file with NHTSA for this model year.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Other S3 model years

2026 Audi S3

0 recalls · 0 complaints

2025 Audi S3

0 recalls · 0 complaints

2024 Audi S3

0 recalls · 2 complaints

2023 Audi S3

1 recalls · 0 complaints

2022 Audi S3

7 recalls · 2 complaints

2020 Audi S3

1 recalls · 1 complaints

2019 Audi S3

1 recalls · 2 complaints

2018 Audi S3

1 recalls · 5 complaints

2017 Audi S3

2 recalls · 9 complaints

2016 Audi S3

3 recalls · 14 complaints

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). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

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

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