Audi S5 years to avoid— and the best years
8 S5 model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
Every S5 model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 #1 | A | 10 | 0 · 0/yr | 1 · 0/yr | not rated | |
| 2017 #2 | A | 9 | 1 · 0.1/yr | 0 · 0/yr | not rated | |
| 2023 #3 | A | 3 | 1 · 0.3/yr | 3 · 1/yr | not rated | |
| 2018 #4 | C | 8 | 3 · 0.4/yr | 26 · 3/yr | not rated | |
| 2022 #5 | A | 4 | 2 · 0.5/yr | 1 · 0/yr | not rated | |
| 2019 #6 | C | 7 | 4 · 0.6/yr | 6 · 1/yr | not rated | |
| 2020 #7 | C | 6 | 4 · 0.7/yr | 25 · 4/yr | not rated | |
| 2021 #8 | C | 5 | 5 · 1/yr | 1 · 0/yr | not rated |
The S5 years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2021 Audi S5
The 2021 S5: 5 recalls in 5 years on the road (1 a year) — suspension ×2, back over prevention, seat belts; 1 owner complaint to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often suspension (1)).
2020 Audi S5
The 2020 S5: 4 recalls in 6 years on the road (0.7 a year) — suspension ×2, seats, electrical system; 25 owner complaints to NHTSA, 4 a year (most often backup camera and parking sensor (14) and electrical (14)).
The S5 years the record favours
first 2 of 82016 Audi S5
The 2016 S5: no recall in 10 years on the road; 1 owner complaint to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often electrical (1) and stability control (1)).
2017 Audi S5
The 2017 S5: 1 recall in 9 years on the road (0.1 a year) — seat belts; no owner complaint on file.
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about S5 years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Audi S5 years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2020, 2021 rank lowest of the 8 S5 model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2021 — 5 recalls in 5 years (1 a year), 1 complaint (0 a year); the 2020 — 4 recalls in 6 years (0.7 a year), 25 complaints (4 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Audi S5 year to buy used?
The 2016 Audi S5 has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal A, 0 recalls a year on the road and 0 complaints a year. The 2016 S5: no recall in 10 years on the road; 1 owner complaint to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often electrical (1) and stability control (1)). That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2021 Audi S5 reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2021 S5: 5 recalls in 5 years on the road (1 a year) — suspension ×2, back over prevention, seat belts; 1 owner complaint to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often suspension (1)). That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Audi S5 have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 20 recall campaigns against the Audi S5, and owners filed 63 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2027) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.