Model research hub
Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is a compact luxury crossover made since 2008 and now in its second generation, from the 2018 model year. Federal data shows 8 recalls on the 2021 and 201 complaints on the 2018, CarGurus says the second generation is the more reliable one, and the 2026 Q5 starts at $54,095 with a 24 mpg combined rating.
What the Audi Q5 is and who buys it
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) describes the Q5 as a series of compact luxury crossover SUVs produced by Audi from 2008, offered with front-wheel drive or quattro all-wheel drive. The 2026 Q5 has a 2.0L four-cylinder and all-wheel drive, rated 24 mpg combined by the EPA at about $3,250 a year in fuel. Kelley Blue Book base prices are $54,095 for the TFSI Premium, $56,995 for the Premium Plus and $61,995 for the Prestige.
Best and worst Q5 model years
Federal recall counts run at 4 to 8 a year. The 2015 has 6 recalls and 98 complaints, the 2016 and 2017 have 5 each, the 2018 has 6 recalls covering brakes, wheels, structure and seat belts and 201 complaints, the most of any year, the 2019 has 5, the 2020 has 6 and the 2021 has 8, the most recalls, covering the electrical system, seat belts, tires and suspension. The 2022 has 4, the 2023 has 5, the 2024 has 4 and the 2025 has 1.
CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the second-generation model, from the 2018 model year, is the one to go for if you want the best reliability, that the general consensus is that it is more reliable than the first generation, and that the worst years are between 2012 and 2014. Engine Patrol (opens in a new tab) lists the worst model years as 2011, 2012, 2010 and 2018, so the first year of the second generation is the exception. Car Smite (opens in a new tab) sorts each year into top, neutral and worst. Open the 2018 Q5 page for the launch year.
Choosing a year
The 2019 to 2025 cars are the mainstream used-Q5 choices, and the 2021's 8 recalls are the ones to check by VIN. Older first-generation cars from 2012 to 2014 are where guides concentrate their warnings.
Questions buyers ask
Which Audi Q5 years should I avoid?
CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the worst years are between 2012 and 2014, and Engine Patrol lists 2011, 2012, 2010 and 2018.
Is the second-generation Q5 more reliable?
CarGurus says the general consensus is that the second-generation Q5, from the 2018 model year, is more reliable than the first generation.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Audi Q5 is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder, rated at 268 horsepower across its compact luxury SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 3 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe most the 2026 Audi Q5 is published to tow is up to 4,400 lb (properly equipped, all trims).
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2026 Q5.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Audi Q5
The current-generation Q5 shares its 268-horsepower turbo four and quattro AWD across all three trims, which separate by comfort and technology equipment.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
3 indexed Audi Q5 model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Audi Q5 | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Audi Q5 | 2025 record → | |
| 2020 Audi Q5 | 2020 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Audi Q5.
The Audi Q5 is a series of compact luxury crossover SUVs produced by the German luxury car manufacturer Audi from 2008. The original first-generation (Typ 8R) model was the third member of the B8 family to be released after the Audi A5 and fourth-generation A4, all being based on the Audi MLB platform. The second generation Q5 (Typ 80A) debuted in 2018 and shares the Audi MLB Evo platform with the corresponding B9 versions of the A4 and A5.
Source: Audi Q5 (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Audi Q5 at a glance
- Production
- 2008–present
- Class
- Compact luxury crossover SUV
- Body style
- 5-door SUV, 5-door coupé SUV (Sportback) (2020–present)
Audi Q5 generations
The Audi Q5 has been redesigned in 2016, 2025, gaps of 8, 9 years, an average of 8.5 years between generations. The current generation (third generation, Type GU) began in 2025.
| Generation | Code | Began | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | Typ 8R | 2008–2016 | A concept vehicle for the then upcoming Q5, this was a 2-door convertible with a 3.0 TDI engine rated at 240 PS (177 kW; 237 hp) and 500 N⋅m torque, quattro permanent four wheel drive, 8-speed automatic transmission, Copper Sunset body, LED headlights, 21-inch wheels with 265/35R21 tyres, seats with White Stone leather upholstery, MMI, 505W Bang & Olufsen sound system and internet radio, CDC (continuous damping control) shock absorbers, electric ride height adjustment (40 mm), 380/356 mm front/rear ceramic brake discs with 6-piston monobloc aluminium front, and floating rear callipers, Audi Drive Select. |
| Second generation | Typ FY | 2016–2025 | The second generation Q5 (Typ FY) was revealed at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. |
| Third generation | Type GU | 2025–present | Audi officially unveiled the third generation of the Q5 SUV on 2 September 2024. |
NHTSA rated the 2025 Audi Q5 overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.
Recent recalls (5 campaigns across the latest model years)
- April 2026, Seat Belts:Pretensioner. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2025 Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, and SQ5 Sportback vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belts may have been manufactured incorrectly, and fail to properly restrain occupants during a crash. Consequence: Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
- May 2025, Engine. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Q5 Quattro and Q5 Sportback Quattro vehicles. The cylinder head cover screws may have been improperly tightened. Consequence: The screws can loosen, allowing oil to leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
- February 2025, Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Audi Q5, and 2022 A7 E Hybrid Electric PHEV vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat. Consequence: A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Owners filed 42 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Audi Q5, most often about forward collision avoidance (23), electrical system (19), service brakes (10).
Year by year
The Audi Q5 across 12 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints | NHTSA overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Audi Q5 | 24 | $3,300 | 2 | |||
| 2025 Audi Q5 | 25–26 | $3,000–$3,100 | 6 | 1 | 41 | 5 stars |
| 2024 Audi Q5 | 24–26 | $3,000–$3,250 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 5 stars |
| 2023 Audi Q5 | 25–26 | $3,000–$3,100 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 5 stars |
| 2022 Audi Q5 | 25–26 | $3,000–$3,100 | 4 | 4 | 5 stars | |
| 2021 Audi Q5 | 25–27 | $2,850–$3,100 | 3 | 8 | 71 | 5 stars |
| 2020 Audi Q5 | 24–27 | $2,850–$3,250 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 5 stars |
| 2019 Audi Q5 | 24 | $3,250 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 5 stars |
| 2018 Audi Q5 | 25 | $3,100 | 1 | 6 | 201 | 5 stars |
| 2017 Audi Q5 | 21–22 | $3,500–$3,700 | 2 | 5 | 42 | 4 stars |
| 2016 Audi Q5 | 21–26 | $3,000–$3,700 | 4 | 5 | 77 | 4 stars |
| 2015 Audi Q5 | 21–26 | $3,000–$3,700 | 4 | 6 | 98 | 4 stars |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Audi Q5, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Electric range, miles | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 6 to 2 | 25.5 to 24.0 | Labels: Q5 Plug-In Hybrid quattro, Q5 quattro, Q5 S line quattro, Q5 Sportback S line quattro; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid, 2L 4-cyl SIDI; PHEV; Fuels: Premium and Electricity | ||
| 2024 to 2025 | 3 to 6 | 25.0 to 25.5 | first listed: 23 | Labels: Q5 Plug-In Hybrid quattro, Q5 Sportback TFSI quattro, Q5 TFSI quattro; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI, 2L 4-cyl SIDI; PHEV; Fuels: Premium and Electricity | |
| 2023 to 2024 | 4 to 3 | 25.5 to 25.0 | Labels: Q5 S line quattro, Q5 Sportback S line quattro | Labels: Q5 S-Line quattro, Q5 Sportback S-line quattro, Q5 TFSI e quattro; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; PHEV; Fuels: Premium and Electricity | |
| 2022 to 2023 | 23 to 22 | Labels: Q5 S-Line quattro, Q5 Sportback S-line quattro | Labels: Q5 S line quattro, Q5 Sportback S line quattro; Transmissions: Automatic (AM7) | ||
| 2021 to 2022 | 3 to 4 | 26.0 to 25.5 | 19 to 23 | Labels: Q5 quattro, Q5 S line quattro, Q5 Sportback S line quattro, Q5 TFSI e quattro; Transmissions: Automatic (AM7) | Labels: Q5, Q5 Sportback |
| 2020 to 2021 | 2 to 3 | 25.5 to 26.0 | 20 to 19 | Labels: Q5 Sportback; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid | Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (S7) |
| 2019 to 2020 | 1 to 2 | 24.0 to 25.5 | first listed: 20 | Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; PHEV; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7); Fuels: Premium and Electricity | |
| 2018 to 2019 | 25.0 to 24.0 | ||||
| 2017 to 2018 | 2 to 1 | 21.5 to 25.0 | Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (S7) | Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; FFV, 3L 6-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (S8); Fuels: Premium or E85 | |
| 2016 to 2017 | 4 to 2 | 23.5 to 21.5 | Labels: Q5 Hybrid; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI, 3L 6-cyl; Fuels: Diesel |
Buying used
What the Audi Q5 recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | seat belts (pretensioner) | None |
| 2024 | 4 | electrical system (propulsion system); air bags (sensor); engine | None |
| 2023 | 5 | electrical system (propulsion system); air bags (sensor); engine | None |
| 2022 | 4 | electrical system (propulsion system); engine | None |
| 2021 | 8 | suspension (rear); seat belts (rear/other); electrical system (body control module/bcm); 4 more | None |
| 2020 | 6 | structure (body); seats; suspension (rear); 3 more | None |
| 2019 | 5 | service brakes, hydraulic (foundation components); wheels (hub); air bags (frontal); 2 more | None |
| 2018 | 6 | seat belts (pretensioner); service brakes, hydraulic (foundation components); wheels (hub); 2 more | 1 stop-driving or park-outside |
| 2017 | 5 | visibility (sun/moon roof assembly); engine and engine cooling (cooling system); power train (automatic transmission); 1 more | None |
| 2016 | 5 | engine and engine cooling (cooling system); visibility (sun/moon roof assembly); fuel system, gasoline (delivery); 1 more | None |
| 2015 | 6 | air bags (side/window); visibility (sun/moon roof assembly); engine and engine cooling (cooling system); 2 more | None |
Recalls that told owners to stop driving or park outside
- 2018, campaign 18V-369 (Jun 2018): service brakes, hydraulic (foundation components). A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 160 | 24% | 2018 (71) |
| engine | 156 | 24% | 2015 (38) |
| unknown or other | 100 | 15% | 2018 (44) |
| forward collision avoidance | 81 | 12% | 2025 (23) |
| service brakes | 55 | 8% | 2018 (22) |
| steering | 38 | 6% | 2015 (14) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Audi Q5 trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TFSI Premium | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 268 | 295 | 4,211 | 4,400 | 24 | $54,095 |
| TFSI Premium Plus | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 268 | 295 | 4,211 | 4,400 | 24 | $56,995 |
| TFSI Prestige | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 268 | 295 | 4,211 | 4,400 | 24 | $61,995 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Audi Q5 model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 268 | 4,211 | 4,400 | 17.2 |
| 2025 | 12 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Hybrid, Turbo) | 201–362 | 4,079–4,619 | 2,000–4,400 | 14.3–18.5 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Hybrid, Turbo) | 201–362 | 4,079–4,619 | 2,000–4,400 | 14.3–18.5 |
| 2023 | 9 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Hybrid, Turbo) | 201–362 | 4,079–4,619 | 2,000–4,400 | 14.3–18.5 |
| 2022 | 9 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Hybrid, Turbo) | 201–362 | 4,079–4,619 | 2,000–4,400 | 14.3–18.5 |
| 2021 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Hybrid, Turbo) | 248–362 | 4,079–4,619 | 2,000–4,400 | 14.3–18.5 |
| 2020 | 9 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Hybrid, Turbo) | 248–362 | 4,045–4,685 | 4,400 | 15.3–18.5 |
| 2019 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 252 | 4,045 | 4,400 | 18.5 |
| 2018 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 252 | 4,045–4,354 | 4,400 | 18.5 |
| 2017 | 4 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) | 220–272 | 4,090–4,354 | 4,400 | 19.8 |
| 2016 | 7 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) / 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo Diesel) +1 | 220–272 | 4,090–4,475 | 4,400 | 19–19.8 |
| 2015 | 7 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / V6, Sprchrgd, 3.0L / V6, Turbo Dsl, 3.0L +1 | 220–272 | 4,090–4,475 | 4,400 | 19–19.8 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Model-year recall record
Audi Q5: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
Fewer recalls than this model’s own average
- 2025 Audi Q5 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 5.0).
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2021 Audi Q5 : 8 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and seat belts.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | not available | ||
| 2025 | 1 | 41 | seat belts |
| 2024 | 4 | 20 | electrical system, airbags, engine |
| 2023 | 5 | 32 | electrical system, airbags, engine |
| 2022 | 4 | not available | electrical system, engine |
| 2021 | 8 | 71 | electrical system, seat belts, tires, suspension |
| 2020 | 6 | 24 | electrical system, tires, suspension, seats |
| 2019 | 5 | 50 | electrical system, wheels, airbags, structure |
| 2018 | 6 | 201 | brakes, wheels, structure, seat belts |
| 2017 | 5 | 42 | engine cooling, visibility/wipers, powertrain, fuel system |
| 2016 | 5 | 77 | engine cooling, electrical system, visibility/wipers, fuel system |
| 2015 | 6 | 98 | engine cooling, electrical system, visibility/wipers, fuel system |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi Q5 model year 2022 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Audi Q5?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2025 carried fewer recalls than this model's own average, while 2021 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Audi Q5 model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2021 Audi Q5 has 8 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, seat belts, tires. Always confirm the open/completed status of every campaign for the specific VIN: a recall on this list may already be repaired on the vehicle in front of you.
Q03Which Audi Q5 model years have the cleanest federal recall record?
The 2025 Audi Q5 has 1 recall on file: below this model's own average of 5.0. A shorter list on file as of this page's data pull is not a guarantee against a future recall.
Q04What are common recall-related problems on the Audi Q5 by model year?
2025: seat belts. 2024: electrical system, airbags, engine. 2023: electrical system, airbags, engine. 2022: electrical system, engine. 2021: electrical system, seat belts, tires, suspension. 2020: electrical system, tires, suspension, seats.
Q05Why do some Audi Q5 model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi Q5 model year 2022 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Engine and cooling, Climate and electrical, Transmission and drivetrain, Brakes, tires and steering, Buying, records and recalls.
2021 Audi Q5 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering.
Compared with
Models this Audi Q5 is most often compared with.
Nearest Audi models
Other Audi models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 Q5 come in?
The 2026 Audi Q5 (compact luxury SUV) comes in 3 trims: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige.
Q02What are the 2026 Q5 trims?
The 2026 Audi Q5 trims are Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige, listed from the entry Premium up to the top Prestige.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 Q5 use?
The 2026 Audi Q5 is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder, rated at 268 horsepower across its compact luxury SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 Q5 have?
The 2026 Audi Q5 is rated at 268 horsepower (2.0L turbo four-cylinder).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 Q5?
The 2026 Audi Q5 is offered with Standard AWD.