Model research hub
Audi S5 Sport Sedan
The Audi S5 is one of two high-performance versions of the A5, now in its fourth generation (B10) on a new PPC platform since 2024. Federal data and CarComplaintData both point to the 2018 launch year and the 2020 as the problem years, while the 2021 to 2023 avoided the first-year issues and 2022 has the fewest complaints. The 2026 S5 starts at $64,595.
What the Audi S5 is and who buys it
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) describes the S5 as one of two high-performance variants of the Audi A5, sold as a coupe, cabriolet and five-door fastback sedan across the B8 (2007), B8.5 (2012) and B9 (2017) generations, with the B10 the direct successor from 2024 on Audi's new PPC platform, permanent quattro all-wheel drive. The 2026 S5 has a 3.0L V6 rated 23 mpg combined by the EPA, about $3,350 a year in fuel, and Kelley Blue Book base prices are $64,595 for the Premium, $67,495 for the Premium Plus and $72,195 for the Prestige.
Best and worst S5 model years
Federal data shows the 2015 to 2017 with almost no recalls or complaints, the 2018 S5 with 2 recalls and 26 complaints, the most of any year, the 2019 with 4 recalls and 6 complaints, and the 2020 S5 with 4 recalls and 25 complaints. The 2021 has 5 recalls, the most, but only 1 complaint, the 2022 has 2 recalls, the 2023 has 1, and the 2025 has 2.
VinSpectorAI (opens in a new tab) names the 2018, 2020 and 2025 as years to avoid and the 2022, 2021 and 2019 as the best years to buy, by complaint count. CarComplaintData (opens in a new tab) says 380 complaints are recorded overall, concentrated in the 2020 model year, and that the 2021 to 2023 S5 models benefited from resolved 2020 issues and represent well-sorted examples. CarsCounsel (opens in a new tab) says one year's owners avoided the first-year interior rattles and early electronic gremlins that plagued the 2018 launch.
Choosing a year
The 2021 to 2023 cars are the picks across sources, since they follow the 2020 fixes and mostly avoid the 2018 launch problems. The 2025's 2 recalls are worth checking by VIN on a newer car.
Questions buyers ask
Which Audi S5 years should I avoid?
VinSpectorAI (opens in a new tab) names the 2018, 2020 and 2025 as years to avoid, and CarComplaintData says complaints concentrate in the 2020.
What generation is the current Audi S5?
Wikipedia lists the B10 as the current generation, from 2024, on Audi's new PPC platform.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan is built around 3.0L turbo V6, rated at 362 horsepower across its compact performance sedan body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 3 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2026 S5 Sport Sedan seats 5 and is a Compact performance sedan.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2026 S5 Sport Sedan.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan
The current-generation S5 shares its 362-horsepower turbo V6 and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission across all three trims, which separate by audio, lighting and comfort equipment.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
5 indexed Audi S5 Sport Sedan model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Audi S5 | 2027 record → | |
| 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Audi S5 | 2025 record → | |
| 2022 Audi S5 | 2022 record → | |
| 2015 Audi S5 | 2015 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Audi S5 Sport Sedan.
The Audi S5 Sport Sedan is built alongside the Audi A5, and public records cover the two together. Generation history, the fact box and background are on the Audi A5 page; the safety record for the Audi S5 Sport Sedan itself follows.
Year by year
The Audi S5 Sport Sedan across 13 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Audi S5 | 23 | $3,450 | 1 | ||
| 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan | 23 | $3,350 | 1 | ||
| 2025 Audi S5 | 22–23 | $3,350–$3,500 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2024 Audi S5 | 22–24 | $3,250–$3,500 | 3 | ||
| 2023 Audi S5 | 23–24 | $3,250–$3,350 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2022 Audi S5 | 23–24 | $3,250–$3,350 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2021 Audi S5 | 22–23 | $3,350–$3,500 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2020 Audi S5 | 22–23 | $3,350–$3,500 | 3 | 4 | 25 |
| 2019 Audi S5 | 24 | $3,250 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 2018 Audi S5 | 23–24 | $3,250–$3,350 | 3 | 2 | 26 |
| 2017 Audi S5 | 20–21 | $3,700–$3,900 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2016 Audi S5 | 20–21 | $3,700–$3,900 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2015 Audi S5 | 20–21 | $3,700–$3,900 | 3 | 2 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Audi S5 Sport Sedan, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 2 to 1 | 22.5 to 23.0 | Labels: S5 Sport Sedan | Labels: S5, S5 Sportback; Transmissions: Automatic (S8) |
| 2024 to 2025 | 3 to 2 | 23.0 to 22.5 | Labels: S5; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7) | Labels: S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe; Size classes: Subcompact Cars |
| 2023 to 2024 | 23.5 to 23.0 | Drives: All-Wheel Drive | Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | |
| 2021 to 2022 | 22.5 to 23.5 | Labels: S5 Coupe; Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | Labels: S5; Drives: All-Wheel Drive | |
| 2019 to 2020 | 24.0 to 22.5 | |||
| 2018 to 2019 | 23.5 to 24.0 | Transmissions: Automatic (S8) | Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S8) | |
| 2017 to 2018 | 20.5 to 23.5 | Labels: S5 Sportback; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S8); Size classes: Midsize Cars | Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7), Manual 6-spd |
Buying used
What the Audi S5 Sport Sedan recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | seat belts (front); seat belts (rear/other) | None |
| 2023 | 1 | air bags (sensor) | None |
| 2022 | 2 | back over prevention (sensing system); equipment (electrical) | None |
| 2021 | 5 | exterior lighting (tail lights); suspension (rear); seat belts (rear/other); 2 more | None |
| 2020 | 4 | exterior lighting (tail lights); suspension (rear); seats; 1 more | None |
| 2019 | 4 | suspension (front); suspension (rear); seats; 1 more | None |
| 2018 | 2 | air bags (frontal); seats | None |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| unknown or other | 20 | 33% | 2020 (12) |
| electrical system | 18 | 30% | 2020 (14) |
| engine | 13 | 21% | 2018 (9) |
| back over prevention | 11 | 18% | 2020 (11) |
| forward collision avoidance | 6 | 10% | 2020 (6) |
| lane departure | 3 | 5% | 2020 (2) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | AWD | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 406 | 4,288 | – | 23 | $64,595 |
| Premium Plus | AWD | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 406 | 4,288 | – | 23 | $67,495 |
| Prestige | AWD | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 406 | 4,288 | – | 23 | $72,195 |
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 S5 Sport Sedan model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 4,288 | – | 14.8 |
| 2025 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 362 | 4,288 | – | 14.8 |
| 2024 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 349 | – | – | 15.3 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 349 | – | – | 15.3 |
| 2022 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 349 | – | – | 15.3 |
| 2021 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 349 | 3,858 | – | 15.3 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 349 | 3,858 | – | 15.3 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) | 349 | 3,847 | – | 15.3 |
| 2018 | 2 | 3.0-liter V6 (Turbo) | 354 | 3,836 | – | 15.3 |
| 2017 | 1 | V6, Supercharged, 3.0L | 333 | 3,925 | – | 16.1 |
| 2016 | 2 | V6, Supercharged, 3.0L / V6, Supercharged. 3.0L | 333 | 4,310 | – | 16.1 |
| 2015 | 2 | 3.0-liter V6 (Supercharged) | 333 | 4,310 | – | 16.1 |
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 S5 Sport Sedan: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2021 Audi S5 Sport Sedan : 5 recalls on file, most commonly affecting seat belts and tires.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | not available | ||
| 2025 | 2 | not available | seat belts |
| 2024 | not available | ||
| 2023 | 1 | not available | airbags |
| 2022 | 2 | not available | backup camera, equipment |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 | seat belts, tires, exterior lighting, suspension |
| 2020 | 4 | 25 | tires, suspension, seats, exterior lighting |
| 2019 | 4 | 6 | suspension, tires, seats |
| 2018 | 2 | 26 | airbags, seats |
| 2017 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | 1 | ||
| 2015 | 2 |
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 S5 Sport Sedan model years 2022, 2023, 2025 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 S5 Sport Sedan?
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: 2021 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Audi S5 Sport Sedan model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2021 Audi S5 Sport Sedan has 5 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting seat belts, tires, exterior lighting. 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.
Q03What are common recall-related problems on the Audi S5 Sport Sedan by model year?
2025: seat belts. 2023: airbags. 2022: backup camera, equipment. 2021: seat belts, tires, exterior lighting, suspension. 2020: tires, suspension, seats, exterior lighting. 2019: suspension, tires, seats.
Q04Why do some Audi S5 Sport Sedan model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi S5 Sport Sedan model years 2022, 2023, 2025 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: Buying, records and recalls, Brakes, tires and steering, Climate and electrical.
2021 Audi S5 Sport Sedan owners specifically: see Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering and Climate and electrical.
Compared with
Models this Audi S5 Sport Sedan is most often compared with.
Nearest Audi models
Other Audi models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 S5 Sport Sedan come in?
The 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan (compact performance sedan) comes in 3 trims: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige.
Q02What are the 2026 S5 Sport Sedan trims?
The 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan trims are Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige, listed from the entry Premium up to the top Prestige.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 S5 Sport Sedan use?
The 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan is built around 3.0L turbo V6, rated at 362 horsepower across its compact performance sedan body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 S5 Sport Sedan have?
The 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan is rated at 362 horsepower (3.0L turbo V6).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 S5 Sport Sedan?
The 2026 Audi S5 Sport Sedan is offered with Standard AWD.