Model research hub
Audi S7
The Audi S7 is the performance version of the A7 sloping-roof executive liftback, which Audi produced from 2010 to 2025. REREV says the S7 is worth buying as long as you avoid 2013, 2014 and 2016, CarsCounsel says to strictly avoid 2013 and 2014 for engine and transmission problems, and federal data lists 10 recalls on the 2021 and 6 on the 2020.
What the Audi S7 is
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) describes the A7 as an executive five-door liftback produced by Audi since 2010, the coupe variant of the A6 saloon and estate, with a sloping roofline, produced 2010 to 2025 and, as the A7L, in China from 2021. The S7 is its performance version, which Wikipedia dates from 2012 in the first generation. The site's 2015 and 2021 S7 pages list the specifications.
Best and worst S7 model years
Federal data shows a first-generation with few complaints and a redesign with many recalls. The 2015 has 3 recalls, the 2016 and 2017 have 2 each, the 2018 has 1 and the 2019 has none. The 2020 has 6 recalls covering the electrical system, tires, air bags and suspension, and the 2021 has 10, covering the electrical system, backup camera, seat belts and tires. The 2022 has 3, and the 2023 to 2025 years have 1 each, all for the backup camera.
REREV (opens in a new tab) says the S7 is worth buying as long as you avoid the 2013, 2014 and 2016 model years, and that the first-generation C7 (2013 to 2018) is the problem generation, with 2013 the single worst year on CarComplaints' PainRank and NHTSA raw complaint volume. CarsCounsel (opens in a new tab) says buyers should strictly avoid the 2013 and 2014 model years due to severe engine and transmission vulnerabilities. VinSpectorAI (opens in a new tab) tracks the S7 by year from NHTSA data.
Choosing a year
The 2015 to 2019 cars carry the fewest federal recalls but sit in the generation guides call the problem one for its earliest years, while the 2022 and later cars have 1 to 3 recalls, mostly a backup camera campaign to check by VIN.
Questions buyers ask
Which Audi S7 years should I avoid?
REREV (opens in a new tab) says to avoid 2013, 2014 and 2016, and CarsCounsel says to strictly avoid 2013 and 2014 because of engine and transmission vulnerabilities.
Is the S7 the same as the A7?
The S7 is the performance version of the A7, which Wikipedia describes as an executive five-door liftback.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2025 Audi S7 is built around 2.9L twin-turbo V6, rated at 444 horsepower across its midsize performance liftback sedan body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2025 U.S. lineup has 3 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2025 S7 seats 5 and is a Midsize performance liftback sedan.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2025 S7.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2025 Audi S7
Every S7 trim shares the same 444-horsepower twin-turbo V6 and 8-speed automatic; the three trims separate by driver-assistance, camera and lighting equipment.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
1 indexed Audi S7 model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Audi S7 | 2025 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Audi S7.
The Audi S7 is built alongside the Audi A7, and public records cover the two together. Generation history, the fact box and background are on the Audi A7 page; the safety record for the Audi S7 itself follows.
Recent recalls (1 campaign across the latest model years)
- December 2025, Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. 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… Consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Year by year
The Audi S7 across 10 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Audi S7 | 22 | $3,650 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 Audi S7 | 22 | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 Audi S7 | 22 | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2022 Audi S7 | 22 | $3,500 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2021 Audi S7 | 22 | $3,500 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| 2020 Audi S7 | 22 | $3,500 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 2018 Audi S7 | 18 | $4,300 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 Audi S7 | 21 | $3,700 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2016 Audi S7 | 21 | $3,700 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| 2015 Audi S7 | 20 | $3,900 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Audi S7, one model year at a time.
| Step | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 to 2023 | Drives: All-Wheel Drive | Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | |
| 2021 to 2022 | Drives: 4-Wheel Drive | Drives: All-Wheel Drive | |
| 2018 to 2020 | 18.0 to 22.0 | Engines: 2.9L 6-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid; Transmissions: Automatic (S8) | Engines: 4L 8-cyl SIDI; Transmissions: Automatic (AM-S7) |
| 2017 to 2018 | 21.0 to 18.0 | ||
| 2015 to 2016 | 20.0 to 21.0 |
Buying used
What the Audi S7 recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2024 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2023 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2022 | 3 | electrical system (instrument panel); electrical system; back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2021 | 10 | air bags; suspension (rear); seat belts (rear/other); 7 more | None |
| 2020 | 6 | air bags; suspension (rear); tires; 3 more | None |
| 2018 | 1 | air bags (sensor) | None |
| 2017 | 2 | air bags (sensor); engine and engine cooling | None |
| 2016 | 2 | air bags (sensor); engine and engine cooling | None |
| 2015 | 3 | equipment (other); air bags (sensor); engine and engine cooling | None |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| engine | 15 | 56% | 2016 (11) |
| electrical system | 10 | 37% | 2016 (3) |
| power train | 6 | 22% | 2016 (3) |
| steering | 4 | 15% | 2017 (2) |
| fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 7% | 2016 (1) |
| service brakes | 2 | 7% | 2016 (1) |
Trim by trim
Every 2025 Audi S7 trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | AWD | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 442 | 4,597 | – | 22 | $86,995 |
| Premium Plus | AWD | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 442 | 4,597 | – | 22 | $90,795 |
| Prestige | AWD | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 442 | 4,597 | – | 22 | $94,395 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2025 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 S7 model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 4,597 | – | 19.3 |
| 2024 | 3 | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 4,597 | – | 19.3 |
| 2023 | 3 | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 4,597 | – | 19.3 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 4,597 | – | 19.3 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 4,597 | – | 19.3 |
| 2020 | 2 | 2.9-liter V6 (Twin Turbo) | 444 | 4,597 | – | 19.3 |
| 2018 | 2 | V8, Twin Turbo, 4.0L | 450 | 4,486 | – | 19.8 |
| 2017 | 2 | V8, Twin Turbo, 4.0L | 450 | 4,486 | – | 19.8 |
| 2016 | 1 | V8, Twin Turbo, 4.0L | 450 | 4,564 | – | 19.8 |
| 2015 | 1 | V8, Twin Turbo, 4.0L | 420 | 4,508 | – | 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 S7: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
Fewer recalls than this model’s own average
- 2025 Audi S7 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.0).
- 2024 Audi S7 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.0).
- 2023 Audi S7 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.0).
- 2018 Audi S7 : 1 recall on file (average across published years is 3.0).
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2021 Audi S7 : 10 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and backup camera.
- 2020 Audi S7 : 6 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and tires.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | backup camera |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | backup camera |
| 2023 | 1 | not available | backup camera |
| 2022 | 3 | not available | electrical system, backup camera |
| 2021 | 10 | 3 | electrical system, backup camera, seat belts, tires |
| 2020 | 6 | 3 | electrical system, tires, airbags, suspension |
| 2019 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | airbags |
| 2017 | 2 | 5 | airbags, engine cooling |
| 2016 | 2 | 15 | airbags, engine cooling |
| 2015 | 3 | 1 | airbags, equipment, engine cooling |
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 S7 model years 2022, 2023 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 S7?
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, 2024, 2023, 2018 carried fewer recalls than this model's own average, while 2021, 2020 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Audi S7 model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2021 Audi S7 has 10 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, backup camera, seat belts; The 2020 Audi S7 has 6 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, tires, airbags. 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 S7 model years have the cleanest federal recall record?
The 2025 Audi S7 has 1 recall on file; The 2024 Audi S7 has 1 recall on file; The 2023 Audi S7 has 1 recall on file; The 2018 Audi S7 has 1 recall on file: below this model's own average of 3.0. 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 S7 by model year?
2025: backup camera. 2024: backup camera. 2023: backup camera. 2022: electrical system, backup camera. 2021: electrical system, backup camera, seat belts, tires. 2020: electrical system, tires, airbags, suspension.
Q05Why do some Audi S7 model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi S7 model years 2022, 2023 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, Engine and cooling, Climate and electrical, Brakes, tires and steering.
2021 Audi S7 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering.
2020 Audi S7 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Brakes, tires and steering and Buying, records and recalls.
Compared with
Models this Audi S7 is most often compared with.
Nearest Audi models
Other Audi models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2025 S7 come in?
The 2025 Audi S7 (midsize performance liftback sedan) comes in 3 trims: Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige.
Q02What are the 2025 S7 trims?
The 2025 Audi S7 trims are Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige, listed from the entry Premium up to the top Prestige.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2025 S7 use?
The 2025 Audi S7 is built around 2.9L twin-turbo V6, rated at 444 horsepower across its midsize performance liftback sedan body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2025 S7 have?
The 2025 Audi S7 is rated at 444 horsepower (2.9L twin-turbo V6).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2025 S7?
The 2025 Audi S7 is offered with Standard AWD.