Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2026.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 SQ5 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 SQ5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 SQ5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2022 SQ5 | 5 | 2 |
| 2021 SQ5 | 13 | 5 |
| 2020 SQ5 | 8 | 4 |
| 2019 SQ5 | 20 | 5 |
| 2018 SQ5 | 24 | 5 |
| 2017 SQ5 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 SQ5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 SQ5 | 9 | 1 |
| 2014 SQ5 | 12 | 1 |
| 2013 SQ5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Engine24
- Electrical system22
- Forward collision avoidance18
- Steering15
- Unknown or other13
- Power train11
- Structure10
- Service brakes9
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 13 SQ5 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 2 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Crash-test ratings by year
NHTSA 5-star results for 12 model-year variants; 0 of 4 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Year | Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 2027 AUDI SQ5 SUV ICE AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2026 | 2026 AUDI SQ5 SUV N/A AWD | — | 0.0 % |
| 2025 | 2025 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | — | 16.4 % |
| 2024 | 2024 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | — | 16.4 % |
| 2021 | 2021 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | — | 16.3 % |
| 2020 | 2020 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | — | 16.3 % |
| 2019 | 2019 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | — | 16.3 % |
| 2018 | 2018 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | — | 16.3 % |
| 2017 | 2017 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | 15.1 % |
| 2016 | 2016 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | 15.1 % |
| 2015 | 2015 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | 15.1 % |
| 2014 | 2014 Audi SQ5 SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | 15.1 % |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 13 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 10.1–12.7 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 11.5 | 8.5 | 10.1 |
| 2025 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.6 | 9.8 | 11.4 |
| 2024 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.6 | 9.8 | 11.4 |
| 2023 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.5 | 9.7 | 11.2 |
| 2022 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.5 | 9.7 | 11.2 |
| 2021 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 13.1 | 9.9 | 11.6 |
| 2020 | SQ5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 13.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 |
| 2019 | SQ5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.7 | 10.0 | 11.5 |
| 2018 | SQ5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.7 | 10.0 | 11.5 |
| 2017 | SQ5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 14.1 | 9.9 | 12.2 |
| 2016 | SQ5 quattro · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 14.1 | 9.9 | 12.2 |
| 2015 | SQ5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 14.1 | 9.9 | 12.2 |
| 2014 | SQ5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Premium gasoline | 14.9 | 10.1 | 12.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
804 SQ5 cars are on the New Zealand register; 58% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2019 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 2018 | 54 | 2 | 52 |
| 2017 | 33 | 1 | 32 |
| 2016 | 64 | 0 | 63 |
| 2015 | 199 | 81 | 113 |
| 2014 | 273 | 128 | 143 |
| 2013 | 123 | 91 | 29 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
2,587 SQ5 cars are on Dutch roads; 94% arrived later as imports, and 248 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | €135,998 |
| 2022 | 25 | €135,552 |
| 2021 | 46 | €132,783 |
| 2020 | 43 | €124,915 |
| 2019 | 131 | €122,157 |
| 2018 | 966 | €118,419 |
| 2017 | 570 | €113,414 |
| 2016 | 143 | €106,888 |
| 2015 | 200 | €100,768 |
| 2014 | 317 | €96,358 |
| 2013 | 115 | €89,463 |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
83 SQ5 cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 0% petrol, 100% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5 | 157,000 km |
| 2016 | 7 | 180,000 km |
| 2015 | 15 | 234,000 km |
| 2014 | 44 | 223,000 km |
| 2013 | 12 | 234,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Road collisions in Great Britain
From 2021 to 2025, 186 SQ5 cars were involved in road collisions in Great Britain that injured someone and were reported to the police. 6 of those collisions were fatal and 52 caused serious injuries. As with any count, models with more cars on British roads appear more often.
| Year | Cars in injury collisions | Fatal | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | 2 | 9 |
| 2024 | 23 | 0 | 7 |
| 2023 | 38 | 2 | 8 |
| 2022 | 49 | 2 | 15 |
| 2021 | 39 | 0 | 13 |
Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data 2021–2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
13,684 SQ5 cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 714 | 6 |
| 2024 | 365 | — |
| 2023 | 454 | 3 |
| 2022 | 457 | 2 |
| 2021 | 532 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1,193 | 14 |
| 2019 | 451 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1,955 | 26 |
| 2017 | 1,199 | 20 |
| 2016 | 1,992 | 57 |
| 2015 | 2,052 | 65 |
| 2014 | 1,687 | 69 |
| 2013 | 632 | 22 |
| 2003 | 1 | — |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
804 SQ5 cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 91% passed first time, against 80% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 440 | 93% |
| 2014 | 364 | 88% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | SQ5 | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.0% | 5.8% |
| Visibility | 1.2% | 3.5% |
| Suspension | 1.2% | 4.1% |
| Brakes | 1.2% | 3.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.1% | 6.2% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.2% | 1.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
66,085 new Audi SQ5 cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2013 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Germany (1,502), Austria (75), Luxembourg (30).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,735 | 217 (WLTP) |
| 2021 | 1,381 | 219 (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 4,174 | 221 (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 4,131 | 221 (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 7,750 | 193 (NEDC) |
| 2017 | 8,272 | 182 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 12,099 | — |
| 2015 | 11,065 | — |
| 2014 | 11,013 | — |
| 2013 | 4,465 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
2,006 Audi SQ5 cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2024 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel hybrid versions average 8.8 l/100 km on the road, against 8.3 l/100 km in the official WLTP test — 7% more.
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel hybrid | 2,006 | 8.8 | 8.3 | +7% |
Litres per 100 km: total fuel used divided by total distance driven, from the car's own fuel consumption meter (OBFCM), collected in 2024 by the manufacturers, mostly remotely, and by national authorities. WLTP figures are the type-approval CO₂ values converted to litres. Hybrids, including mild hybrids, do not plug in; plug-in hybrid figures include the distance driven on electricity. European Environment Agency, Real-world CO₂ emissions from cars and vans · CC BY 4.0
What it costs in fuel
On real-world figures the Audi SQ5 uses 8.8 litres per 100 km, so 15,000 km a year takes about 1,320 litres: €2,991 at this week's average price in Germany, its largest market in Europe.
| Country | Diesel hybrid |
|---|---|
| Germany | €2,991 |
| United Kingdom | £2,631 |
| France | €3,096 |
| Austria | €2,814 |
| Italy | €2,963 |
| United States | $2,188 |
Fuel for 15,000 km (9,300 miles) a year at real-world consumption. Pump prices with taxes, week of 19 October 2026: European Commission Weekly Oil Bulletin, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, US Energy Information Administration. Non-euro EU prices are in euros as the Bulletin publishes them.
Work it out for your driving
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the SQ5 in 1 alert. European versions can differ from the North American car.
The airbag may deteriorate over time and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments could pass through the cushion material causing injury to occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on t…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
14 campaigns cover the SQ5; the latest 12 are below.
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.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling one 2022 Audi SQ5 Sportback vehicle. The connections that join the metal sheets to form the rear lid may have been improperly connected.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, 2018-2022 Q5, and SQ5 vehicles. A liquid spill in the rear seat, or water ingress from an insufficient body seam underneath the vehicle may allow liquid to penetrate the gateway control module, causing it to shutdown.
Volkswagen 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 Crash Protection."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi SQ5 and 2018-2020 Audi Q5 vehicles. The rear wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach from the vehicle.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. In the event of a crash deploying the passenger's frontal air bag, the instrument panel carrier may break due to incorrect welding. If the carrier breaks, there may be damage to the passenger frontal air bag.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The wheel arch cover trim may loosen and detach.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake master cylinder casting may be too short.
NHTSA recalls