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Audi: reliability & common problems

#21 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~177k
~106k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
135
Audis inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
64/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 135 used Audis we inspected, they tend to be in slightly better shape than average — average condition 64/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.

What we found

Most common faults

Oil leaks · Engine
64%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
47%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
40%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
32%
Cracked or torn suspension bushings · Suspension
28%

Share of inspected Audis where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 18% Good 48% Mediocre 27% Poor 7%
Hidden history

What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Audis.

75%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 75%
3%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
27%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 23%

Compare with another brand:

Cross-shopping? Audi vs BMW · Audi vs Lexus · Audi vs Mercedes

How long does a Audi last?

Across every Audi body style we've inspected — sedans, SUVs and anything else pooled together — the average one's condition dips below decent (a 55/100 score) around ~106k miles. It ranks Audi #21 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~177k. Shopping a Audi near that mileage? Expect more wear ahead — see which makes give the best odds at your budget.



Good cars by mileage
0 25 50 75 100 0–20k mi: 85% in good shape (13 cars) 20–40k mi: 91% in good shape (22 cars) 40–60k mi: 77% in good shape (22 cars) 60–80k mi: 50% in good shape (22 cars) 80–100k mi: 43% in good shape (21 cars) 100–120k mi: 45% in good shape (20 cars) 120–140k mi: 29% in good shape (7 cars) 140–160k mi: 20% in good shape (5 cars) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
0 25 50 75 100 1 years old: 78% in good shape (9 cars) 2 years old: 100% in good shape (8 cars) 3 years old: 90% in good shape (10 cars) 4 years old: 86% in good shape (14 cars) 5 years old: 100% in good shape (5 cars) 6 years old: 71% in good shape (17 cars) 7 years old: 44% in good shape (16 cars) 8 years old: 45% in good shape (11 cars) 9 years old: 54% in good shape (13 cars) 10 years old: 40% in good shape (5 cars) 11 years old: 22% in good shape (9 cars) 12 years old: 43% in good shape (7 cars) 13 years old: 20% in good shape (5 cars) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share of Audis in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.

Is Audi getting better?
▲ Newer Audis are holding up better 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 61% in good shape (age-adjusted; 19 cars, raw 63%) 61 2015–17: 54% in good shape (age-adjusted; 24 cars, raw 50%) 54 2018+: 79% in good shape (age-adjusted; 20 cars, raw 85%) 79 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+

Share of Audis in good shape (60+/100) when inspected at the same age — 5–10 years old, age-adjusted — by model-year generation; the dashed line is the all-brand average. Compare every brand's trajectory →



Audi models we've inspected
Q5 28 cars · 61% good A4 19 cars · profile soon Q7 16 cars · profile soon A6 10 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2009 Audi A4 · 129k mi — flagged: smoothness, low coolant / cooling system issues, belts. Inspected Jul 28.
2021 Audi Q5 · 32k mi — flagged: oil leaks, battery condition (12v), tires condition & wear. Inspected Jul 11.
The bottom line

Audis look decent on paper until you dig into the engine bay and the odometer. Oil leaks show up on nearly two-thirds of them and active error codes aren't far behind, so start every inspection there and treat any fuel-trim issues as a red flag for deferred maintenance. The 2018-and-newer cars are clearly the sweet spot, staying in good shape far more often than the mid-2010s ones. Longevity is a weak point though—these start sliding below decent around 106,000 miles—so anything north of that needs a steep discount or a walk-away. Factor the common suspension bushing wear into your negotiation too.

FAQ
?
Is Audi reliable?
66% of the 135 Audis we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 64/100 — they tend to be in slightly better shape than average.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Audi?
Across the Audis we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (64%), active error codes (47%), tires condition & wear (40%).
?
Are newer Audis more reliable than older ones?
Yes — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), newer Audis hold up clearly better than the early-2010s ones.
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Based on 135 inspections · updated Aug 1, 2026