Audi RS 6: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
The Audi RS 6 has 5 model year(s) in the federal index and no scored complaint record yet, so this page carries the catalogue entry and the years we hold rather than a verdict.
Audi RS 6: which years to avoid
Across 5 scored model years the Audi RS 6 ranges from 88/100 in 2021 to 92/100 in 2023 — a 4-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (3 of them).
Safest years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Year-by-year data table
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | BUY | $4,980 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 92 | BUY | $5,120 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | 92 | BUY | $5,260 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 91 | BUY | $5,400 | 0 | 2 |
| 2021 | 88 | BUY | $5,554 | 4 | 2 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the RS 6, through the years →
RS 6 sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the RS 6 on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Audi RS 6
Across every RS 6 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Electrical System3 complaints across all RS 6 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Visibility/Wiper1 complaints across all RS 6 years · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement$490–$1,200
- Steering1 complaints across all RS 6 years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
- Power Train1 complaints across all RS 6 years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Forward Collision Avoidance1 complaints across all RS 6 years · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration$780–$2,160
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Audi RS 6 years to buy?
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2023 at 92/100, on 0 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
What is the most common Audi RS 6 problem?
3 of the complaints filed against the RS 6 across all its model years sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04