Audi S7: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Audi S7: 11 model years scored from 57 NHTSA owner complaints and 36 recall campaigns. Worst year 2021, best year 2015.
Audi S7: which years to avoid
Across 11 scored model years the Audi S7 ranges from 70/100 in 2021 to 92/100 in 2024 — a 22-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Electrical System (3 of them).
Safest years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 — 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.
How the S7 changed, run by run
The federal record falls into 3 stretches of years that behave alike. A redesign shows up here as a step in the complaint rate that then holds.
2013–2018
Mean score 82/100, about 1 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Engine more than anything else (35 complaints). 8 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2020–2022
Mean score 79/100, about 1 complaints per year on the road. Owners of these years complain about Electrical System more than anything else (5 complaints). 11 recall campaign(s) in this run touch fire, crash or stall risk.
2024–2025
Mean score 92/100.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2015 (score 89). Worst: 2021 (score 70, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | BUY | $3,980 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 92 | BUY | $4,120 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 86 | BUY | $4,400 | 0 | 3 |
| 2021 | 70 | BUY | $4,551 | 3 | 10 |
| 2020 | 80 | BUY | $4,690 | 3 | 6 |
| 2018 | 90 | BUY | $5,710 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 | 88 | BUY | $5,260 | 5 | 2 |
| 2016 | 75 | BUY | $5,418 | 15 | 2 |
| 2015 | 89 | BUY | $5,732 | 1 | 3 |
| 2014 | 76 | BUY | $5,892 | 14 | 4 |
| 2013 | 76 | BUY | $6,033 | 16 | 3 |
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 S7, through the years →
What goes wrong on the Audi S7
Across every S7 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.
- Engine36 complaints across all S7 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System12 complaints across all S7 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Power Train8 complaints across all S7 years · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System5 complaints across all S7 years · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement$680–$1,620
- Forward Collision Avoidance5 complaints across all S7 years · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration$780–$2,160
- Steering3 complaints across all S7 years · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement$1,020–$2,500
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 S7 years to buy?
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2024 at 92/100, on 0 complaints and 1 recall campaigns.
Which Audi S7 years should I avoid?
The 2021 is the weakest year we score, at 70/100 (BUY), on 3 complaints and 10 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Audi S7 problem?
36 of the complaints filed against the S7 across all its model years sit in the Engine group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04