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2018 Audi S5 Sportback
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
26 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Audi S5 Sportback, plotted where owners report it happening.
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Engine
35%9 complaints · typically near 73k mi · 4 in the last 2 years
“An Audi dealer has just diagnosed my 2018 S5 Cabriolet Prestige with vacuum system contamination caused by water pump failure. I had requested the diagnostic due to sm…”
Airbags
12%3 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“The system warning keeps coming on, I’ve tried to schedule appointments with Audi since 2022 and they have zero appointments available”
Visibility & wipers
12%3 complaints
“DURING A DRIVE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN TENNESSEE ON12/27/19, THE SUNROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED. SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 75-80 MPH ON A CLOUDY DAY WITH THE TEMPERATURE …”
Seat belts
8%2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 AUDI S5. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SEAT BELT WARNING CHIME CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED EVEN WITH THE SEAT BELT ENGAGED AND IN USE. THE SEA…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Audi S5 SPORTBACK beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every S5 Sportback model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Audi S5 Sportback against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.