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2021 Audi Q5 E
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 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
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 hasn’t published a crash-test rating for this model year. That’s common for lower-volume or older models. It doesn’t mean the car is unsafe, just that this program hasn’t tested 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 2021 Audi Q5 E, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (7) · Electrical system (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
27%7 complaints · 3 in the last 2 years
“A transmission malfunction message displayed and vehicle lost power. This happened when ascending a hill.”
Electrical system
23%6 complaints
“Charging socket lock errors out. Disables charging and inhibits the vehicle’s electric drivability. The vehicle displays the following error: Could not execute action.…”
Engine
15%4 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“While driving one day, several warning messages appeared on the dashboard, but would then disappear. The next day, the car engine would not start and the vehicle dashb…”
Driver assistance
12%3 complaints
“In several instances, my Audi Q5 has erroneously thought there was a road hazard and slammed on the brakes. It was terrifying. Luckily there were not cars close behind…”
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 2021 Audi Q5 E beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Q5 E model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Audi Q5 E 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.