YearToAvoid

2016 Audi SQ5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

8/100

#12 most-complained of 13 SQ5 years

The 2016 Audi SQ5 has 6 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 8 out of 100 — #12 highest of 13 SQ5 model years (verdict: Best). The most reported problem area is steering (2 complaints, 33% of the total).

Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19
17 city / 24 hwy

Top 2016 Audi SQ5 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other2 (33%)
  2. Steering2 (33%)
  3. Engine1 (17%)
  4. Visibility & Wipers1 (17%)
2016 Audi SQ5 complaints: complaints filed per month2Mar 2016Apr 2017Feb 2018Jun 2019Apr 2021
6 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2016 to Apr 2021; peak Apr 2021 (2).

2016 Audi SQ5 recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2016 Audi SQ5 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,200
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other SQ5 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Caution5012119
2015Best178119
2016Best86019
2017Good335019
2018Avoid92245 !21

All Audi SQ5 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Audi SQ5 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Audi SQ5 ranks #12 of 13 among SQ5 model years (Complaint Index 8/100, verdict: Best). It has 6 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Audi SQ5?
The most reported problem areas are steering (2 complaints), engine (1 complaints), and visibility & wipers (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 25,000 miles.
Does the 2016 Audi SQ5 have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2016 Audi SQ5 in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Audi SQ5?
EPA rates the 2016 Audi SQ5 at 19 MPG combined (17 city / 24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.