Is the Audi S5 reliable?

The Audi S5 scores 73/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 84% of the cars we track. That score uses first-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (972 first tests), with cohort survival — medium confidence.

How much does a used Audi S5 cost?

A 2023 Audi S5 with around 24,759 miles is worth roughly £34,600 today (typical range £29,700–£39,500). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.

How quickly does the Audi S5 depreciate?

A new Audi S5 typically loses about 37% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.

What insurance group is the Audi S5?

The Audi S5 sits in insurance group 49 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.

What goes wrong on a used Audi S5?

The parts most often recorded at MOT on the Audi S5 are: tyres & wheels (typically around 60k-100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); lighting & signalling (typically around over 100k miles, £15-£120 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.

What does the Audi S5 cost to run?

Expect around 33 mpg combined on the S5 Coupe 3.0 TFSI 354 quattro, £200 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Is the Audi S5 ULEZ compliant?

Whether a Audi S5 is ULEZ compliant depends on its engine and registration date: petrol from 2006 and diesel from September 2015 generally qualify, and electric versions are always exempt.

How many Audi S5s are on UK roads?

About 11,345 Audi S5s are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Ranked #205 car in the UK · Coupe · 673 units sold last year

Audi S5

The Audi S5 is the warm, all-weather performance version of the A5 - a turbocharged six-cylinder coupe or Sportback with quattro, offered as a petrol and, in some forms, a diesel. It's the sensible-shoes fast Audi: rapid and surefooted in any conditions, comfortable enough daily, and subtler than the full-bore RS5. As a used buy it's a discreet, quick and well-built quattro GT for buyers who want genuine pace without shouting about it.

How these figures are sourced — the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

Body: Coupe
Years: 2018–2026
Fuel: Petrol / Diesel
Economy: 33 mpg
Insurance: Group 49

The short version

35/100

Forecourt score

Value 55 · Reliability 32 · Insurance 2 · catalogue percentiles

The Audi S5 holds its value about averagely and is dearer to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is good — an MOT score of 73/100, ahead of 84% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 55% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Petrol · 2995cc

Power

354 ps

Drivetrain

AWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

33 mpg

Volume S5 Coupe — 3.0 V6 TFSI, 354 PS, quattro AWD, 8-speed Tiptronic. 4.7s 0-62. Refreshed in 2020 facelift.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

Year of registration2023

20182026

Mileage on the clock24,759 mi

0Expected: 24,759180k

Conditiongood

PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Region

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Know the registration?

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

£34,600

Range £28,050 – £41,650

medium confidence

When new (2023)circa £60,000Age-based value£37,608Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region+£17Market calibration-£1,125Forecourt price£36,500Private sale£32,700Part-exchange£28,800

Holdthis 3-year-old

Fair value — depreciation is moderating.

At 24,759 miles it’s about the ~29,849 typical for a 3-year-old.

Seen one for sale?

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Audi S5 loses value over time.

Marker = your selection
Dashed = mileage either side

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 24,759 miles you entered above — worth about £34,600 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 8,253 miles a year.

5-year total

£33,954

Per year

£6,791

All-in per mile

£0.82

Fuel per mile

23.9p

Depreciation£14,073

Fuel / energy£9,861

Servicing£2,570

Road tax£1,000

Insurance£6,450

Best age to buy — around 2 years

A 2-year-old example loses roughly £5,750 a year — 62% less than the £15,150 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 55%

Reliabilitybetter than 32%

Fuel economybetter than 13%

Cheap to insurebetter than 2%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Estimated insurance

Group 49 of 50 (very high — top of the scale) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

No-claims bonus3 years

0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+

Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£1,290/ year

Roughly £108 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.

Age band	Lower risk	Typical	Higher risk
Age 17-25	£2,941	£3,677	£4,779
Age 26-32	£1,535	£1,806	£2,203
Age 33-39Selected	£1,135	£1,290	£1,522
Age 40-49	£964	£1,071	£1,242
Age 50+	£859	£955	£1,126

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

Annual mileage8,253 mi/yr

2,000UK avg for this model: 8,25330,000

Routine service

£290

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£280

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£1,972

33 mpg, £1.73/L

Insurance

£1,290

Age 33-39, group 49

Clean-air zones

⚠ Depends on variant

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£4,032 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£120

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£360

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£780

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£1,350

per year · high risk

Tyres

235/40 R18 · 245/35 R19

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 15,000 miles.

Budget

£400

set of 4, fitted · £85 per tyre

Mid-range

£580

set of 4, fitted · £130 per tyre

Premium

£840

set of 4, fitted · £195 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

Option	New cost	Added used value	Return
Tow bar (factory-fit) Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.	£650	£450	69%
Parking sensors & reversing camera Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.	£500	£300	60%
Heated seats / cold-weather pack	£450	£200	44%
Adaptive / matrix LED headlights	£900	£400	44%
Metallic or premium paint Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.	£600	£200	33%
Panoramic / opening roof	£1,100	£350	32%
Advanced driver-assistance pack	£1,500	£450	30%
Larger alloy wheels	£700	£200	29%
Premium sound system	£800	£200	25%

What fails at MOT

Recorded in DVSA MOT test data for this model, not owner reports. Ordered against 24,759 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

Typically happens at a higher mileage than yours.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at 60k-100k milesCost £80-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 6.3% of MOT tests 60k-100k miles — from 31,122 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450medium severityParts high

Recorded in 6.0% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 31,122 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120low severityParts high

Recorded in 2.9% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 31,122 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 2.8% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 31,122 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 1.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 31,122 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Identification & otherUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £20-£150low severityParts high

Recorded in 1.1% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 31,122 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 31,947 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

88.8% at 3yr → 76.1% at 19yr

A 3-year-old S5 passes its MOT 88.8% of the time; by 19 years that has slipped to 76.1%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

60%of 8-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 131 vehicles registered in 2018.

Survival by registration year

60% of 2018 cars still on the road

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every S5 with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 5,108 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.

Petrol 76.5%
Diesel 19.9%
Other 3.4%

What fails at the first MOT

The defect categories a S5 registered 2018–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 972 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.

Tyres & wheels6.8%
Identification & other0.6%
Lighting & signalling0.5%
Suspension0.5%
Brakes0.3%
Driver's view0.1%

Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a S5 at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

3 yr29,849
4 yr37,769
5 yr45,535
6 yr52,469
7 yr59,602
8 yr66,034
9 yr72,263
10 yr76,906
11 yr82,503
12 yr87,188
13 yr91,922
14 yr96,491

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.

Reliability

73/ 100

Good

First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (972 first tests), with cohort survival — medium confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

89%first-time pass rate

84th percentile — Better than most comparable cars

Based on 2,674 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

01quattro makes it a confident all-weather performer; the turbo six gives effortless real-world pace.
02The Sportback five-door is the practical pick; the coupe is the looker - both subtle next to an RS5.
03Big brakes and tyres mean real running costs; check S tronic dual-clutch fluid history and kerbed wheels.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Audi S5, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

Higher-value cars like this are relay-theft targets — keyless entry can be exploited from the driveway in under a minute.

Parts theft

Around average

Parts-theft risk is around average — catalytic-converter theft is the main thing to be aware of on any petrol or diesel car.

Worth doing

Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Audi S5 into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

City	Area	Daily charge	Likely outcome
London	All of Greater London (within the M25)	£12.50	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
Birmingham	Inside the A4540 Middleway	£8.00	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
Bristol	City centre and part of the Portway	£9.00	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
Glasgow	City centre	—	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
Edinburgh	City centre	—	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
Aberdeen	City centre	—	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
Dundee	City centre	—	Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.

Zones that don't charge private cars

Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Audi S5 as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 178 g/km, using £66,000 as the P11D value.

Tax year	BIK %	Tax @ 20%	Tax @ 40%	Monthly @ 20%	Monthly @ 40%
2025-26	37%	£4,884	£9,768	£407	£814
2026-27	37%	£4,884	£9,768	£407	£814
2027-28	38%	£5,016	£10,032	£418	£836
2028-29	39%	£5,148	£10,296	£429	£858
2029-30	39%	£5,148	£10,296	£429	£858

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Audi is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~115

Large network

Premium mainstream

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Audi is 2.6% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,400 mm

Width

1,850 mm

Height

1,300 mm

Kerb weight

1,500 kg

Boot

280–320 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

How the UK Audi S5 fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.

Currently registered

12,170

Currently taxed & on road

11,345

93% of all registered

SORN (off road)

825

7% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

n/a

not in this DfT extract

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

+4.4% vs 2024

3,74711,345

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 1 Oct 2026

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Common questions

Audi S5, answered from the data

Is the Audi S5 reliable?: The Audi S5 scores 73/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 84% of the cars we track. That score uses first-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (972 first tests), with cohort survival — medium confidence.
How much does a used Audi S5 cost?: A 2023 Audi S5 with around 24,759 miles is worth roughly £34,600 today (typical range £29,700–£39,500). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Audi S5 depreciate?: A new Audi S5 typically loses about 37% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Audi S5?: The Audi S5 sits in insurance group 49 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Audi S5?: The parts most often recorded at MOT on the Audi S5 are: tyres & wheels (typically around 60k-100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); lighting & signalling (typically around over 100k miles, £15-£120 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Audi S5 cost to run?: Expect around 33 mpg combined on the S5 Coupe 3.0 TFSI 354 quattro, £200 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the Audi S5 ULEZ compliant?: Whether a Audi S5 is ULEZ compliant depends on its engine and registration date: petrol from 2006 and diesel from September 2015 generally qualify, and electric versions are always exempt.
How many Audi S5s are on UK roads?: About 11,345 Audi S5s are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.