VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Audi e-tron20192026

Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.

TOP PICK
2020
Buyer Score 86/100
8
Years Analyzed
38
Total Recalls
105
Total Complaints
4
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Best Years to Buy a Audi e-tron

Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.

#1 PICK6yr old
2020
Strong Buy · 86/100
Reliability86/100
Value window87/100
Recalls4
Complaints5
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
#2 PICK2yr old
2024
Strong Buy · 82/100
Reliability90/100
Value window68/100
Recalls4
Complaints0
#3 PICK3yr old
2023
Strong Buy · 81/100
Reliability82/100
Value window78/100
Recalls5
Complaints4
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Audi e-tron Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2022

11 recalls · 27 complaints

3 reported injuries

Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

#2 WORST
2019

4 recalls · 44 complaints

1 reported injury

Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

#3 WORST
2021

7 recalls · 25 complaints

Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Audi e-tron — Year-by-Year Comparison

Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
202610
84
40
69
Excellent
202520
83
55
73
Excellent
202440
90
68
82
Good
202354
82
78
81
Good
202211273
66
85
73
Avoid
2021725
71
88
77
Avoid
202045
86
87
86
Good
20194441
77
83
79
Avoid

Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.

Known Audi e-tron Problems

Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
38
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
12
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
11
POWER TRAIN
10
ENGINE
9
SERVICE BRAKES
9
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
3
AIR BAGS
2

Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the e-tron compares — best year within each era shown.

2018–Present

Modern safety tech, refreshed platforms, updated powertrains. Higher purchase price but lower reliability risk. Best pick in this era: 2020 (Buyer Score 86).

Best: 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year e-tron to buy?+

The 2020 Audi e-tron scores highest on our Buyer Score (86/100) — combining a reliability score of 86/100 with a value score of 87/100. It has 4 recalls and 5 NHTSA complaints on record.

Which e-tron years have the most problems?+

The 2022, 2019, 2021 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2022 e-tron leads with 11 recalls and 27 owner complaints.

What is the Buyer Score?+

The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.

What are the most common e-tron problems?+

The most frequently reported Audi e-tron issues involve: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.

Deep-Dive Research

Found the right year? Verify the specific car.

A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.

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