2012 Audi A8

Car · 2010–2026

2011–2017 Audi A8 — 2011–2017 pictured. Photo: EurovisionNim, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Which year to buy

Best betNo standoutNo year is clearly better than the rest Newest we'd buy2021The latest year rated a good buy Avoid2013, 2015Far more serious problems than usual Be careful2011, 2014, 2016More problems; check the recalls were done

usual

’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’19 ’20 ’21

Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year, against this model's usual year.

2012GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.6× usual, mostly engine and air bags Extended coverage

Few complaints for any year of this model, so the data can't tell this year apart much. 10 serious complaints of 11, the most about engine (4) and air bags (2); 1.6× this model's usual share of all serious complaints about 2012 vehicles. 1 recall.

What owners report

“The contact owns a 2012 audi a8. The contact's vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 16v619000 (engine and engine cooling). The recall repair was performed by fletcher jones audi (1523 w north ave, chicago, il 60642, (312) 628-4300).”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Aug 2019

Fixes and extended coverage

Extended coverage This document contains general information on the upcoming warranty extension on the high pressure fuel pump. (Dealer, Apr 2015)
Extended coverage Audi: all audi 2011-2012 model year with an 2.0 tfsi engine will be extending the warranty on all fuel injectors. 7/23/15 *ta (PRI-A, Jul 2015)
Repair program Diagnosed and confirmed malfunction of the vehicle’s AEB system that resulted from failure or malfunction of the AEB system’s control unit, camera(s), LIDAR, and/or sensor(s) which enable automatic emergency braking functionality. (AWA 24, May 2024)

From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.

11 owner complaints · 1 recall (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 16–21 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2012 trims and features

Every A8 year's verdict →

Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. NHTSA doesn't publish sales, so only big differences count. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.

Trims and features

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026

Engines: 4.2L 8-cyl; 6.3L 12-cyl · Drive: AWD

2012 A8 trims

	Base	L

base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Audi reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Audi aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.

Year by year

Year	Engines	Drive	Fuel economy	Crash rating	Recalls	Owner complaints	Most-reported problem	CarPlay
2026	3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 335 hp	AWD	22 mpg	Not rated	1	0	—	—
2025	3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 335 hp	AWD	22 mpg	Not rated	1	0	—	Yes
2024	3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 335 hp	AWD	22 mpg	Not rated	3	0	—	Yes
2023	3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 335 hp	AWD	22 mpg	Not rated	2	0	—	Yes
2022	3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 335 hp	4WD	22 mpg	Not rated	3	0	—	Yes
2021	3.0L 6-cyl turbo mild hybrid, 335–443 hp 3.0L 6-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid, 335–443 hp 4.0L 8-cyl turbo mild hybrid, 453–563 hp	AWD	18–23 mpg	Not rated	8	7	Electrical system (3)	Yes
2020	3.0L 6-cyl turbo mild hybrid, 335–443 hp 3.0L 6-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid, 335–443 hp 4.0L 8-cyl turbo mild hybrid, 453–563 hp	AWD	18–23 mpg	Not rated	0	3	Electrical system (2)	Yes
2019	3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 335 hp 4.0L 8-cyl turbo, 453 hp	AWD	18–22 mpg	Not rated	3	12	Electrical system (8)	Yes
2018	3.0L 6-cyl supercharged, 333 hp 4.0L 8-cyl turbo, 450–605 hp	AWD	19–22 mpg	Not rated	3	0	—	No
2017	3.0L 6-cyl supercharged, 333 hp 4.0L 8-cyl turbo, 450–605 hp	AWD	22 mpg	Not rated	3	6	Vehicle speed control (2)	No
2016	3.0L 6-cyl supercharged, 240–333 hp 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel, 240–333 hp 4.0L 8-cyl turbo, 450–605 hp 6.3L 12-cyl, 500 hp	AWD	16–28 mpg	Not rated	4	16	Engine (5)	No
2015	3.0L 6-cyl supercharged 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 4.0L 8-cyl turbo 6.3L 12-cyl	AWD	16–28 mpg	Not rated	5	37	Engine (22)	No
2014	3.0L 6-cyl supercharged 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 4.0L 8-cyl turbo 6.3L 12-cyl	AWD	15–28 mpg	Not rated	5	24	Engine (14)	No
2013	3.0L 6-cyl supercharged 4.0L 8-cyl turbo 6.3L 12-cyl	AWD	15–21 mpg	Not rated	6	62	Engine (47)	No
2012	4.2L 8-cyl 6.3L 12-cyl	AWD	16–21 mpg	Not rated	1	11	Engine (4)	No
2011	4.2L 8-cyl	AWD	21 mpg	Not rated	1	15	Engine (10)	No
2010	4.2L 8-cyl	AWD	18 mpg	Not rated	1	1	Visibility (1)	No

Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.

Which years have…

Lane centering Blind-spot monitoring

Apple lists CarPlay for: A8 2019–2025 (Apple).

Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints

Year	Version	Stars	Forward collision warning	Lane departure warning	Recalls	Complaints
2026	AUDI A8 4 DR MHEV AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	0	0
2026	AUDI S8 4 DR MHEV AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	1	0
2025	Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	1	0
2025	Audi S8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	1	0
2024	Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	2	0
2024	Audi S8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	1	0
2023	Audi Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	2	0
2023	Audi Audi S8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	2	0
2022	Audi Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	No	3	0
2022	Audi Audi S8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	No	3	0
2021	Audi A8L 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	10	5
2021	Audi A8L PHEV 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	0	1
2021	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	Standard	8	1
2020	Audi A8L 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	No	5	3
2020	Audi A8L PHEV 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	No	0	0
2020	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Standard	No	4	0
2019	Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	No	No	2	12
2018	Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	2	0
2018	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	1	0
2017	Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	3	6
2017	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	2	0
2016	Audi A8 LWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	4	10
2016	Audi A8 NWB 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	4	10
2016	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	3	6
2015	Audi A8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	5	31
2015	Audi A8l 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	5	30
2015	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	4	6
2014	Audi A8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	5	18
2014	Audi A8L 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	5	18
2014	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	5	6
2013	Audi A8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	6	49
2013	Audi A8L 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	6	47
2013	Audi S8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	Optional	No	5	13
2012	Audi A8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	No	No	1	11
2011	Audi A8 4 DR AWD	Not Rated	No	No	1	15
2010	Audi A8 4-DR. w/SAB	Not Rated	Optional	Optional	1	1

Source: NHTSA.

Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg

Year	EPA model	Engines	Combined
2026	A8 quattro	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo	22
2025	A8 quattro	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo	22
2024	A8 quattro	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo	22
2023	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo	22
2022	A8 L quattro	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo	22
2021	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; PHEV Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; Mild Hybrid Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; Mild Hybrid	18–23
2020	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; PHEV Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; Mild Hybrid Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; Mild Hybrid	18–23
2019	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo	18–22
2018	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo	19–22
2017	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo	22
2016	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 12 cyl, 6.3 L	16–28
2015	A8	Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg	22
2015	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 12 cyl, 6.3 L	16–28
2014	A8	Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg	21
2014	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 12 cyl, 6.3 L	15–28
2013	A8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo	21
2013	A8 L	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 12 cyl, 6.3 L	15–21
2012	A8	Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.2 L	21
2012	A8 L	Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.2 L Auto (S8), 12 cyl, 6.3 L	16–21
2011	A8	Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.2 L	21
2011	A8 L	Auto (S8), 8 cyl, 4.2 L	21
2010	A8	Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 4.2 L	18
2010	A8 L	Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 4.2 L	18

Source: fueleconomy.gov.

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