Showing the 2016 A6 Prestige. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
24–30 mpgcombined; city 20–25, highway 29–38; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,370–$16,770U.S. average; Ohio $13,540–$15,800 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 A6. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 A6. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
17
0
2
0
Air bags
8
0
0
0
Electrical system
8
0
1
0
Fuel/propulsion system
6
0
1
0
Power train
5
0
0
0
Service brakes
3
0
0
0
Unknown or other
3
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Steering
2
0
0
0
10 more parts
Structure
2
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, diesel
1
0
0
0
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 A6 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Q7, A6 and A7 vehicles, and 2015-2018 Audi A8 vehicles. The left and right fuel rails may leak fuel.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase risk of a fire.
Remedy: Audi has notified owners, and dealers will replace the left and right fuel rail, free of charge. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 24DP.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi A6 Sedans and 2015 Audi A7 vehicles. The auxiliary heater electrical connector on these vehicles may have been incorrectly inserted into the auxiliary heater, possibly resulting in increased electrical resistance.
Risk: The extra resistance can cause the connector to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the auxiliary heater connector, replacing the auxiliary heater and connector, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2019. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 82C1.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Audi S6 and S7, 2012-2018 A7 and A6 Sedan, and 2014-2018 RS7 vehicles equipped with basic seats (with or without heating). Stress or wear of the body-sensing mat within the front passenger seat may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) control module to malfunction.
Risk: If the PODS module malfunctions, the front passenger air bag may not deploy properly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a PODS system repair kit, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 74D5.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,018 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 A6, the latest on Sep 25, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (315), electrical system (255), engine and engine cooling (99), unknown or other (73), engine (62).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2016 A6.
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
A6 Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Premium Gasoline
24 / 34 / 28
A6 quattro All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Diesel
25 / 38 / 30
A6 quattro All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
22 / 32 / 25
A6 quattro All-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, supercharged
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
20 / 29 / 24
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data