Is the Audi A5 more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Yes, by a large gap. The A5 has 91 owner complaints (2.9 per 10,000 sold) and 16 recalls. The E-Class has 469 complaints (7 per 10,000 sold) and 184 recalls. The E-Class also has more reports of cars that will not start or move.

Which has more recalls, the A5 or the E-Class?

The E-Class, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 184 recalls across its eight model years from 2018 to 2026. The A5 has 16 over the same span. Always check a specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.

What is the most common problem on the Audi A5?

Electrical faults, with 47 owner complaints. The typical report is an instrument panel that blinks on and off, then goes dark. That removes the speedometer and warning lights, and one owner's car sat unrepaired while the dealer waited on a replacement panel.

What goes wrong with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 48-volt battery?

Owners report the 48-volt battery dying early, sometimes before 1,000 miles. The car cannot start or move and needs a tow. One owner waited more than three weeks for the replacement part. Some reports pair it with low 12-volt battery warnings and camera dropouts.

Which E-Class model years should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019, which are the weakest years for the E-Class. The 2024 model year ranks among its strongest, but newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so a clean record there is not proof of better reliability.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Audi A5

Good

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Good

On reliability, the Audi A5 comes out well ahead of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The deciding fact is volume: the E-Class has 184 recalls across eight model years to the A5's 16, and owners complain about it at more than twice the rate.

How Do the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Generations Compare?

Most used shoppers will be looking at second-generation A5 cars (RE9), sold in the US for model years 2018 through 2024 with a refresh in 2022. The 2020 and 2021 cars in that run rank weakest. The third generation (RE10) began with the 2025 model year, so those cars are still new. On the Mercedes side, the fifth-generation E-Class (W213) ran from 2016 through 2023 and had a facelift in 2020. The sixth generation (W214) started with the 2023 model year. That places 2018 and 2019 as older, pre-facelift fifth-generation cars, and those are the E-Class years with the weakest standing.

Verdict

The Audi A5 is more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, scoring 76/100 vs 60/100.

Reliability favors the A5 by a large margin. Federal recall records show 16 recalls across its eight model years, against 184 for the E-Class. Owners also file complaints at less than half the rate, 2.9 per 10,000 sold versus 7. The E-Class problems tend to be the kind that strand you: a dead 48-volt battery, misfires that trigger limp mode, and transmissions that failed at low mileage. The A5 has real faults too, but its biggest complaint area is a failing instrument panel rather than a car that will not move.

Key Differences

1Audi A5 has 168 fewer total recalls
2Audi A5 scores 16 points higher in reliability
3Audi A5 has 4.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

3Audi A5

—

0Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Which Is More Reliable?

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Audi A5	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Reliability Score	76/100	60/100
Years Tracked	8	8
Total Recalls	16	184
Complaints per 10k Sold	2.9	7
Year Wins	7	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Electrical trouble leads both lists, but it looks different on each car. A5 owners describe an instrument panel that blinks, then goes dark, taking the speedometer and warning lights with it. E-Class owners describe a 48-volt battery that dies early, sometimes before 1,000 miles, and leaves the car unable to start. One E-Class report involves a fire at idle. The E-Class also has complete transmission failures, misfires, and seat belts that will not retract. The A5's other issues include tire tread separation and Pre-Sense braking hard for no reason. Both models have crash-linked steering reports, and the E-Class also has crash-linked electrical reports.

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class common problem areas comparison
Component	Audi A5	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	0.5Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	0.4Very Low
ENGINE	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	—None	0.3Very Low
TIRES	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	—None
WHEELS	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class Reliability Compare by Year?

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Audi A5	Mercedes-Benz E-Class	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 0C	76/1000R / 0C	Audi A5
2023	81/1000R / 0C	63/1005R / 20C	Audi A5
2022	74/1003R / 5C	60/1008R / 19C	Audi A5
2021	71/1005R / 7C	56/10030R / 36C	Audi A5
2020	70/1005R / 60C	56/10026R / 35C	Audi A5
2019	73/1003R / 12C	54/10042R / 100C	Audi A5
2018	77/1000R / 6C	55/10072R / 252C	Audi A5

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Audi A5 scored 81/100 and the 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class scored 63/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Audi A5 vs the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?

Pick the A5 if you want the lower chance of a surprise breakdown. Owner complaints and recall counts both run well below the E-Class. Target 2023, one of its strongest years, and be wary of 2020 and 2021, its weakest. If you test drive one, check that the instrument panel stays lit, since that is the most common complaint. Also look at the tires, and ask whether the Pre-Sense braking has ever fired without cause. Pick the E-Class only if the ride and cabin matter more to you than the odds of a repair, and you can live with a car that may sit waiting on parts. Skip 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. Its 2024 model year ranks among the strongest, though newer years have had less time to collect complaints. Before buying any E-Class, ask for proof that every open recall, including steering, was completed. Check the 48-volt battery history, and look for engine misfire records on the service history.

Audi A5 vs Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Common Questions

Is the Audi A5 more reliable than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class?: Yes, by a large gap. The A5 has 91 owner complaints (2.9 per 10,000 sold) and 16 recalls. The E-Class has 469 complaints (7 per 10,000 sold) and 184 recalls. The E-Class also has more reports of cars that will not start or move.
Which has more recalls, the A5 or the E-Class?: The E-Class, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 184 recalls across its eight model years from 2018 to 2026. The A5 has 16 over the same span. Always check a specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.
What is the most common problem on the Audi A5?: Electrical faults, with 47 owner complaints. The typical report is an instrument panel that blinks on and off, then goes dark. That removes the speedometer and warning lights, and one owner's car sat unrepaired while the dealer waited on a replacement panel.
What goes wrong with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class 48-volt battery?: Owners report the 48-volt battery dying early, sometimes before 1,000 miles. The car cannot start or move and needs a tow. One owner waited more than three weeks for the replacement part. Some reports pair it with low 12-volt battery warnings and camera dropouts.
Which E-Class model years should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019, which are the weakest years for the E-Class. The 2024 model year ranks among its strongest, but newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so a clean record there is not proof of better reliability.

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How we score the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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