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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2021 Audi Q7 is associated with 76 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 10 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 19 reports (25% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl, 3L 6-Cyl hybrid, and 4l 8-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 17 to 21 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year. The 2021 Audi Q7 belongs to the 2nd generation (Typ 4M) Q7 platform spanning model years 2017–2026.

Platform Architecture: 2nd Generation (Typ 4M) • Production Span: 2017–2026 • Platform Code: MLB Evo • Lifecycle Note: Pre-Facelift (2017–2019) / Facelift 1 (2020–2024) / Facelift 2 (2025–2026)
Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 76 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 10 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Electrical System (19 / 25%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 3 crash / 0 fire / 4 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Certified Range: 17–21 MPG across 3 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 Audi Q7?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Q7 2L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 19 MPG 23 MPG 21 MPG — $3,600 / yr
Q7 Hybrid 3L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 18 MPG 23 MPG 20 MPG — $3,800 / yr
SQ7 4L 8-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 15 MPG 21 MPG 17 MPG — $4,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 Audi Q7?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV AWD 15.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Audi Q7 models.
View complete 2021 Audi Q7 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 Audi Q7?

Summary of 76 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
76
Crash Reports
3
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
4
Total Injuries
5

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 19 complaints
Engine 9 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 4 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 3 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Audi Q7 problems & component breakdown (31 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 Audi Q7?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #25V900000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2026. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 23, 2025.
NHTSA Campaign #25V201000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 SQ8, A6 SEDAN, A7, A8, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S6 SEDAN, S7, S8, A6 Allroad, and SQ7 vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument panel module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 90VC.
NHTSA Campaign #22V742000 Active Recall
Affected Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8, RS7, RS6 Avant, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, Q8, Q7, Q5 Sportback, S4 Sedan, Q5, A7, A6, A6 Allroad, A5 Sportback, A5 Coupe, A5 Cabrioleet, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, SQ7, S5 Cabriolet, E-Tron Quattro, SQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ5, S8, S7, S6 Sedan, S5 Sportback, S5 Coupe, 2022 E-Tron GT, and 2021-2022 RSQ8 vehicles. Due to a software issue, a blank or black screen may be displayed instead of the rearview camera image when the vehicle is placed in reverse gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DZ.
View all 2021 Audi Q7 recalls & campaign history (10 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2021 Audi Q7

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Audi Q7

How many safety recalls does the 2021 Audi Q7 have?

The 2021 Audi Q7 is associated with 10 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2021 Audi Q7?

NHTSA records list 76 consumer defect complaints for the 2021 Audi Q7. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Electrical System, appearing in 19 filings (25% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is there an official NHTSA crash safety rating for the 2021 Audi Q7?

An official NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test rating is not available for the 2021 Audi Q7 in AutoUtility's current federal dataset.

NHTSA publishes crash safety evaluations for a selected sample of passenger vehicles each model year. Consult NHTSA.gov for active safety equipment records and vehicle safety bulletins.

Source: NHTSA NCAP Registry

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2021 Audi Q7 get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2021 Audi Q7 range from 17 to 21 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.