Drivify

2021 Audi S8

The 2021 Audi S8 is a full-size car, rated at 16 MPG combined by the EPA. NHTSA lists 8 recalls for this model year.

2021 Audi S8
© OWS Photography · CC BY 4.0
Combined MPG
16
NHTSA safety
Not rated
Starting price
$122,000
Recalls
8

Watch: S8 reviews

Audi S8: Mafia's Favorite WeaponTheAutoBharat
Special and VVIP Audi A8L | Gagan ChoudharyGagan Choudhary
Mercedes S-Class v BMW 7 Series v Audi A8 review - which is best?carwow

Full specifications

Identity

SRC · NHTSA vPIC
MakeAudi
ModelS8
Model year2021
Vehicle classFull-size Car

Engine & drivetrain

SRC · EPA FuelEconomy
Displacement4 L
Cylinders8
TransmissionAutomatic (S8)
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
FuelPremium Gasoline

Fuel economy

SRC · EPA FuelEconomy
City MPG13
Highway MPG22
Combined MPG16
CO₂ tailpipe545 g/mi
EPA annual fuel cost$4800

Fuel economy

SRC · EPA FuelEconomy
City13 MPG
Highway22 MPG
Combined16 MPG

Efficiency vs class average

S816 MPG
Class average31.6 MPG

About 49% below the class average.

Est. monthly payment
$2,148/mo
Amount financed
$109,800
Total interest
$19,102
Check real rates for this car

Partner offers · may earn us a commission

5-year fuel cost
$12,563

$2,513/yr · 12,000 mi/yr · $3.35/gal

Combined MPG16
Open full fuel calculator →
Extended warranty & insurance

Protect against surprise repair bills and compare coverage from top-rated providers.

Get quotes

Partner offers · may earn us a commission

Cost to own

Estimate monthly payments and 5-year fuel cost using the tools in the sidebar. Figures use EPA fuel economy and current U.S. energy prices from EIA.

Safety ratings & recalls

SRC · NHTSA vPIC

NHTSA has not published NCAP crash-test ratings for this model year yet.

Recalls (8)

  • BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA21V825000 · 2021-10-20

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Audi A8 and S8, 2022 Audi A5 Sportback, A4 Sedan, E-Tron GT, Q3, Q5, RS6 Avant, A3 Sedan, S5 Sportback, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RSQ8, SQ7, SQ8, and S3 Sedan vehicles. A software error may prevent the rear-view image from initially displaying when the vehicle begins to reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment unit parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 9, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 91CR.

  • SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR21V606000 · 2021-08-05

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen ID4, Audi A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A5 Sportback, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, E-Tron Quattro, E-Tron Sportback Quattro, Q3, Q5, Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, S4 Sedan, S5 Cabriolet, S5 Coupe, S5 Sportback, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, SQ8, and 2021-2022 S3 Sedan vehicles. The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace as necessary, the middle-rear seat belt assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 27, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

  • TIRES22V034000 · 2022-01-26

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe, RS5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, 2020-2021 A4 Allroad, A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet, A5 Coupe, A6 Allroad, A6 Sedan, A7, A8, Q5, S4 Sedan, S5 Coupe, S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S7, S8, SQ5, 2021 Q5 Sportback, Q7, Q8, RS6 Avant, RS7, RSQ8, SQ5 Sportback, SQ7, and SQ8 vehicles. The rear axle alignment may not have been inspected after the repairs for Recall 21V-295 (42L1) were performed.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle, adjust the alignment as necessary, and replace any prematurely or unevenly worn tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2022. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L5.

  • ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)21V111000 · 2021-02-24

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Audi A8 and 2020-2021 Audi S8 vehicles. A missing sealing pin may allow moisture to enter the engine control module connector, possibly causing a control module malfunction.

    Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine control module connector for a missing sealing pin, and install it, if necessary. The connector will also be inspected for corrosion, and replaced as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 12, 20121. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 97EV.

  • SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY21V295000 · 2021-04-26

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2021 Q7, Q8, Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback, RS6 Avant, RS7, RS Q8, 2020-2021 Audi S6 sedan, Q5, A8, S8, A7, A6 Allroad, A5 Cabriolet, A4 sedan, A4 Allroad, SQ5, S7, A6 sedan, S5 coupe, S4 sedan, S5 Cabriolet, A5 coupe, 2019-2021 RS5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS5 Sportback vehicles. The lock nut on the trailing arm of the rear axle may break due to stress corrosion.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the lock nuts and, if necessary, the associated bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 42L1.

  • BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION22V742000 · 2022-10-05

    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."

    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.

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL25V201000 · 2025-03-31

    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.

    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.

  • BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA25V900000 · 2025-12-19

    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."

    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.

Compare with rivals

All model years

Frequently asked questions

What is the MPG of the 2021 Audi S8?

The 2021 Audi S8 is EPA-rated at 16 MPG combined (13 city / 22 highway).

Is the 2021 Audi S8 reliable?

NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2021 Audi S8. Recalls are repaired free of charge by the manufacturer — verify any open recalls by VIN before purchase.

How much does it cost to fuel the 2021 Audi S8?

At 12,000 miles per year, the 2021 Audi S8 costs roughly $2,513 per year to fuel, or about $12,563 over 5 years at current U.S. energy prices.

What type of vehicle is the 2021 Audi S8?

The 2021 Audi S8 is classified as a full-size car. Common rivals in this class are worth comparing on price, MPG, and safety.

Sources: NHTSA vPIC · EPA FuelEconomy · NHTSA vPIC