MODEL
Audi SQ8 E-Tron Safety
NHTSA safety across every Audi SQ8 E-Tron model year we cover.
Across the 2 model years of the Audi SQ8 E-Tron we cover (2024 to 2025), the strongest crash-test showing is the 2025 at 92 on the NHTSA Safety Index, and the lowest is the 2024 at 91. 1 recall have been issued across those years.
The Audi SQ8 e-tron is a performance-oriented all-electric SUV competing in the luxury large-SUV segment, aimed squarely at buyers who want the driving urgency of an S-badged Audi combined with a fully electric powertrain. It targets affluent, tech-forward drivers who prioritize premium refinement alongside credible performance credentials, and it carries Audi's flagship electric SUV ambitions into a competitive and growing market.
The 2025 Audi SQ8 e-tron achieves an Exceptional rating on the MotorCaliber NHTSA Safety Index, scoring 92 out of 100. A notable strength for this large luxury SUV is its rollover protection, which earned a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. Frontal crash tests resulted in a 4 out of 5 star rating. However, the side-impact rating remains unreported by NHTSA, leaving a critical gap in the comprehensive crash-test data for consumers. Across the 2024 and 2025 model years, NHTSA records only 2 recalls for the SQ8 e-tron. Owner complaints are equally low, numbering just 2, with no reported crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths associated with these unverified allegations. The low recall and complaint figures suggest a stable early production phase. The SQ8 e-tron presents a strong safety profile for its class, pending the full release of all crash-test data.
WHAT REVIEWERS SAYReviewers generally regard the SQ8 e-tron as one of the more polished luxury electric SUVs available, praising its refined interior, composed ride, and strong performance delivery. Most acknowledge it sits at a premium price point and note that range figures trail some rivals, but the overall driving experience and build quality tend to draw consistent approval from the professional press.
- The 2025 model earns a 92 out of 100 NHTSA Safety Index score, landing in the Exceptional band - one of the stronger results in the large luxury SUV class.
- Rollover protection scores a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, a meaningful result for a tall, heavy electric SUV where high center-of-gravity risk is a real engineering challenge.
- The side-impact crash-test rating is currently not reported by NHTSA for the covered model years, which is a genuine gap in the safety data picture that shoppers should monitor as additional testing becomes available.
- Only 2 recalls and 2 owner complaints are on record across the 2024-2025 model years, with zero reported crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths tied to those complaints - an unusually quiet early-production safety complaint record.
Most-recalled year on record: 2024 Audi SQ8 E-Tron with 1 recalls.