FaultScore

Audi S3 vs Mercedes Benz R350

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Audi S3 Mercedes Benz R350
Complaints on file 123 307
Model years covered 2015–2024 2006–2012
Worst model year 2015 2006
Best model year 2016 2010
Crashes reported 1 7
Fires reported 0 19
Injuries reported 1 12
Deaths reported 0 0
Most complained-about part Airbags Suspension
Share of complaints involving harm 1.6% 12.4%

Audi S3 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 49 39.8%
Electrical System 11 8.9%
Transmission & Drivetrain 10 8.1%
Fuel & Propulsion 10 8.1%
Seats 8 6.5%
Seat Belts 7 5.7%
Other & Unspecified 6 4.9%
Engine & Cooling 5 4.1%

Mercedes Benz R350 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Suspension 55 17.9%
Engine & Cooling 54 17.6%
Airbags 40 13.0%
Brakes 23 7.5%
Transmission & Drivetrain 20 6.5%
Seats 20 6.5%
Steering 17 5.5%