Newer is better. That's the assumption that sells cars, and most of the time the data backs it up. Audi's 3.0-litre V6 is the exception that should make every used buyer slow down and check.
The older, supercharged EA837 scores 82/100 (BUY). The newer, turbocharged EA839 scores 60/100 (CAUTION). If you walked onto a forecourt assuming the more recent car is the smarter buy, the data says you'd be walking toward the bigger bill.
Quick answer: The supercharged EA837 (82/100) is the safer used purchase. The turbocharged EA839 (60/100) carries a confirmed piston-metallurgy concern that can cost €3,000–8,000 — and you should only consider one built post-2020, when the worst of it was resolved.
The "old" one that quietly does its job
EA837 3.0 TFSI Supercharged — 82/100 (BUY)
Audi's supercharged 3.0 V6 (2008–2017) sat in everything from the A6 to the SQ5. A supercharger instead of a turbo means less heat-soak drama, and the engine's faults are the kind you can plan around — annoying, but rarely catastrophic:
| Problem | Severity | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|
| Water pump failure | Moderate | €500–1,000 |
| Thermostat housing failure | Moderate | €300–700 |
| PCV (crankcase ventilation) valve | Moderate | €200–500 |
Nothing here is cheap, exactly — but nothing here is frightening either. The worst case is four figures at the low end, and every item is a known, bounded repair.
Found in: Audi A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, S4, S5, SQ5.
The "new" one with a catch
EA839 3.0 TFSI — 60/100 (CAUTION)
The turbocharged EA839 (2016→) replaced it with more power — up to 450 hp — and a more worrying risk profile. Two of its issues are high-severity, and one of them is the kind that ends an engine:
| Problem | Severity | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|
| Piston design concern — metallurgy confirmed | High | €3,000–8,000 |
| Water pump (inevitable failure) | High | €600–1,400 |
| HPFP concern (resolved post-2020) | Minor | €400–1,200 |
That top line is the whole story. A confirmed piston-metallurgy issue with a five-figure ceiling is in a different league from a water pump. It's why a newer, more powerful, more advanced engine scores 22 points below the one it replaced.
Found in: Audi Q5, Q8, S4, S5, SQ5 (turbo variants).
The uncomfortable table
| EA837 (supercharged) | EA839 (turbo) | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 2008–2017 | 2016→ |
| Power | ~354 hp | up to 450 hp |
| Score | 82/100 | 60/100 |
| Verdict | BUY | CAUTION |
| Scariest fault | Water pump (€1,000) | Pistons (€8,000) |
The nuance that saves the EA839
Two important caveats, because the EA839 isn't a write-off:
- Post-2020 cars are meaningfully better — the HPFP and several teething issues were resolved. A late EA839 is a different animal from an early one.
- Some EA839 variants score higher — the tuned versions in certain S-models land in the high 70s. The 60/100 figure is the base 3.0 TFSI, which is what most used buyers will encounter.
The verdict
For a used purchase today, the EA837 is the lower-risk buy — and that's the point worth remembering. The newest engine on the forecourt is not automatically the safest one. A supercharged V6 from 2014 with a water-pump history beats a turbo V6 from 2017 with a piston question mark.
If your heart is set on the EA839, buy post-2020, get a compression check, and budget for the worst. Otherwise, the older badge is the smarter money.
This same "newer isn't always better" lesson plays out on the diesel side too — see OM651 vs OM654, where the year is everything.
Scores are calculated from documented issues, repair costs, and failure patterns. Reviewed by the EngineScope editorial team. Methodology →