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Which year to buy
Best bet2019Fewest serious problems: 0.4× usual
Newest we'd buy2025The latest year rated a good buy
AvoidNoneNo year stands out as bad
Be careful2010More problems; check the recalls were done
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2012GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual Extended coverage
60 serious complaints of 67, the most about engine (29) and power train (18); per car on the road, 1.1× this model's usual year. 1 recall.
What owners report
“This car has a massive oil consumption issue. A week after having an oil change the low oil light comes on after approximate 150 miles of driving. I started happening in february of 2017 shortly after the engine malfunction light came on .”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Mar 2019
“Upon having 3 consecutive oil changes, my car suddenly began to burn oil (no leaks) after the first oil change upon driving less than 900 miles. Then the second oil change did the same thing upon driving under 300 miles. It actually ran out of oil totally.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the power train, Jun 2018
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage Was revised on 11/13/18 to include a proration table for consequential damage repair reimbursement. This bulletin explains the extended warranty for the timing chain/timing chain tensioner in certain vehicles. (AWA 18-15-201811, Nov 2018)
- Extended coverage This document contains information on the warranty extension for fuel injectors. (Customer, Jan 2015)
- Extended coverage This document contains general information on the upcoming warranty extension on the high pressure fuel pump. (Dealer, Apr 2015)
- Extended coverage The communication contains the details of the water pump extended warranty. (AWA 19, Dec 2019)
- Extended coverage This Document informs dealers on the new DSG transmission warranty extension for 2010-2012 S4 & S5 vehicles (AWA 22, Apr 2022)
- Extended coverage This Document informs dealers on the new oil consumption & piston fracture warranty extension for 2012 A4, A5, A6, Q5 & TT / 2013 A4, A5, A6, Q5 & TT / 2014 A4, A5, A6, Q5 & TT / 2016 A3 & TT / 2017 A3 & TT vehicles (AWA 24, Feb 2024)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
67 owner complaints · 1 recall (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 24–25 mpg · NHTSA: 4 of 5 stars · 2012 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl turbo · Drive: AWD, FWD
2012 A4 trims
| Premium | Premium Plus | Prestige | quattro Premium | quattro Premium Plus | quattro Prestige | Technik |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Audi reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Audi aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 261 hp | AWD | 26–29 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 1 | Steering (1) | Yes |
| 2024 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 261 hp | AWD | 26–30 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 6 | Tires (2) | Yes |
| 2023 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 261 hp | AWD | 26–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 1 | 11 | Electrical system (3) | Yes |
| 2022 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 201–261 hp | AWD | 26–29 mpg | 5 of 5 | 3 | 7 | Unknown or other (3) | Yes |
| 2021 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 201–261 hp | AWD | 26–28 mpg | 5 of 5 | 4 | 14 | Electrical system (4) | Yes |
| 2020 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 188–248 hp | AWD, FWD | 26–30 mpg | 5 of 5 | 3 | 173 | Electrical system (125) | Yes |
| 2019 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 188–248 hp | AWD, FWD | 25–30 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 10 | Electrical system (3) | Yes |
| 2018 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 190–252 hp manual available | AWD, FWD | 27–31 mpg | 5 of 5 | 4 | 59 | Unknown or other (20) | Yes |
| 2017 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 190–252 hp manual available | AWD, FWD | 25–31 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 84 | Air bags (27) | Yes |
| 2016 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 220 hp manual available | AWD, FWD | 24–27 mpg | 5 of 5 | 0 | 26 | Engine (8) | No |
| 2015 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo manual available | AWD, FWD | 24–26 mpg | 5 of 5 | 1 | 49 | Engine (17) | No |
| 2014 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo manual available | AWD, FWD | 23–26 mpg | 5 of 5 | 1 | 99 | Engine (31) | No |
| 2013 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo manual available | AWD, FWD | 23–26 mpg | 5 of 5 | 1 | 157 | Steering (83) | No |
| 2012 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo manual available | AWD, FWD | 24–25 mpg | 4 of 5 | 1 | 67 | Engine (29) | No |
| 2011 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo manual available | AWD, FWD | 24–25 mpg | 4 of 5 | 1 | 68 | Power train (29) | No |
| 2010 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo manual available | AWD, FWD | 23–26 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 124 | Power train (51) | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Which years have…
Apple lists CarPlay for: A4 2017–2025 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Standard | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 | Audi A4 allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Standard | 0 | 2 |
| 2024 | Audi A4 allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Audi Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Standard | 0 | 7 |
| 2023 | Audi Audi A4 allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 0 | 3 |
| 2023 | Audi Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Audi Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Standard | 3 | 6 |
| 2022 | Audi Audi A4 allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | Audi Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Standard | 4 | 11 |
| 2021 | Audi A4 allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 4 | 2 |
| 2020 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Optional | 3 | 127 |
| 2020 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Standard | Optional | 3 | 127 |
| 2020 | Audi A4 allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 3 | 157 |
| 2020 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 3 | 16 |
| 2019 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 | Audi Allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 0 | 3 |
| 2019 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 1 | 2 |
| 2018 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Optional | 1 | 42 |
| 2018 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Standard | Optional | 1 | 42 |
| 2018 | Audi Allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 3 | 9 |
| 2018 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 2 | 7 |
| 2017 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Standard | Optional | 6 | 82 |
| 2017 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Standard | Optional | 6 | 82 |
| 2017 | Audi Allroad SW AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Optional | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | No | 3 | 26 |
| 2016 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 3 | 26 |
| 2016 | Audi Allroad SW AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 44 |
| 2015 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 44 |
| 2015 | Audi Allroad SW AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 29 |
| 2015 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 1 | 1 |
| 2014 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 76 |
| 2014 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 76 |
| 2014 | Audi Allroad SW AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 1 | 6 |
| 2014 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 1 | 17 |
| 2013 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 111 |
| 2013 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 4 | 111 |
| 2013 | Audi Allroad 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 1 | 13 |
| 2013 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | 5 | Optional | No | 1 | 33 |
| 2012 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 26 |
| 2012 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 26 |
| 2012 | Audi A4 Avant SW AWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 45 |
| 2012 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | 4 | No | No | 1 | 22 |
| 2011 | Audi A4 4 DR AWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 32 |
| 2011 | Audi A4 4 DR FWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 32 |
| 2011 | Audi A4 Avant SW AWD | 4 | No | No | 0 | 42 |
| 2011 | Audi S4 4 DR AWD | 4 | No | No | 1 | 26 |
| 2011 | Audi S4 Avant SW AWD | 4 | No | No | 1 | 26 |
| 2010 | Audi A4 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | Optional | No | 0 | 64 |
| 2010 | Audi A4 Avant Wagon 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | Optional | No | 0 | 64 |
| 2010 | Audi S4 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | Optional | No | 0 | 60 |
| 2010 | Audi S4 Avant Wagon 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | Optional | No | 0 | 60 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | A4 S line quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2025 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2025 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 29 |
| 2024 | A4 S line quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2024 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2024 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 30 |
| 2023 | A4 S-Line quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2023 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2023 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 28 |
| 2022 | A4 S line quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2022 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2022 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 29 |
| 2021 | A4 S line quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2021 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2021 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 28 |
| 2020 | A4 | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 30 |
| 2020 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2020 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2019 | A4 | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 30 |
| 2019 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2019 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2018 | A4 Ultra | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 31 |
| 2018 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
27 |
| 2017 | A4 | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 28 |
| 2017 | A4 Ultra | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 31 |
| 2017 | A4 allroad quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2017 | A4 quattro | Auto (AM-S7), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
27 |
| 2016 | A4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 27 |
| 2016 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
24–26 |
| 2015 | A4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2015 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
24–26 |
| 2014 | A4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2014 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
23–26 |
| 2013 | A4 | Auto (AV-S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2013 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo, SIDI; FFV |
23–26 |
| 2012 | A4 | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2012 | A4 Avant quattro | Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 24 |
| 2012 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
24–25 |
| 2011 | A4 | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 25 |
| 2011 | A4 Avant quattro | Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 24 |
| 2011 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
24–25 |
| 2010 | A4 | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 26 |
| 2010 | A4 Avant quattro | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo | 23 |
| 2010 | A4 quattro | Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
23–25 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.