The Audi A4 does 24.2 mpg combined (21.2 city, 29.4 highway), which works out to about $1,587 a year in fuel at $3.20 a gallon and 12,000 miles. Engine choice matters more than you'd think: 2L 4-cyl Hybrid does 28.8 mpg while 2.8L 6-cyl does 20.3 — a difference of $559 a year. Against other 4-cyl cars it sits below the average of 25.7 mpg.
Every Audi A4 engine, compared
Gas mileage on the Audi A4 ranges from 28.8 down to 20.3 depending on which engine sits under the bonnet — a spread of $559 a year across 6 versions of the same car. Picking the right one often saves more fuel than picking a different car altogether. Yearly cost assumes 12,000 miles at $3.20 a gallon.
| Engine | Combined | City / Highway | Years | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2L 4-cyl Hybrid | 25.4 / 34.4 | 2021–2025 | $1,333 | |
| 2L 4-cyl | 23.6 / 31.6 | 2005–2020 | $1,449 | |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 19.9 / 28.3 | 1997–2004 | $1,670 | |
| 3L 6-cyl | 18 / 25.8 | 2002–2005 | $1,846 | |
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 17.8 / 26.5 | 2006–2009 | $1,846 | |
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 17.3 / 25.5 | 1996–2001 | $1,892 |
What that actually costs
The Audi A4 burns a gallon every 24.2 miles, so 12,000 miles takes about 496 gallons a year. At $3.20 that is what the table below adds up to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost per mile | $0.132 |
| Fuel per year | $1,587 |
| Fuel over five years | $7,935 |
| Against other 4-cyl cars | +$93 a year |
| EPA's own estimate | $3,241 a year |
City or highway — who is this car for
The Audi A4 gives up 8.2 mpg the moment you leave the motorway — 29.4 out there against 21.2 in town, a 39% drop worth $505 a year. A wide gap punishes stop-and-start traffic; a narrow one means the car doesn't care where you drive it.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| City | 21.2 mpg | $1,811 a year if you only drive in town |
| Highway | 29.4 mpg | $1,306 a year if you mostly commute |
| Gap | +8.2 mpg (39%) | Wide — this car dislikes traffic |
How the A4 changed over the years
The A4 peaked in 2018 at 31 mpg (27 city, 37 highway) and was at its thirstiest in 1996 at 20 — 11 mpg apart, or $681 a year in fuel between buying one year and the other. The 2025 car does 29. Jumps usually mark a new generation or a new engine; dips often mean a heavier body or added all-wheel drive.
| Model year | Combined | City / Highway | Engines offered | Fuel per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 / 36 | 1 | $1,324 | |
| 2024 | 26 / 35 | 1 | $1,280 | |
| 2023 | 24 / 33 | 1 | $1,371 | |
| 2022 | 26 / 34 | 1 | $1,324 | |
| 2021 | 25 / 34 | 1 | $1,371 | |
| 2020 | 27 / 35 | 1 | $1,280 | |
| 2019 | 27 / 34 | 1 | $1,280 | |
| 2018 | 27 / 37 | 1 | $1,239 | |
| 2017 | 27 / 37 | 1 | $1,239 | |
| 2016 | 24 / 31 | 1 | $1,422 | |
| 2015 | 24 / 31 | 1 | $1,477 | |
| 2014 | 23 / 31 | 1 | $1,477 | |
| 2013 | 24 / 31 | 1 | $1,477 | |
| 2012 | 22 / 30 | 1 | $1,536 | |
| 2011 | 22 / 30 | 1 | $1,536 | |
| 2010 | 23 / 30 | 1 | $1,477 | |
| 2009 | 20 / 27.5 | 2 | $1,707 | |
| 2008 | 19.5 / 28.5 | 2 | $1,707 | |
| 2007 | 19.5 / 28 | 2 | $1,707 | |
| 2006 | 19.5 / 28.5 | 2 | $1,707 | |
| 2005 | 20 / 28 | 2 | $1,670 | |
| 2004 | 19 / 26.5 | 2 | $1,745 | |
| 2003 | 19 / 26.5 | 2 | $1,745 | |
| 2002 | 18.5 / 27 | 2 | $1,829 | |
| 2001 | 18 / 26.5 | 2 | $1,829 | |
| 2000 | 19.5 / 27.5 | 2 | $1,707 | |
| 1999 | 19 / 27.5 | 2 | $1,707 | |
| 1998 | 19 / 28 | 2 | $1,745 | |
| 1997 | 17.5 / 26 | 2 | $1,873 | |
| 1996 | 17 / 25 | 1 | $1,920 |
MPG is a number. Dollars per year is the answer.
- Fuel profile built from your actual mileage and local prices
- Fuel tracker: what you really spend, month by month
- Insurance and fuel folded into 5-year cost to own
- Compare any two cars on total cost, not sticker price
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
This page rests on 43 EPA ratings of the Audi A4 — 6 engines across 1996–2025. The mileage is EPA's laboratory figure, unchanged; the yearly bill is ours, at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon, against EPA's own estimate of $3,241. Full method.
Frequently asked questions
What mpg does the Audi A4 get?
24.2 mpg combined on average — 21.2 in the city and 29.4 on the highway, per EPA ratings across 1996–2025.
How much does a Audi A4 cost in fuel per year?
About $1,587 at 12,000 miles and $3.20 a gallon — roughly $7,935 over five years, or 0.132 dollars a mile.
Which A4 engine is the most economical?
The 2L 4-cyl Hybrid at 28.8 mpg, against 20.3 for the 2.8L 6-cyl — a difference of about $559 a year.
Is the A4 good on fuel compared with similar cars?
Against other 4-cyl cars it sits below the average of 25.7 mpg, computed across 4765 ratings.
Are these real-world A4 figures?
No — they are EPA laboratory ratings, the same ones printed on the window sticker, and EPA's own annual fuel estimate for the Audi A4 is $3,241 against the $1,587 we compute at 12,000 miles. Expect a little worse in practice: the spread between the 31 and 19 mpg versions of this car is smaller than the spread between two drivers of the same one.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.