Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
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With 250,308 currently licensed in the UK, the Audi A4 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the A4 5 stars in 2023, with 90% adult occupant and 85% child protection scores.
It has a 77.8% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include suspension, brakes, exhaust emissions.
Annual running costs are estimated at £3,661 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £305/month or 46p/mile.
Theft risk is rated moderate at 7.1 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
NCAP Safety
2023
MOT Pass Rate
77.8%
220,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£305
est. annual total
New From
£40,000
Euro NCAP tested the A4 in 2023 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
90%
Child Occupant
85%
Pedestrian
81%
Safety Assist
89%
There are 36 known DVSA recalls affecting the Audi A4. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/387
Urgent Safety Warning – Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Affected vehicles were originally allocated to or used for an extended period of time in a region with a climate zone considered to as HIGH RISK. Certain front airbags contain an ageing inflator propellant that may explode when deployed due to long-term exposure to heat and humidity. If the airbag inflator explodes metal fragments may be ejected causing life-threatening or fatal injuries to anyone in the vehicle.
Build dates: 2005-03-04 to 2008-03-07
R/2025/387
Urgent Safety Warning – Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Affected vehicles were originally allocated to or used for an extended period of time in a region with a climate zone considered to as HIGH RISK. Certain front airbags contain an ageing inflator propellant that may explode when deployed due to long-term exposure to heat and humidity. If the airbag inflator explodes metal fragments may be ejected causing life-threatening or fatal injuries to anyone in the vehicle.
Build dates: 2006-03-08 to 2008-09-10
R/2024/312
On imported Audi vehicles previously used in a warm climate zone and fitted with TAKATA driver airbag manufactured within a specific period it is possible that the gas generator housing may cause small metal parts to become dislodged from the housing and potentially injure the driver or a passenger.
Build dates: 2006-02-13 to 2009-01-14
R/2024/158
On affected vehicles the passenger airbag may in extremely rare cases be overloaded and even burst when the passenger airbag is triggered. If this were to happen small metal parts could become dislodged from the housing and potentially cause life-threatening injury to a vehicle occupant.
Build dates: 2004-10-04 to 2008-04-18
R/2024/158
On affected vehicles the passenger airbag may in extremely rare cases be overloaded and even burst when the passenger airbag is triggered. If this were to happen small metal parts could become dislodged from the housing and potentially cause life-threatening injury to a vehicle occupant.
Build dates: 2006-07-14 to 2006-11-24
+ 31 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Based on 220,000 MOT tests, the A4 has a first-time pass rate of 77.8% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The A4 is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Audi A4 are estimated at around £3,661 per year, or £305 per month.
Fuel
£1,120
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£1,616
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
The A4 achieves a combined fuel economy of around 47.1 mpg (40.4 mpg urban, 52.3 mpg extra-urban).
| Variant | Fuel | Combined | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 ALLROAD | DIESEL | 47.1 mpg | 2.0L |
| A4 ALLROAD | PETROL | 38.7 mpg | 2.0L |
| A4 ALLROAD | DIESEL | 45.6 mpg | 3.0L |
| A4 AVANT | PETROL | 51.4 mpg | 1.4L |
| A4 AVANT | PETROL | 30.1 mpg | 1.6L |
| A4 AVANT | PETROL | 34 mpg | 1.8L |
| A4 AVANT | PETROL | 42.8 mpg | 1.8L |
| A4 AVANT | DIESEL | 48.7 mpg | 1.9L |
Starting from £40,000 new, a Audi A4 typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 75% | £30,000 | −£10,000 |
| 2 years | 64% | £25,500 | −£14,500 |
| 3 years | 56% | £22,450 | −£17,550 |
| 4 years | 50% | £20,200 | −£19,800 |
| 5 years | 46% | £18,600 | −£21,400 |
| 6 years | 43% | £17,300 | −£22,700 |
| 7 years | 41% | £16,250 | −£23,750 |
| 8 years | 39% | £15,450 | −£24,550 |
| 9 years | 37% | £14,650 | −£25,350 |
| 10 years | 35% | £13,950 | −£26,050 |
The A4 has a theft rate of 7.1 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated moderate compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.
There are currently 250,308 licensed and 43,563 SORN A4s in the UK (293,871 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The A4 has a 77.8% first-time MOT pass rate based on 220,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the A4 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2023. It scored 90% for adult occupant protection, 85% for child occupant protection, 81% for vulnerable road users, and 89% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old A4 are estimated at around £3,661 per year (£305/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 36 known safety recalls affecting the A4. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The A4 has a theft rate of 7.1 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated moderate compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.
A new A4 starts from around £40,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
Free & instant — no signup required
Get a free email reminder 28 days and 7 days before your MOT expires.
✓ Free ✓ No spam ✓ Unsubscribe any time
Driving without a valid MOT can mean a fine of up to £1,000.
Free Plate Check may earn a small commission from partner links, at no cost to you.
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