2020 Audi A4: MPG and fuel economy
The 2020 Audi A4 is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 30 combined MPG, with 27 MPG in the city and 35 MPG on the highway. That sits a little above the average car in the Compact Cars class for the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2020 Audi A4. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- The most efficient car in the Compact Cars class for the 2020 model year is the Toyota Corolla Hybrid at 52 MPG.
- The Audi A4 has gained 10 MPG since its first rated model year, the 1996 Audi A4 at 20 MPG.
- Requires premium gasoline, which typically adds about 40 to 60 cents per gallon to the EPA's annual fuel cost estimate.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2020 Audi A4. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 30 MPG |
| City MPG | 27 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 35 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,300 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 295 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Premium |
How the 2020 Audi A4 compares
The 2020 Audi A4 returns 30 combined MPG. Cars in the Compact Cars class for the same model year average 26.9 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 12%.
The most efficient car in the Compact Cars class for the 2020 model year is the Toyota Corolla Hybrid at 52 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Audi A4 alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2020 model year (across all classes) returns 27.2 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2020 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 500 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,150 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,300 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $3,833 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Audi A4
The EPA has rated the Audi A4 across 24 model years, from 1996 Audi A4 through 2020 Audi A4. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
The 1996 Audi A4 returned 20 MPG. The most recent 2020 Audi A4 returns 30 MPG. That is an improvement of 10 MPG over 24 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 30 MPG | this page |
| 2019 | 30 MPG | 2019 Audi A4 |
| 2017 | 28 MPG | 2017 Audi A4 |
| 2016 | 27 MPG | 2016 Audi A4 |
| 2015 | 26 MPG | 2015 Audi A4 |
| 2014 | 26 MPG | 2014 Audi A4 |
| 2013 | 26 MPG | 2013 Audi A4 |
| 2012 | 25 MPG | 2012 Audi A4 |
| 2011 | 25 MPG | 2011 Audi A4 |
| 2010 | 26 MPG | 2010 Audi A4 |
| 2009 | 25 MPG | 2009 Audi A4 |
| 2008 | 24 MPG | 2008 Audi A4 |
| 2007 | 24 MPG | 2007 Audi A4 |
| 2006 | 24 MPG | 2006 Audi A4 |
| 2005 | 24 MPG | 2005 Audi A4 |
| 2004 | 23 MPG | 2004 Audi A4 |
| 2003 | 23 MPG | 2003 Audi A4 |
| 2002 | 23 MPG | 2002 Audi A4 |
| 2001 | 23 MPG | 2001 Audi A4 |
| 2000 | 24 MPG | 2000 Audi A4 |
| 1999 | 24 MPG | 1999 Audi A4 |
| 1998 | 23 MPG | 1998 Audi A4 |
| 1997 | 21 MPG | 1997 Audi A4 |
| 1996 | 20 MPG | 1996 Audi A4 |
Compare against other Compact Cars for 2020
If you are cross-shopping the 2020 Audi A4, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Compact Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid leads this group at 52 MPG, 22 MPG ahead of the 2020 Audi A4.
Specifications
The 2020 Audi A4 runs a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (am-s7), sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Compact Cars
- Engine
- 2L 4-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission
- Automatic (AM-S7)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Premium
- Annual petroleum use
- 9.9 barrels per year
- Start-stop system
- Yes
Common questions about the 2020 Audi A4
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2020 Audi A4.
-
Is the 2020 Audi A4 fuel efficient?
Yes. The 2020 Audi A4 returns 30 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Compact Cars class for the same model year by about 12%. -
What MPG does the 2020 Audi A4 get?
The EPA rates the 2020 Audi A4 at 30 combined MPG, 27 MPG in city driving, and 35 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Audi A4 per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,300 for the 2020 Audi A4. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
Does the 2020 Audi A4 require premium gas?
Yes. The EPA lists the 2020 Audi A4 as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump. -
Has the Audi A4 become more fuel efficient over time?
Yes. The first EPA-rated Audi A4, the 1996 Audi A4, returned 20 combined MPG. The most recent 2020 Audi A4 returns 30 MPG, an improvement of 10 MPG over the run. -
How much CO₂ does the 2020 Audi A4 emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 295 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 4,425 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2020 Audi A4?
City driving returns 27 MPG and highway driving returns 35 MPG, a gap of 8 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 2020 Audi A4?
The 2020 Audi A4 has a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2020 Audi A4 have?
The 2020 Audi A4 comes with a automatic (am-s7) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 2020 Audi A4 compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Compact Cars class for the 2020 model year is the Toyota Corolla Hybrid at 52 combined MPG. The Audi A4 returns 30 MPG, a gap of 22 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.