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As compact luxury cars go, the Audi A4 is consistently one of the most reliable options available. That makes buying one an easy decision, but which used Audi A4 model years deliver the most reliability? We’ve combed through customer satisfaction rankings to work out which Audi A4 years are the most reliable, making any of these a great place to start a used car search.

T5.  2017 & 2014: Multiple generations of A4 rank well for reliability- 83%

The 2017 Audi A4
2017 Audi A4 | Audi

Both the 2017 and 2014 Audi A4 models earned an 83 percent reliability score according to J.D. Power. While the 2017 was the first year of a new Audi A4 generation, the 2014 model was an evolution of the 2013 that we’ll check out down below. 

For 2014, the Audi A4 used a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That’s up from 210 horsepower in the 2013 A4, but that bump in performance did marginally affect overall reliability ratings.

Meanwhile, the 2017 Audi A4 was the first year of a new design for the compact luxury sedan. The cabin saw big updates with more tech, including an available digital instrument cluster and ambient interior lighting packages. Under the hood, the ‘17 A4 used a 2.0-liter turbocharged EA888 engine generating 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.

4. 2015 Audi A4 – 84% reliability rating

The 2015 Audi A4 continued the excellent reputation for reliability earned by both the 2013 and 2014 models. New features for this year of Audi A4 included three-zone automatic climate control for all models. In addition, the S-Line appearance package became the standard look for the A4 as well, while headlight washers aid visibility on dusty and salt-covered roads.

T2. 2016 & 2018 are the newest of the most reliable Audi A4 years- 85%

We have yet another tie at second place, with both the 2016 and 2018 as the second most reliable Audi A4 years. At 85 percent, these models break into Excellent territory for reliability rankings, showing very few common issues. The 2016 Audi A4 saw a few minor changes over the previous model, with additional options packages marking the only major shift.

Meanwhile, the 2018 Audi A4 was the first to make Quattro all-wheel drive standard on all models. It was also the first A4 to include driver assistance features with basic trim packages rather than making them exclusively ala carte extras.

1. The 2013 Audi A4 is the Most Reliable – 87%

The most reliable Audi A4 year is 2013, and was a mid-cycle update of the popular B8 platform. It featured the EA888 generation 2 engine developing 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, one of the most notoriously reliable VW Group engines. Both front and all-wheel drive were available, as was a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. A combination of performance, efficiency, and luxury made the 2013 A4 a hit, and its reliability since has only strengthened its following.

The Audi A4 is a great choice for a reliable luxury car

With such high-reliability ratings across the board, it seems like there are no bad years of Audi A4 when shopping for a used luxury car. As always, a good maintenance history is the key to making any successful used car purchase, but with the A4 there aren’t many large issues to worry about otherwise.

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