Audi A4 vs BMW 3 Series

Which used car has the cleaner record?

We line up what owners actually reported to NHTSA — complaints and recall campaigns — for both cars, so you can compare their paper trail before you buy.

Last updated: June 28, 2026

Side by side	A4	3 Series
Body type	Sedan	Sedan
Years sampled	2016, 2020, 2024	2016, 2020, 2024
Owner complaints	154	144fewer
Recall campaigns	3	0fewer
NHTSA investigations	7fewer	10
Overall safety (NHTSA, US)	5/5	5/5
Combined economy (EPA, US)	9 L/100km	n/a

Body type

A4: Sedan
3 Series: Sedan

Years sampled

A4: 2016, 2020, 2024
3 Series: 2016, 2020, 2024

Owner complaints

A4: 154
3 Series: 144fewer

Recall campaigns

A4: 3
3 Series: 0fewer

NHTSA investigations

A4: 7fewer
3 Series: 10

Overall safety (NHTSA, US)

A4: 5/5
3 Series: 5/5

Combined economy (EPA, US)

A4: 9 L/100km
3 Series: n/a

The quick read

Over the sampled model years, the Audi A4 has 154 complaints and 3 recalls, and the BMW 3 Series has 144 complaints and 0 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.

Check a A4 VIN Check a 3 Series VIN

NHTSA (US) owner-complaint and recall counts over recent model years. A reliability signal, not a check of any one car. Always run the VIN.