Audi A4 vs Skoda Superb: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Audi A4 and the Skoda Superb are too close to call — 1.3 percentage points apart on first-time MOT passes once you allow for the age of each fleet, which is inside what the choice of cars counted can move. A winner is named only at 2 points or more. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. Choose on the fault patterns and running costs below rather than on reliability.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Audi A4

Pass rate77.3%

Age-matched national75.0%

Difference+2.3

Tests24,990

Skoda Superb

Pass rate81.7%

Age-matched national80.7%

Difference+1.0

Tests6,784

Model	Pass rate	Age-matched national	Difference	Tests
Audi A4	77.3%	75.0%	+2.3	24,990
Skoda Superb	81.7%	80.7%	+1.0	6,784

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Audi A4s registered 2003–2022 and Skoda Superbs registered 2011–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Audi A4

B9 (2015–2023) · D-segment executive saloon and Avant estate. One of the most popular used premium cars in the UK alongside the BMW 3 Series. Available as saloon and Avant estate. Key engines: 2.0 TFSI petrol (150–252 PS), 2.0 TDI diesel (136–190 PS), 35 TFSI mild hybrid (150 PS), 40 TFSI (190 PS), 40 TDI (204 PS).

The Audi A4 B9 is a premium, refined executive car with strong build quality, but it requires disciplined Audi specialist maintenance to keep running costs manageable. The 2.0 TDI diesel is reliable on motorway mileage but has documented timing belt (not chain) service requirements — belt failure on the B9 2.0 TDI is an engine-write-off event. The 2.0 TFSI mild hybrid (post-2019) is the better choice for mixed UK driving. Avoid any B9 A4 without full documented service history — Audi's repair costs are high and an unmaintained A4 can quickly become very expensive.

What goes wrong

Safety recall R/2020/138recall
Moisture may enter the belt-driven starter-alternator
34,982 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 1 June 2017 and 31 March 2020
Large recall — 34,982 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
Safety recall R/2020/265recall
Moisture may enter the belt driven starter-alternator
11,936 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 10 August 2018 and 11 March 2020
Large recall — 11,936 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
2.0 TDI timing belt service (interference engine)critical
No audible warning — belt failure is sudden and catastrophic. Prevention through scheduled service is the only protection.
All B9 A4 2.0 TDI (2015–2023) · Audi recommended interval: every 80,000 miles or 4 years (whichever first). Many specialists recommend 55,000 miles or 4 years in UK stop-start conditions. · £700–£1,200 timing belt kit (preventive); £8,000–£15,000+ engine replacement if belt fails (the 2.0 TDI is an interference engine — belt failure destroys the engine)
Check: Ask for documented timing belt replacement history. If the car is at 55,000+ miles with no record of a belt change, factor the service into the purchase price or walk away. The 2.0 TDI's timing belt is one of the most important pre-purchase checks on any B9 A4. The 2.0 TFSI petrol uses a timing chain, but the pre-facelift 1.4 TFSI has a toothed belt too, so ask for its belt history as well.
MMI infotainment and virtual cockpit freezingminor
MMI screen freeze; navigation crash; virtual cockpit going blank; MMI reboot loops
2015–2019 (older MMI generations) · Not mileage-related — software degradation over time · £0 — software update at Audi dealer; hardware replacement £600–£1,200 if MMI control unit fails
Check: Test all MMI functions during the test drive — navigation, Bluetooth, media, climate control (which is MMI-integrated on many trims). Ask if the latest Audi software update has been applied. Most MMI issues are software-related and resolved by an update.

Typical asking price:: £8,480–£14,499, median £12,990 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 8 October 2026)
Fuel economy:: 49–57 mpg (2.0 TDI real-world UK motorway mixed); 38–47 mpg (35 TFSI MHEV real-world)
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2020, 2021
Years to avoid:: 2015

Used Audi A4s for sale Full A4 fault guide Used Audis

Also compare:

Skoda Superb

third generation 2015–2024 · large family hatchback and estate

The third-generation Skoda Superb has one large DVSA recall: R/2024/017, a brake-fluid-reservoir heat-shield fault shared with the Octavia, on cars built June 2019 to November 2023. The rest are small build-window recalls, the most notable a fuse-box cable clamp on May to December 2015 builds that could cut the engine. What Car? scores the diesel 93.9% and the petrol 85.6%, and DVSA’s MOT table rates no Superb registration year below the average for its year. Under Skoda UK’s current terms a plug-in hybrid’s battery-capacity warranty does not pass to a second owner.

What goes wrong

Safety recall R/2024/017recall
On certain vehicles with electromechanical brake servo and DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) of a limited production period there is a possibility that a heat protection mat was incorrectly fitted. In individual cases the brake fluid reservoir can melt and cause a brake fluid leak into the engine compartment.
15,729 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 27 June 2019 and 23 November 2023
Large recall — 15,729 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
Safety recall R/2022/087recall
The fuse in the high-voltage system of plug-in hybrid vehicles was partly produced with an insufficient amount of so-called fire extinguishing sand
2,038 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 12 December 2019 and 14 February 2022
Smaller recall — 2,038 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
Diesel — exhaust, battery, air-con and electrical faultsmajor
What Car? says almost a third of the 2015–2023 diesel Superbs in its survey had a fault, across air-con, battery, bodywork, engine, exhaust and sat-nav or infotainment, and half stopped the car being driven until repaired. Only half of the repairs were covered by warranty.
2015–2023 diesel · £101–£1,000 for the repairs that were not covered by warranty, as What Car? survey respondents reported (its page, updated 28 May 2025)
Check: Ask which faults the car has had and who paid. Look for exhaust or battery work on the service record, and check the air-con blows cold and the infotainment works.
Petrol — sat-nav, infotainment and electrical faultsmoderate
What Car? says 23% of the petrol Superbs in its survey had a problem, with sat-nav or infotainment and other electrical systems giving the most trouble, and that Skoda paid for 85% of the faults.
2015–2023 petrol
Check: Work the touchscreen, navigation and phone pairing for several minutes, and check every electrical item before you buy.

Typical asking price:: not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:: No sourced real-world figure for the Superb, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at.
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2016, 2018

Used Skoda Superbs for sale Full Superb fault guide Used Skodas

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Audi A4

Good for: Executive-segment buyers who want a refined, well-built premium saloon or estate. Motorway commuters (A4 Avant TDI is excellent value for high-mileage motorway use). Buyers who will use an Audi specialist for servicing.

Less good for: Buyers who cannot verify the 2.0 TDI timing belt service history. S-Tronic automatic buyers without gearbox oil-service history above 40,000 miles. Buyers wanting the lowest total cost of ownership — a Skoda Superb or Skoda Octavia diesel estate offers broadly similar space and refinement for significantly lower running costs.

Skoda Superb

Good for: Buyers who need a large, quiet car for long journeys and will check the build-window recalls, and the battery cover on a plug-in hybrid.

Less good for: Anyone buying a plug-in hybrid who is counting on the capacity warranty, or a diesel with no record of exhaust and battery work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Audi A4 or the Skoda Superb?

Neither, on the evidence. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 1.3 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.

How do the MOT pass rates of the Audi A4 and the Skoda Superb compare?

77.3% of Audi A4s pass their MOT first time (24,990 tests in DVSA's records) and 81.7% of Skoda Superbs pass their MOT first time (6,784 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Audi A4's age average 75.0% and cars of the Skoda Superb's age 80.7% — so the Audi A4 runs 2.3 points better than its age group and the Skoda Superb runs 1.0 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Which years of the Audi A4 and Skoda Superb should I avoid?

Audi A4: 2015–2016 B9 launch cars: more reported MMI infotainment issues, some ZF gearbox calibration complaints on early DSG/S-Tronic automatics, and earlier fuel system issues on the 2.0 TDI before production revisions. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2016 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Skoda Superb: No year is named: DVSA’s MOT table rates no Superb registration year below all cars registered that year, and the one recall of 10,000 or more vehicles (R/2024/017) covers cars built across 2019 to 2023. The first months of the third generation (built 1 May to 1 December 2015) are in R/2016/005, a fuse-box cable clamp that could stop electrical functions and, in the worst case, cut the engine, and R/2016/071 (sunroof clamping software, to April 2016); each covers fewer than 2,000 vehicles and is a free dealer visit, so ask for the record on a 2015 car.

Is the Audi A4 or the Skoda Superb cheaper to run?

On fuel it depends on the engine. Audi A4: 49–57 mpg (2.0 TDI real-world UK motorway mixed); 38–47 mpg (35 TFSI MHEV real-world). Skoda Superb: No sourced real-world figure for the Superb, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Audi A4 or Skoda Superb registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.