1998 Audi A4 Avant MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims
Every gas trim of this model takes premium.
Is the 1998 Audi A4 Avant good on gas?
At up to 20 MPG combined, the 1998 Audi A4 Avant is worse than average for a Small Station Wagons — that class averages about 24.7 MPG across 1,736 EPA-tested versions, so it's on the thirsty side for its size.
Real-world MPG vs the EPA number
The EPA figures above come from a standardized dynamometer test, not the open road — real-world MPG typically runs a bit lower depending on your driving, climate and terrain. That's true of every car on this site, old or new.
This 1998 model was originally EPA-tested under the pre-2008 2-cycle method, which didn't account for highway speeds over 60 mph, air-conditioner use, or cold starts. When EPA overhauled the test for model year 2008, city ratings fell by about 12% and highway by about 8% on average industry-wide — and EPA retroactively adjusted every 1984-2007 rating to the stricter standard so old and new cars could be compared fairly. The MPG above is already on that modern scale — the window sticker on this car when it was new likely showed a higher, pre-2008-method number.
At today's AAA national average price — $4.68/gal for premium gas as of 2026-07-05 — the most efficient trim runs about $3,510/year (roughly $292/month, about $23.40 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 750 gallons a year. We don't estimate a cost-per-fill since exact tank size isn't in the public EPA dataset, but the per-100-mile figure scales to any tank. Current national average gas prices →
1998 Audi A4 Avant trims & fuel economy
| Trim (engine / transmission) | Fuel | MPG | Fuel/yr (today's price) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, FWD | PREMIUM | 20 | $3,510 |
1998 Audi A4 Avant specs
What the EPA test-car listings record for this model year — every combination sold is a row in the trims table above.
| Engine options | 2.8L 6-cyl |
| Transmission | Automatic 5-spd |
| Drive type | FWD |
| EPA body class | Small Station Wagons |
| Fuel | Premium |
Other years of the Audi A4 Avant
Similar cars (Small Station Wagons)
Cars that take premium · Cheapest cars to fuel · Where fuel grade depends on the trim · Fuel guides
1 trim(s) · EPA FuelEconomy.gov data retrieved 2026-07-24 · fuel prices AAA national average as of 2026-07-05.