Acura Integra vs Audi A4: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Acura Integra burns about $2,300 of fuel annually against $2,450 for the Audi A4. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Acura Integra is the stronger commuter at 30 mpg city, while the Audi A4 pulls ahead on the interstate at 37 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Acura Integra is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the Audi A4 with 3 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI, SIDI; FFV). Across 15 recorded Acura Integra configurations and 35 for the Audi A4, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Acura Integra is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Audi A4 with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Large Cars and Compact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Acura Integra emits 269 g/mile of CO2 versus 284 g/mile for the Audi A4. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.