Overview & Reviews

In business for more than 100 years, Audi is an automaker that builds luxury cars and SUVs. The company was started in Germany and has remained Deutschland-based to this day.

"Audi Automobile Works" entered the German car-manufacturing business in 1910 and remained independent until the Great Depression. Because Audi's founder, August Horch, had left a 10-year-old company bearing his own name, he chose a Latin form of his name -- Audi -- for his new company. Audi joined with three other auto manufacturers in 1932 to form Auto Union. Audi, the only surviving nameplate from that union, was purchased by Volkswagen in 1964.

During the 1970s, Audi started to get noticed in the U.S. with its 100LS luxury sedan and compact and sprightly Fox coupe and sedan. By the late '70s the brand had replaced the dated 100LS with its new 5000 luxury sedan.

Every manufacturer has its defining moments. For Audi, one such moment came in March 1980 at the Geneva Motor Show. The automaker unveiled the Audi Quattro, an all-wheel-drive sport coupe that was met with a wildly enthusiastic response on the show floor. The Quattro's all-wheel-drive system went on to help Audi win accolades in motorsports and it was eventually integrated into the entire model range.

That year also saw the Fox replaced by the 4000. Four years later, the range-topping 5000 was redesigned. Audi's sales shot up nearly 50 percent, thanks chiefly to that newly aerodynamic yet handsome flagship that featured what would become an Audi hallmark -- an elegantly stylish, high-quality cabin.

Sadly, Audi's fortunes turned for the worse when the carmaker's 5000 model was accused of unintended acceleration in a 60 Minutes television episode. A subsequent government investigation found Audi innocent of the charge, but the resulting drop in sales nearly put Audi out of business in the U.S.

The late '80s saw Audi redesign the 4000, renaming it the 80 and 90 (with the 90 having more equipment) and also rename the 5000, dubbing it the 100 or 200. The 200 featured a turbocharged five-cylinder with all-wheel drive as opposed to a non-turbo five and front-wheel drive, as on the 100. A Coupe also debuted, as did a new flagship, a V8-powered 200 sedan simply called the "V8".

The following decade saw the A4 and Cabriolet models, as well as the renaming of the 100 to A6. The stunning A8 was introduced as Audi's new flagship, boasting all-aluminum construction and a beefy V8. High-performance versions of the various models bowed, dubbed S4, S6 and S8.

The start of the new millennium brought the TT, Audi's low-slung sport coupe (and later roadster). It also introduced RS versions of the A4 and A6, providing even more performance than "S" variants. In addition to "S" and "RS" versions of the TT, Audi's more recent releases include the A3 hatchback, Q5 crossover SUV, slick A5 coupe, exotic R8 sports car and A7 luxury hatchback sedan.

Today, Audi continues its success in the prestige car marketplace by offering a wide range of vehicles that impressively combine luxury and sport.

User Reviews:

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  Tonka toy with a great ride - 2008 Audi Q7
  By Stoak - December 4 - 1:09 am

  To be honest we have not had big problems just lots of little ones. The gas cap cover is pathetic and the lock is a joke - open it with your fingers when locked. With kids and pets it seems impossible to not knock water etc over in the center console which ruins the electronics. Part of the body is simply falling off. This is our 4th audi and we have not looked anywhere else simply because of the way we were treated. This too has declined - still pretty good just less than their usual stellar. In 2 years the seat leather has developed a large long crack in it - our 10 year old a6 is still fine.

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  Problems with My A6 - 2005 Audi A6
  By Scuba87756 - November 30 - 8:20 pm

  I just picked up my new 2005 Audi A6 3.2. After only about 50 miles the transmission began to act up. The engine would race to 7,000 rpm in first gear or would not shift at all. After parking it in my driveway for a short time, I could not back it out because it felt as if the parking brake was locked.

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  Not bad, but still disappointed - 2016 Audi A6
  By Yury - November 30 - 4:18 am

  Coming from 5-series BMW I see a few faults in this car: horrible gas mileage for a 2 liter engine! Im getting about 12 mpg in traffic with rather conservative driving habits. Navigation system is OK, but certainly missing street routing and traffic display for local streets that Im acostoumed to relay on for my daily commute. Engine vibration, while not a deal breaker, can be pretty annoying in stop and go traffic. Controls are less than intuitive (may be personal preference).

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  Nice ride, when its not in the shop... - 2001 Audi A4
  By O_o - November 12 - 11:34 pm

  The A4 is a nice balance between a sport sedan, family sedan, and luxury sedan. PERFORMANCE: You wont blow anybodys doors off, but its 190 HP and 210 ft-lb of torque are enough to put a grin on your face from time to time. With the AWD, it handles great in all kinds of weather, fair or foul. The ESP is a bit overactive, however, and cuts in on even the slightest hint of any wheelspin. Fortunately, it can be disabled with the push of a button. INTERIOR: The interior is very comfortable and well laid out, and its loaded with convenience features. There isnt much room for adults in the rear, but its OK for kids. The trunk is very large and easy to access. The pass-through is handy also.

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  Questioning the Audi Quality - 2009 Audi A4
  By oliver - November 7 - 9:54 pm

  I just took home a new 2009 Audi A4 quattro 4 dr sedan Premium plus today and just before we got home the car seemed to choke as I stepped on the accelerator. It was also showing a blinking check engine light on the dash board. It comes and goes but to think that you just got it out from the dealer and now you have to bring it back to have it checked for problems. We should have bought a more reliable car like a Honda or Toyota. It may not be as luxurious as an Audi but it sure is more cheap and RELIABLE.

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  2008 Audi A4 2.0T Avant - 2008 Audi A4
  By T Farrand - November 5 - 11:28 am

  I drove this A4 Avant for 18 months and could not wait for the day to finally unload this car. The car was in the repair shop 6 times in 18 months - all for engine issues - fuel sensor, oxygen sensor in turbo, and finally an oil leak. The dealership was courteous and professional each time I had the car in, but the problems kept popping up. When the car was functioning properly, I enjoyed driving it. My main complaint was the automatic transmission - the Drive transmission setting shifted painfully slowly and enhanced the awful turbo lag. The Sport transmission setting was better, but it had to be shifted manually with the paddles into 6th gear when traveling < 80 mph. In 20 years of driving Honda and Toyota products, I made 3 trips in total for non-routine maintenance. 6 trips in 18 months for the Audi A4 is unacceptable and I will not buy another Audi.

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  Nothing but problems!! - 2004 Audi A4
  By Emmanuel McKinstry - October 14 - 8:19 pm

  Purchased vehicle used with 20k mileage. Ultrasport 1.8T came with APR stage-1 upgrade. Problems with Air bag module. Dealer fixed under warr. Ignition coils went bad cost 500.00 Fuel pump bad along with some type of sensor that regulates the fuel to the engine?? Caused car to dump too much fuel and flood engine. Cost 850.00. Defective coolant seal (Anti Freeze was leaking in the rear of engine) about 1100.00. And of course the famous Timing belt that bent the valves at 85K and defective passenger side window module cost 2300.00 (And thats with my own valve head I received free from a friend). Now the Bank 1 O2 sensor is bad and its leaking oil like crazy. Dealer said defective oil cap??

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  Never an Audi again - 1996 Audi Cabriolet
  By P. Bautz - October 10 - 1:52 pm

  Sometimes we glorify past events... high school math tests, boot camp, root canal etc. Remembering my Audi cab and the dealership, first I thought "surely it wasnt that bad after all". Wrong. It was worse. I kept a log in Excel, and I wonder why I even put up for so long with this miserable car and the highly incompetent, arrogant dealership. The fault list of this vehicle covers 39 positions over my period of ownership the car needed 25 (!) extra repair visits outside of scheduled service, of which approx. 10 were due to incomplete repairs by the dealership.

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  Beware! Buy an Audi at your own risk! - 2003 Audi A4
  By jtkoomd1 - August 31 - 4:17 am

  As I drove off the lot, the Xenon headlight leveling sensor warning light went on. I had to leave it overnight the first night I owned it! This was a problem that had to be fixed three times in the first year I owned it. My remote trunk release works only sporadically and Ive had to fix it three times so far...this number would be higher if I hadnt given up on fixing this problem. Ive had problems with the power window switches, power mirrors, and the memory power seats. At 3 years, the rubberized trim around the cabin began to flake off. Though no major engine disasters (so far), Ive had many other problems requiring time in the shop!

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  A Lot of Time In The Shop - 2009 Audi Q7
  By Driver in Reston - August 23 - 8:41 am

  At the last minute we signed a lease on this car thinking we would pay it off at the end of the lease term. The first two years we had it, it was in the shop every other month. There was a problem with the AC and they kept breaking other things trying to fix it. By the time it was stabilized, I hated the car. I love the way it drives and the way it looks, but I did not pay all this money to put it in the shop and drive a Hyundai. We are eager to turn it in and put this experience behind us. We will most likely be going back to Toyota or Volvo. I felt like the interior had a lot of plastic parts for the price. All-in-all, my first luxury car did not turn out to be so luxurious.