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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  Its a beaut! - 2009 Audi Q7
  By sjo - August 26 - 3:22 pm

  I bought this car 3 months ago and now have 5000 miles on it. Every one of those miles has been a pleasure to drive. Who knew an SUV could be so much fun? Weve taken it on a couple camping trips already and it handled beautifully on the windy roads headed in to the mountains. Its a feeling of confidence taking tight turns in a big car with very little body lean. Ill be turning it in for its first scheduled maintenance this week and I have not had any problems yet. This car also has plenty of room for our family of four with 2 little kids. We also use the 3rd row frequently while carpooling with our friends kids. Id recommend this car to anyone looking for a luxury SUV.

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  Great Ride & Performance- GPS lacking - 2009 Audi Q5
  By metsknicksfan - August 26 - 12:06 pm

  My 2009 Prestige Q5 rides like a sport sedan. Great acceleration (especially in sport mode), and responsive steering. I was really surprised on my first all highway trip (approx 75 miles), when I averaged 29.1 mpg! The ride is a bit bumpy on side street streets. Great access to rear storage due to low entry. Seats fold easily. Bang and Olefsun sound system is awesome. The GPS leaves a lot to be desired. The "point of interests" do not let you choose ANY retail stores. Good luck trying to find nearest Home Depot, Staples, Target, or supermarket- NOT HAPPENING. The restaurant search is a basic listing- cant choose cuisine- Italian, Japanese, etc. My $200 Garmin GPS is far superior.

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  Nice, Costly Family Sportster - 2004 Audi A6
  By Nice, Costly Car - August 26 - 7:46 am

  I bought this car from pampering owner. I had a 98 A8 10yrs ago that I prefer. The car looks awesome but I find myself nickel and diming my way through ownership of this Audi too. Both of my 5 series BMWs and my two Volvos (S60 & S80) were much less expensive to own. I hit a small deer at 20 mph that cost 5K to repair- chalk 1 for the dealer. Cant seem to get the ride completely smooth and the dealership always finds something. The car is not as fast off the line as the engine sounds, but it is great on the highway. Big gas tank is great for trips and the highway mpg is great--especially compared to the dismal in-city driving with a heavy foot. Overall- not sure its worth it.

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  A+ for the A4 - 2001 Audi A4
  By Relica - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I have been driving this car since November, 2000. I love the reliability of this A4. Its very sleek and impressive looking. Ive gotten constant compliments on the look and the smooth ride.

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  2003 A4 Quattro 3.0L - 2003 Audi A4
  By monsterrider - August 25 - 8:42 am

  Ive owned the car since new and now have 125,000 miles on it. Fuel pump was replaced under recall and everything else has been just routine service. No problems whatsoever. Gas mileage averages about 25 - 26 on the highway. Quattro is great in all weather conditions. Comfortable interior, excellent stereo, Xenon headlamps make night driving easy. This has been an excellent car.

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  Q7 4.2 S-Line - 2008 Audi Q7
  By Q7 Stowe - August 24 - 9:29 pm

  Our Q7 has been at the dealer for the past 45 days and they have no estimate as to when they will return it. This car has been a nightmare. Brakes started screeching at 2000 miles and in the 2.5 years that I have owned this car, it has been at the dealer over 20 times (excluding scheduled maintenance). The starter has been replaced twice which requires the entire engine to be pulled from the vehicle (nice design). Audi does have roadside assistance which is nice since I have had to utilize this service 6 times to have the vehicle towed to the dealer. The Q7 S-line is a cool looking SUV, if the cool design does not turn heads, the screeching brakes will!

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  Catalyic converter problems - 2001 Audi A6
  By Dennis - August 24 - 2:09 pm

  I bought the car as a certified used car. The converters were replaced by Audi at 52000 miles and 69000 miles later I find I need to replace them again to the tune of 2500. It would appear the converters have a problem since I have maintained the car as directed by Audi and have always used premium fuel. I would be concerned about buying a used high mileage Audi. Other than this hit and front end suspension repairs this has been a good car to drive. Please send money. -)

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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.

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  Baby Got Back - 2010 Audi A5
  By a. collier - August 22 - 9:53 pm

  What can I say. Baby got back. Love this car. Have had my eye on this for a year now. Was leasing a 2004 Ls430- great car but compared to this, It was nothing but a mom and pop luxury vehicle. This baby momma-Hugs the ground and whips around corners flawlessly, even in the rain. The price has come down on these due to the change in option for v4 2.0 or v6 3.2. Handles well with v4 option for 2010. Have no regrets. Beautiful lines and performance. Great interactive monitor and sound system. Wont disappoint you. The A5 has got serious back-baby.

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  Awesome 3.0 Quattro 6 Speed Sport Pack - 2004 Audi A4
  By acadianbob - August 22 - 2:00 am

  This A4 is undoubtedly the best all around car that we have ever owned. Zero defects so far. The Quattro system and ESP are unbelievable in slippery conditions. These systems also assert themselves in the dry; impervious to crosswinds; dead steady if you nail the throttle on a freeway cloverleaf. This car inspires confidence. The build quality is great. Complaints; poor fuel mileage and poor outward visibility. The outside mirrors are too small.