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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  Great Car Minor quirks - 2009 Audi A4
  By JJM - August 11 - 7:35 pm

  Car is everything I expected. Fit & Finish is as good as it gets. So good in fact that the seams trunk to body are so tight you cant fit bike rack clips in between. Engine is smooth. Test drove the 2.0s not going to pay this much for a car that vibrates 3.2 is for me. Brakes are awesome. Keep your eye on the rear view in a panic stop. Tiptronic is fun. Quirks... The ipod interface is poor, I leave my keys in the car in the garage but not with this... the lights will not turn off, the homelink does not work until you turn the car on. Kinda dumb that you start the car before you open the garage door.

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  Good for the first 50k miles... - 2002 Audi A6
  By BeeGee - August 11 - 11:47 am

  ... but a serious headache since then. In for over $7,000 in repairs since turning 4/50k. Would have been more if the dealer hadnt taken pity on us. Literally in the shop to the tune of $1200+ every six months. And Im not talking maintenance. That is expected. Conversely, my 2001 BMW just had its first non routine service (less than $2k btw). With just over 91k miles and at 7 years, the time has come to replace this vehicle. My advice if you must drive an Audi is to get yourself a nice 36-48 month lease and then toss it back to the dealer before the problems surface.

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  A fun car to drive - 2009 Audi A4
  By Danny - August 10 - 11:16 pm

  Ive had the car about 7 months now and no major complaints, except for the wind (see below). The A4 drives well, though its not quite as responsive as well as my 2006 BMW 5 series. Steering is tight, brakes are just a bit grabby, and power is strong. The AWD is the best, especially in heavy, slushy snow. The only complaint is that the wind buffets incessantly my face when the window is open. Poor wind engineering. And its difficult to find a good open position of the sunroof so it doesnt make noise. Seems like it has to be readjusted for every speed level.

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  Awesome Car! - 2003 Audi A4
  By Cam - August 10 - 3:15 pm

  My A4 has 170,000 miles and is still running beautifully. It is fun to drive, comfortable, and not half bad looking either. Has run flawless its whole life (It has been maintained exactly when suggested by Audi). Will replace the timing belt again soon, though the manual says every 100 or 105k from what I have read it should be replaced every 60- 80k as that is when it is said to break. Build quality is in a whole different class, the car is amazingly sound and solid. Manual shifts smooth and precise. Gas mileage is anywhere from 23-24 city to 30-31 hwy. Quattro is awesome too!!!

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  Fun To Drive but Unreliable - 1998 Audi A8
  By EricSF - August 10 - 2:55 pm

  Ive owned two A8s. One I bought new when the L version first came out in 2000 or 2001. It was a lemon so I sued Audi and got all my money back. I loved driving the car and thought this was an exception so I bought a precertified 1998 A8. Since then I have replaced millions of things. From the transmission (died at 86K) all the engine seals, all the suspension parts, oil cooler twice, fan, heater core (expensive!) etc. I still drive the car since I like it and it is cheaper than buying a new one since I dont like the current body style. I dont have a high opinion of build quality, but it is a great car and gas mileage is pretty good. Use the tiptronic for freeway driving 20% better economy.

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  Love My Audi A4 - 2005 Audi A4
  By IDOC - August 10 - 8:23 am

  Great Car! I test drove the Audi A4 and Infiniti G35. The G35 was nice, but the A4 was a standout! I chose the Sport package with Sirius Radio Installation. The handling and interior are outstanding. It has excellent gas mileage for the thrifty consumer. Have had the car for two months with no problems. It is truly a pleasure to drive everyday!

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  AMAZING - 2004 Audi A6
  By MHess81 - August 8 - 9:52 pm

  I just bought this car at the beginning of the week, but did a lot of reviews on it, and they were all very good. I LOVE the car so far. I cant wait until this winter to try out the AWD! I just wish the gas mileage was a bit better, but its ok for how amazing the car is!

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  A Much Better A4 - 2009 Audi A4
  By datunlu - August 6 - 4:43 pm

  I had the 06 A4. The 09 model is much bigger, for a tall guy like me, a great improvement. The LED light and the media control really made my decision much easier (we were choosing among Audi, BMW, MB, and Volvo). Best value for its class. It has been a month since we got it, we liked everything.

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  Love this car - 2009 Audi Q7
  By cars - August 5 - 9:50 pm

  It is a great SUV if you need the space for the kids. I had a Lexus Rx 350, great car but a little boring to drive. I also has infinity Fx, Fun to drive but i needed more room. I find the Audi Q has it all, comfort, roomy, unique.. not as many Q7 as lexus and mercedes.

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  Best car Ive owned - 2008 Audi A4
  By Rich - August 5 - 3:31 pm

  After driving BMWs,Cadillac, Porsche, Infinity I test drove the A4 after seeing a 329/month lease in the paper. After my first test drive I was sold. Since buying, I like the car more each day.Audi engineers are brilliant.Car handles like its on rails,the AWD is incredible, the paddle shifters fun, driving in sport mode is a blast.Its very easy to get the speed governor to engage around 130. After slight turbo lag off the jump(which I improved by putting in a K&N air filter and using 93 octane fuel), once the engine has enough air compression, the turbo blasts the car forward. Interior compenents are all high quality.Leather seating surfaces are top notch. Wife also likes it a lot!