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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  Fun, but can improve - 2003 Audi A4
  By alis - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful shape and ideas. Also, beautiful build quality. Engine is very responsive, steering very accurate and great brakes. Seats very supportive and multitude adjustments make for comfortable driving position.Handling, with regular suspension a little too bouncy.

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  Accessibility isnt easy - 2016 Audi A4
  By Henry - November 29 - 6:10 pm

  Not one of the easiest cars to get in and out from both sides of the car. Consistently hit my head or the door post. Once in the car it was great. Im average height. Someone taller or bigger would struggle> Its the main reason I did not get this car

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  Getting it right? - 2006 Audi A4
  By J - November 15 - 3:46 pm

  I absolutely love this car. The problem is that Ive been towed in twice and I dont even have 10k miles on the car yet. My fuel pump went bad then I broke down again when a sensor on the pump was bad. Then I broke down on a business trip when I ran out of fuel on the interstate because their was a problem with the sending unit arm on the NEW fuel pump. When that replacement part arrived at the dealer it too was broken. I have no problems with Audi and their customer service. I just hope Audi can make this problem right and get my car running as anyone would expect a brand new audi to run.

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  highs are high and the lows are LOWS - 2003 Audi A4
  By LessonLearned - November 9 - 2:00 am

  For value and performance, no other car compares. It is a complete joy to drive (when everything is working), comes well- equipped with all the latest safety features standard. If only it was as reliable as a TOYOTA... Ive been to the dealership a dozen times (mostly for turnsignal failures) and now the car stalls about once a month and this car is barely a year old! From reading consumer reviews I was aware of the reliability issues but hoped the all-new design would be better. Traded in an Infinity G20t to sacrifice reliability for performance. This is probably the first and last time Im buying an Audi.

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  1.8t Q Auto - 2003 Audi A4
  By dzo - November 4 - 10:00 am

  see below

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  Just got it and love it - 2006 Audi A3
  By john m - October 30 - 5:00 am

  Just bought my A3 yesterday and I have to say that I am impressed. I went from the VW Jetta GLS VR6 to the smooth 2.0 T and it is night and day. The DSG transmission is a must. The open sky is very enjoyable. The car drives smoothly at low and high speeds and has enough kick to make it a sports car.

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  Amazing for the buck - 2004 Audi A4
  By Ron Sqr - October 24 - 10:00 am

  Luv it, cant wait for the S4 Cab Quatro!! Lt. Slvr Blu

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  Loved it... but it beat my wallet into submission - 2002 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By daniel911t - October 21 - 6:11 pm

  This was a fantastic car. I had a 2002 purchased with about 45K mi on it. It was immense fun to drive, thirsty, and practical. However, once things started to break... I had trouble finding mechanics that would work on it, then the bills were staggering. I sold the car with 120K mi on it after the final straw fell... while on a long road trip the alternator failed - not a big deal, but the repair was $1.1K! Timing belt and other minor work was $5k, clutch was $3k... it was just crushingly expensive to keep alive. But it was AMAZING when it worked right! If youre a mechanic, or are friends with one, then go ahead and buy one.

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  Not fun to fix - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Hoss - October 17 - 6:16 pm

  I loved driving the allroad, but I hated to fix it. Every time it went to the shop it needed at least $1000. Leaks here, bad parts there, $90 oil changes, Mine was becoming such a money pit I was glad to sell it at a loss. The 2.7T can be tuned to make great power, but it also leaks oil like a sieve and is expensive to fix. Parts go bad on these cars far short of what I would consider an acceptable life span.

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  2001 Audi Wagon 1.8 - 2001 Audi A4
  By M. - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I had wanted an Audi wagon for awhile. I did a lot of research on the car. I did finally end up purchasing one and overall, I have enjoyed driving it. Some issues that I have sadly encountered are: I had to have a new transmission after owning it for 1 month! The sunroof has an awful vibration unless the two back windows are rolled down some. If you purchase the sport package as I did, the tires create a lot of wind noise!