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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  Almost a great car, but regret purchase - 2006 Audi A4
  By asilvera4 - July 21 - 3:36 pm

  This is my 4th Audi and 3rd with one of their great turbo-4s. Its also the first one I regret buying and wish I had considered a G35 or a 325 a bit more. The engine is peppy and efficient, handling is fun at normal speeds, quattro speaks for itself, and the interior materials are typical class-leading Audi. I also enjoy the tech packages fancy lights and bluetooth. My real complaint is the ride/handling. The sport suspension ride is unforgiving over most roads, yet its easy to upset the car when you push it hard at speed. Id skip that option. Honda nor BMW would put their name on that wobbly shifter. The armrest cant be down with e-brake up? Thats a GM foible, not for an Audi.

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  "Extended Warranty Required" - 2001 Audi A8
  By Al - July 21 - 2:19 pm

  The Germans have created cars with the philosophy that performance is the measure of quality. They have forgotten that durability and reliability are paramount to quality. Anyone who buys a used Audi A8 without an extended warranty will soon find the purchase economically untenable. The electrics rival those of 60s British autos. These cars are mechanically, electrically and economically a nightmare. The worst part of the experience is how arrogant they are about it.

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  Sweet A4 - 2009 Audi A4
  By cyberalAL - July 20 - 8:51 pm

  This car is simply stunning, especially from the outside, especially with the Prestige package I got. Handling is very balanced, ride is sporty yet comfortable for longer commutes. Quattro provides excellent grip and 2.0T is powerful yet fuel efficient (have gotten 35 mpg cruising). Plus, this car is as big as the Passat I traded in. Some downsides include having to get Prestige to get those stunning 18" wheels and 4 cyl. a little course when revved hard. But overall, I loved my choice for my first luxury brand car.

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  So thrilled - 2009 Audi Q5
  By newb2audi - July 20 - 8:09 pm

  Previous car was a Subaru 08 STI 5 dr hatch. Speed, agility, utilitarian use best describes our needs. STI proved to be too low for driving on VT pot hole roads. So what was out there that would be fun to drive, quick acceleration, a great solid ride, not too fancy in appearance and interior, yet functional? My friends on facebook submitted their suggestions, this is how I came across the q5! In traffic, great visibility, amazing control maneuvering slow pokes. Quiet. An overall sense of being in your own world with its secure solid build. Great turning into parking spaces. The vehicle drives and feels small. We bought the premium model, base with some options which kept the price down.

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  Great Crossover SUV - 2009 Audi Q5
  By rb - July 20 - 2:15 pm

  I bought the Q5 after driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee for the last 5 years. I loved my jeep and hated to give it up but the build quality was poor and gas mileage was terrible. I wanted a higher quality vehicle that still could function as a SUV but drove well and offered better gas mileage. The Q5 fits the bill. The Q5 has a high ground clearance and decent cargo room. It handles great and I’ve been getting 25 MPG + at 75 MPH. The cabin is quiet, the seats are comfortable and the visibility is very good. This car provides great car performance with the functionality (functions you use 99% of the time) of a SUV. This is one of the best reviewed luxury SUV’s on the market and I can see why!

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  What a car - 2006 Audi A4
  By GerryM - July 20 - 10:24 am

  The precision of the steering, the power of the turbo and overall fun to drive aspect, has revitalized me and given me a reason to love cars again. Definitely not a boring, Lexus and Acura. This is German engineering at its best.

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  Absolutely the "best crossover" now!! - 2009 Audi Q5
  By bi - July 19 - 10:11 pm

  Test drove many SUV / crossovers in this segment including X3 and RX350. Hands down Audi Q5 won. I have owned it now for three (3) weeks -and- the car is simply perfection in all aspects from comfort to performance.

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  MMI Navigation/Audio annoyance - 2009 Audi Q5
  By Joe O - July 18 - 12:48 pm

  Do not buy the MMI Navigation/Audio system unless you enjoy having it on every time you start the vehicle. You have two choices when starting your car. 1) The display comes on and the radio/media begins playing. OR 2) The display comes on with an Audi advertisement screen and the radio/media is off. Trying to blank the Audi advertisement screen causes the radio/media to come back on. You cannot start the car with the display and audio off. This is extremely annoying! I contacted Audi customer care. The representative verified this operation. I was told this operation is normal and they have no plans to fix it. There is no software/firmware update available to address this problem.

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  Best car for the money! - 2007 Audi A4
  By Jonathan Lloyd - July 17 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this car for my daughter, who previously had a Volvo S40 and a Volvo S60. Both are very good, safe cars but lack any sense of excitement. I drive a Porsche and when it was in for service I was given an A4 as a loaner and loved it. Tight as a drum, well-balanced, great handling, outstanding gas mileage and really fun to drive (I grab it whenever I can!). Excellent build quality, great exterior design and an interior way beyond anything in its price class. Buy it!

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  Good Car Overall - 1999 Audi A4
  By Kyle P - July 17 - 2:01 pm

  I bought the car with 155000, call me crazy but I did. Knock on wood nothing major has happened. Although, I wanted to change my transmission fluid and it’s a huge deal because Audi has once again made it difficult. Seeing past this, it has been fun to drive and everything still works except the triptronic sensor is bad but still shifts fine in "d". This car rewards good driving, if you take it easy, the car will outlast you.