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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  New A3 a Fine Addition To the Audi Line - 2006 Audi A3
  By ready4c - December 28 - 1:10 am

  I have only owned the car for a week, and have put on about 300 miles, but it is solid, quiet and fast. Yes, it is rather expensive for its size, but the list of features is long and all are useable.

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  Disappointing - 2001 Audi A4
  By Eds A4 - December 16 - 10:00 am

  The car breaks down, the dealers cant figure out how to fix them, and Audi cant supply the parts. In addition, the resale value drops like a stone after purchase. Dont do it.

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  Great performance, poor reliability - 2002 Audi A4
  By jenelson - November 27 - 2:00 am

  Problems included: The rear defogger didnt work and the rear window had to be replaced. When it rained, water would get trapped in the door wells and gush out onto our shoes when the doors were opened. The dealership couldn?t fix this. Audi customer service simply didnt care, and was often rude. An Audi service manager admitted to us that Audi was aware of this issue but had no solution. Audis official position was that the car was "performing as engineered". We recently noticed knocks and rattles and an overall loss of performance. The dealership determined that the entire transmission had to be replaced. At 12,500 miles, we had had enough and traded it in on a Passat.

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  Great but could use a few convenience items - 2017 Audi A4
  By Jimbo - September 23 - 11:39 pm

  First off, the car is great. I have put on a couple thousand miles and have been pretty happy so far. I do have a few gripes. Im coming from a 2008 RAV4 so this is my baseline. Glove box is very small. Yes there is a CD player in there but still...its kind of worthless for storage. That said, storage is pretty much non-existent. The RAV4 has a bunch of compartments for all my stuff. The A4 has nothing other than the glove box. No sunglasses holder. I cant put a large Gatorade bottle in the cup holder unless I put it upside down. My RAV has a removable rubber cup holder insert so I can put the bigger bottle in it. Side pockets are small as well. The interior is otherwise well done. Gas mileage is great. Performance is excellent. Stock tires are quiet but do not seem very grippy when pushing it. Overall very happy with my purchase, albeit with a couple of complaints.

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  Good - 1998 Audi A4
  By jonas - September 20 - 2:00 am

  The a4 is a great all around car and excellant in the snow but the 1.8T engine is lacking a little though you can easily get that bumped up to 200 or so by a chip. This car has very few flaws but i have had alot of trouble changing out the sound system. Try to find a bose equppied model to save you time. This is a car i would highly recommend

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  Excellent alternative to SUV - 2001 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By plymm - September 16 - 2:00 am

  bought certified pre-owned. Owned car for 6 months now. Very reliable-no mechanical problems. Only issue was getting use to transmission lag-I find there is no turbo lag-the transmission doesnt shift down fast enough (to improve fuel economy) causing lag/hesitation. This issue goes away when you use the tiptronic shifter. I also find the lag gets minimized if you go easy on the gas pedal initially and then lay into it. This also creates a more linear power curve. Been driving it around in NE winter storms. The all wheel drive is capable, but not as sure footed as my Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo in the snow--the Jeep has a slight edge.

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  A4 Quattro - 1998 Audi A4
  By Eric Peterson - September 10 - 10:00 am

  One of the best handling cars and most fun cars to drive. Good power (but not great), great handling (better after lowering), and adequate comfort. Good mileage, and with all wheel drive is a car that you can take just about anywhere on any road under any conditions. Exceptional brakes, although peddle pressure required is high -- suggest changing to Brembo disks and calipers. Reliability, outside of front suspension parts, is outstanding. After more than 150,000 miles, it still feels and runs like new.

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  Great Car. - 2003 Audi A4
  By bbort - July 5 - 10:00 am

  Had the car for about 6 mos. now and have no real complaints. Just about everything is perfectly engineered in this car.

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  Very nice, problems with reliability!! - 2004 Audi A4
  By Dai85 - May 11 - 2:00 am

  Bought one of the first 2004 models off the lot, its been 4 mths n I had 6 visits to dealership ever since. Though service is very good, but Im getting fed up with the problems, first with electrical problems, then engine oil problems, then the keys dun work n system immobliser wouldnt start the car with any key! Yesterday, the rear wheel part under the fender fell off!!! Dunno if its because of the cold winter here in Montreal but I bought this car to be a winter car! Not very satisfy with it!

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  Great car with an extended warranty - 1998 Audi A4
  By cary - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought car new almost 5 years ago. Love driving it but theres no excuse for having to replace the battery 3X, the instrument panel 2X, the alternator, turn signal stalk, tiptronic magnetic switch, computer, coolant temp sensor, fuel tank sending unit, coolent reservoir, cam tensioner seals, hazard flasher switch, radio, 2 speakers, and 2 CV boots in 48000 miles. I keep looking behind me to see if the extended warranty company has sent Tony Soprano after me!