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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  Audi q5 premuim plus - 2009 Audi Q5
  By jim - April 10 - 12:57 pm

  Been looking for about a year on a crossover that my wife & I would like. The Q5 has a very nice exterior look to it. The interior is comfortable for a person that 65". The Q5 has more than enough get up & go to it. Gas mileages is not bad (19 mpg). Traded in a XC90 Volvo.

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  Excellent - 2004 Audi A4
  By tmphilpot - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I love this car. Its sporty, yet has enough room to carry stuff and people. I recommend it to everyone.

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  Very Disappointed - 2007 Audi Q7
  By Kelly - April 9 - 3:08 pm

  Very nice looking car but brakes have been squealing since the day I bought it. Resurfaced twice. At 15K service told me I needed new brakes at the cost of $2k. Said they changed the warranty on brakes to 12K miles and I see why now. Neither Audi nor dealership were helpful just basically said "sorry". From what I understand there have been many brake problems in this vehicle. Brakes still squeal. Terrible customer service from Audi headquarters and dealership and obviously do not stand behind their vehicles. It is a fun car to drive but for the money I spent you would expect high quality and customer service. Fuel economy bad even for an SUV. DO NOT BUY THIS VEHICLE.

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  Will Look Swanky in 2020 - 1998 Audi A4
  By A.E. Sadler - April 9 - 10:00 am

  Unlike the Passat wagon, Avant styling is sublime, its performance striking. Its in the details. VW settled on aluminum roof racks, A4 goes steel. VW goes for a painfully boring interior, Audi goes tight & classic. Avant is designed with just enough room for hauling, but it handles like a cool, little sportscar. Drawbacks: no backseat space. A4 performance at low speeds is annoyingly sluggish. It zips confidently on the highway, but the neighborhood runs is a crawl from 1st to 2nd gear. This for a V6? The red dash is cool, but tough on the eyes.

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  Bad Choice - 2002 Audi A6
  By Bullz - April 9 - 7:59 am

  Audis motto is "Truth in Engineering". What a joke! Our Audi needed new brakes at 23K miles, and a new CVT at 45K miles. Neither the dealer or Audi of NA would admit the deficient designs. Audi never again.

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  Would Never Buy American Again! - 2009 Audi Q5
  By Bill B. - April 8 - 8:33 pm

  After trading in my 06 Jeep Grand Cherokee for a 09 Q5 Prestige, I can honestly say i would never buy an American car again. The Q5 is far better than the Jeep in every way, especially in the snow. We test drove this car during a snow storm and wow, the quattro is amazing. It would not let us fishtail or slide at all, and it just kept us going in a straight line. Aside from that, the MMI is pretty easy to use, the Bang & Olufsen sounds great and the panoramic sunroof is amazing, the whole roof is pretty much glass. Last but not least, the LEDs both front and rear look incredible. They were one of the main reasons I bought this car.

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  Understated Elegance - 2008 Audi A8
  By chod - April 7 - 2:38 pm

  Ive owned an LS430, E430 MB, and driven 5 and 7 series BMWs. This is by far and away the most refined yet sporty total package that Ive ever driven. Im always looking for reasons to take this care out on the road. Its suspension and handling are amazing, combining control with the smoothest most comfortable ride while avoiding the numb feeling that I used to experience with the Lexus. The whisper quiet interior (absolutely gorgeous in cognac brown) allows me to hear my iPod/CDs/Sirius through the B&O audiophile system. What an amazing aggregation of technology, craftsmanship, thoughtful design. Driven for one year - no problems yet.

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  Brakepad Eater? Tire Eater? - 2017 Audi Q5
  By Michael - April 6 - 11:25 pm

  I wanted this car big-time. I have been researching it, along with the BMW X1, for several months. But I recently learned that a couple of friends I trust have this car. They like it ok, but expressed concerns about the expense of maintaining the brakepads and tires. The X1 is faster -- by a fraction of a second -- if that matters to you a lot. But I have owned 3 BMWs over the years and have found that their engineering is very hard to beat. Add to that that the pricing is much better on the BMW, I think it makes more sense.

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  2004 Allroad V-8 4.2 L - 2004 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Yong - April 3 - 3:33 am

  I bought the car for its looks and engine and having owned another Audi for 10 years. I must admit it was a fun car to drive but then it started to go down slope after I bought it. One day, my wife forgot to turn off the lights, somehow both front air- springs went after 8 hours. Thats three grands of repair. Then the windows switch went bad, and together with the transmission seal, another grand. Today took my car in for check engine light, the torque converter needs to be replaced, the cost: $3700. I wanted to keep the car but cant afforest it anymore. Granted I bought the car used, but at 75K miles the car is falling apart. Is it true that you can only lease Audi now?

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  Bullseye!!! - 2009 Audi Q5
  By Don L. - April 2 - 6:22 pm

  Traded in my Infiniti M35X. Have always been a fan of Japanese car quality but decided to try a German car. The school commercial captivated my attention as I was considering an Lexus RX350. The commercial helped me to realize that I should try something not so main stream as there are a lot of Lexus RXs out there. One test was all it took to blow me away. The Q5 drives and feels like a sport sedan as handling and acceleration are excellent. The build quality is phenomenal. Seats are extremely comfortable. The gas mileage has been higher than advertised as I am getting just over 27 mpg on the highway (at 65-70 avg speed) vs sticker which claims 23. You cant get a much better car.