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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  Loved it but it had to go - 2004 Audi A4
  By hadalotofcars - July 26 - 3:59 pm

  This was by far my favorite Audi. An 04 Ultrasport. Fantastic handling. Good thing I had an extended warranty - the car broke a lot - always something - the only way I would consider driving another Audi product at this time would be if I could have this car back - after repairing it month after month I sold it to buy a new Audi. I traded that within a month of buying it.

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  Loved it while I had it - 2008 Audi A4
  By hadalotofcars - July 26 - 3:56 pm

  Not as nice looking as the new A4s. Not as nice looking as my old 2004 A4. At 50K-something miles the seat belt wouldnt retract. The car had miles but the car was only 2 years old. Audi refused to warranty the seat belt mechanism and wanted me to pay 800 to fix it. I escalated it to Audi of America and they said the dealer would agree to 5% off! Lots of little things with the car were wrong at what should be very low mileage. I refused and traded the car in. I really loved Audi but ultimately they spent their own customer. Would not buy another Audi unless they can prove building a deeper relationship with their quality and my satisfaction.

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  A4 ......my few words........eulogy - 1997 Audi A4
  By a4fan1 - July 23 - 8:02 pm

  I would say I gave my everything to this car, The car absolutely is a blast to drive , excellent winter vehicle and is a head turner. As a loyal audi fanatic , I have poured a great deal of money into the car, but, at 120,000 miles everything just started to go one week after another, I dont think I went 1000 miles between repairs. When no maintinence is needed, its a top notch, safe car, but overall I would say if reliability was a centerpoint for you, not a good bet for a used vehicle.I finally gave in and sold mine after years of ownership. That said I still would buy another one .....want my reason?.........Test drive one :)

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  207,000 and still runs strong!!! - 1999 Audi A4
  By lockburner2000 - July 8 - 12:21 am

  Great car and a blast to drive. There easy to fix if you know anything about cars. Buy aftermarket parts online and it is cheap to keep on the road. Still org. motor and trans. Just keep her tuned up and it will treat you well. I dont care what make you have it will need work at some point like wheel bearings and ball joints and tie rods. The only thing that gets me is the oil leaking it is with all 2.8 engines. Have the new gaskets put in when the timming service is done and it will save you a pile of money. I have a 98 and my wife drives a 99 with 160,000 miles.

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  110,000 miles - 2007 Audi A4
  By mike5555 - July 1 - 9:33 am

  I have had a couple of smaller issues. Oil has been ok but as they car ages it uses more. 1 quart every 4-5K at 110K PCV console latch and poor leather trim with leather cracking twice. Tires last 50K or more 30MPG or more. Brakes - fronts replace at 93k orginal rear Turbo diverter valve went at 93K Cruise control brake switch at 85K Timing belt replaced at 105K All in all it has not been bad as nothing mechanical went until it had >85k coil packs replaced as part of recall. The car has done well for its class. Its a daily driver with economy, comfort, and style.

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  Beware of heated seat issues - 2011 Audi A3
  By studiodriver - June 23 - 12:19 pm

  In most categories, I love this car. I like the look, the fuel economy, its fun to drive and has a great stereo. The turbo lag does take some getting used to - When accelerating from a stop, it can take a full second or two for the turbo to engage. Its very responsive once youve started moving. Fuel economy is great and overall, its really a fun little car. However, you should be aware that the heated seats are basically useless. My dealer explained that they have heard numerous complaints about them and that they perform to Spec. If you Google Audi Heated seats, youll find several Audi forums discussing the issue. If you love heated seats like I do, know that they dont work.

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  Very good value for the money - 2011 Audi A4
  By leodc - June 14 - 2:27 pm

  We purchased a brand new 2011 Audi 4 with the Premium package and so far 12K miles on it. After test driving BMW 3 series (even the Diesel), and Mercedes Benz C class (which is quite boring to drive), we decided to get an Audi 4 and its been a nice ride so far. The only thing I miss (I used to own a GTI), is the fun to drive. But I surely dont miss going to the dealer every month for repairs.

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  Love it -- BUT the Oil!!! - 2007 Audi A4
  By rrli - May 16 - 12:25 pm

  Love this car. I bought it as a certified pre-owned - Ive had it about 1 1/2 years now. Love driving it BUT about every 1000-1200 miles the oil light goes on and I have to constantly put oil in. I have never heard of such a thing before. AUDI tells me that is normal for this type of "high performance" vehicle. I think NOT -- - I still love the car but I dont think I would have bought it if I knew this.

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  45 days into the car A5 Coup - 2011 Audi A5
  By ginter1 - April 26 - 12:26 pm

  This is my third Audi. Ive been through 3 Lexus and 3 MB before I jumped into Audi. I must say up front I loved my 2007 A4 and thought with the kids out of the house it was time to drive a coup. I never had a single issue with my A4 Cabrio ( that I still own ) or my A4 sedan. The A5 has a bit of a different story. Right off the bat 3 defective tires. I kid you not and it took 4 days for Audi to approve their replacement. Besides this little hi-cup the car is a beauty. Feels great , great MPG and enough pep to run with the rest. Sporty steering wheel but if they tell you you can fit someone in the back seat forget it. Ill love the car for the 3 years until the lease is up. Then back to A4.

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  Fun car, but build quality needs improvement - 2011 Audi A4
  By audis4driver - April 16 - 9:05 am

  This is my first Audi, and in general I am impressed. Its a fun car to drive. The gas mileage is outstanding, while the engine is responsive. I think it is one of the better looking cars inside and out in the segment. However, Audi really needs to step up their build quality. I do a lot of driving and rack up miles quickly. Right now I have 15,000 miles on the car and there are rattles everywhere. Most recently on the side of the dash by the drivers side door a piece of plastic came lose. I was told by my dealer that integrity issues are only covered up to 12,000 miles, and they wouldnt fix it under warranty. Really disappointing and a good way to kill a customer relationship.