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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  Good value Audi - 2003 Audi A4
  By pc - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Well built car. It is a bargain at its price. Well equipped. A very capable vehicle.

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  Not the newest German mid size but still great - 2017 Audi A6
  By Chicago Mark - March 26 - 4:11 pm

  Looked at the 2016 BMW 5 series and the latest Mercedes E class (4 cylinder model). Ruled out the new 5 series for fear of 1st model year run reliability woes and the 6 cylinder E class is just too expensive. Just loved the ride and handling of the A6, its the right combination of sport and luxury. Plus this is the only German midsize you can order with REAR side airbags and of course outstanding crash testing. The ride and handling are outstanding. Some formal car magazine reviews had stated the steering is numb or light but I do not have that impression. The V6 gives you power whenever you want. I purchased a factory order Premium Plus with 19" sport package and the layered walnut. The 19" wheels ride well without added harshness and the 10 spoke wheels look stunning when paired with Florett Silver body color. The black headliner with black leather and layered walnut wood option make the cabin exceptionally rich. The MMI interface doesnt take that long to figure out. Voice commands are a little slow but the map with google earth view is pretty cool. The instrument cluster driver display can be customized to show different driver info and is nearly the equal of the newer cars that have the all digital display for the driver instrument panel. The Bose stereo is good but not great (and wasnt going to cough up $4200 for the Bang and Olufsen upgrade). Drivers assistance package work very well especially the adaptive cruise control keeping distance from the car ahead of you and lane assist keeping you in the lane. Yes its the oldest of the German luxury mid sized sedans in terms of this version, but it stacks up well to the competition. I love it and have NO regrets buying it.

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  Wonderful Car - 2005 Audi A6
  By Lyndon Krans - March 25 - 8:51 pm

  Absolutely fun to drive. Handles very well and has excellent gas mileage for the size and horsepower of the vehicle. No problems with the car except for trunk latch had to be replaced. Exterior and interior designs are the best I have seen. A wonderful car to travel in... little driver fatigue on long trips as it is very comfortable to sit in.

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  50k Summary - 2001 Audi A4
  By FloridaA4 - March 24 - 10:09 pm

  Well, its 50k later and this car is still so fun to drive. (I highly recommend the sport package for improved handling and low-to-the-ground stance.) With routine oil changes and TLC, she has held up remarkably well. The engineering is impressive and the styling classic. Some have said reliability is an issue, but thats not what this car is about. Performance, stlying, and design inside and out - thats Audi.

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  The best damn little car I ever had! - 2017 Audi A3
  By Glenn Tanner - March 22 - 1:14 pm

  If you want to turn heads, a great ride, and affordability, this is the car for you. When I say great ride, I mean great ride. It hugs the road. Its almost as if the car is saying, "Let me show you what I can do". I was on the highway one afternoon, and the engine was purring like a much contented cat, when I glanced at the tach, and it was around 2000rpms. Then, I looked over to the speedometer, and I doing close to 90mph. It just that smooth. Of course I slowed down, but jeez! Curves, cake. Passing, lets go. When you get in, you feel pampered, but not overwhelmed. The controls and appointments are laid out in a pleasing and thoughtful manner. Yes, the trunk is small, but are you really going to throw 100 pounds of mulch back there? Didnt think so. I looked at the Mercedes CLA-4 MATIC, and the Cadillac ATS, but neither came close. If you like to drive as much as I do, drive the Audi A3.

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  Perfect design and performance - 2007 Audi A6
  By Carcritic - March 22 - 11:20 am

  This is a spectacular car, its handling is excellent, and it grips the road like no other car. It is the nicest design, interior and exterior in its class. Very smooth on the road for the front seats, and has been a very reliable car so far. I drive a lot, it has 16000 miles in less then a year, and so far it has not gone for service except for the regular maintenance. Great AWD as well, drives in the snow beautifully, doesnt slip or slide. Great job Audi.

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  Best luxury car for the money - 2007 Audi A8
  By KEN OBRIEN - March 20 - 10:39 am

  I looked at all the luxury models in this class, this car cant be touched for the money you pay. Its all I expected and more!

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  2002 A4 1.8 TQ 5 - 2003 Audi A4
  By crasc - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Great Car! If you like performance drivin, do not expect the Gas mileage posted. Also I find my back a little after extended driving time. And what did audi think by offering ONLY manual seats. The sports Package with the 17in wheels is a must at only $1000

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  Former Wrangler Owner - 2003 Audi A4
  By saramarie - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I bought my A4 and immediatly drove it the 1600 miles home. The car was so comfortable my passanger and I barely noticed driving over 8 hours a day. It handles wonderfully in rain and snow. I got the premium package and cold weather package for around 28k, great deal!

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  Basic and Bold - 2006 Audi A3
  By Slax - March 19 - 12:56 am

  After three trips to the dealership, test drives of the manual, DSG, Base, Sport and Premium packages, I came away with a base model with 6-Speed MT and Open Sky. In the end, the base model was such a great value, I couldnt justify spending thousands more for a couple more bells and whistles. This was after driving the Saab 9-2X (they would have had to pay me to buy that one) and Volvo S40 (good value and affordable option pkgs, but not even close on the "wow" and driving fronts). If you are looking for something in the $25-30K range, you HAVE to at least drive this car. If they dont have the exact one you want, you can order it from the factory through the dealership like I did.