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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  Elegance in Motion - 2004 Audi A6
  By McCanski - December 4 - 10:20 pm

  Ive owned this car for almost 3 years now. Im extremely impressed. Have driven friends and relatives BMWs. This car is better. The AWD is awesome, even when its dry. Whats even more impressive are the twin turbos. I live at high altitude. They are a must up here. Passes 99% of everything on the highway and still gets 28 mpg. Reliability has been great. Cant beat the looks either.

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  2006 A3 3.2Q - 2006 Audi A3
  By Scott Lawrence - December 4 - 2:37 pm

  A great car to drive, performance with the 3.2 is smooth and very fast, handling is excellent. Especially like Quattro, no torque steer or wheel hop even under very hard accelleration. The interior is exceptional and the fit and finish are perfect. For the price I would have liked a power passenger seat and rear heated seats, but that is pretty minor stuff. Finished in bright red with 18" wheels it attracts a lot of attention.

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  Upgrade - 2006 Audi A3
  By Mac - December 2 - 9:43 am

  I drove a Ford Ranger before this car, obviously its a huge change and upgrade. Still, having driven a standard for the last 25 years, I didnt like the auto transmission for the first 5000 miles, but once it was broken in, its been a dream since. Cost was fair value I dont think it is overpriced at all even with the luxury package and Open Sky.

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  THE BEST EVER! - 2007 Audi A8
  By Brian - November 30 - 11:11 am

  I just picked up my A8L 4.2 V8 2 weeks ago and it is THE most luxurious car Ive ever owned. The attention to detail of the interior leather and wood is sheer perfection. The drive is amazingly smooth but as precise as a surgeons scalpel. I cant believe that a large luxury car like this handles so well. Not to mention the all wheel drive gives me a feeling of confidence on the road that is a true benefit. Mine is Black with Amaretto Leather and the B & O stereo! The rear seat room is amazing and my girls love the power rear seats!

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  What a grand surprise - 2007 Audi Q7
  By Joe Z - November 30 - 5:26 am

  I always expect great cars from Audi. But this was the best surprise. It is a fantastic ride. The comfort, handling and power (from a 6 cyl) is outstanding. This is the best vehicle in its class.

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  Audi A4 1.8T - 2002 Audi A4
  By J. Amador - November 29 - 9:04 pm

  I bought my Audi from Audi USA (used with 3k). I bought it over the internet and shipped to Europe (wanted US Spec Car). I drove the car up to 128 MPH and it ran flawlessly. Hugged the road and driving at 100 MPH felt like going 55. I did have a problem with the gas cap sensor that Audi corrected. Overall the car has been great and provides super gas mileage while providing umph when you need it. It has the normal turbo lag but overall very pleased. Back seat could be a touch larger. Very glad I got the 1.8T motor over the 3.0. I had 3 series BMW before this one and prior had the Audi 4000CS. Not knocking the BMW but find the Audi more of a joy to drive. Enjoy!!!

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  All around value - 2006 Audi A4
  By Shermdog - November 29 - 1:47 pm

  I had a 98 Passat with the 1.8T. After putting 165K miles on that car I knew the 2.0T would be a winner. I wasnt wrong. For all around handling, interior comfort, looks, luggage space and performance, you would be hard pressed to find a better value. The car is glued to the road and handles slippery weather. I chose this car based on these factors: MPG, all wheel drive, golf club fit sideways in trunk, safety, handling, fun, looks. No other AWD car has the balance of these and the price of the A4.

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  A FANTASTIC SUV - 2007 Audi Q7
  By ILoveMyQ7 - November 29 - 10:25 am

  I have had my Q7 for about a month now and I love driving this SUV. I got the showroom model so it comes with 20" wheels and alloy rims. The A/C controls are a bit difficult to figure out at first, but once you get the hang of it you will find its usefulness. We have rear climate control, the Bose sound system, power tailgate, Bluetooth, 3rd row seating, and of course the MMI (navi) among few of the features.

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  So much fun to drive!! - 2014 Audi A4
  By Leigh - November 28 - 4:20 am

  I purchased a used 2014 Audi A4 premium plus quatro about a month ago. So far, I love it! I specifically wanted a manual transmission, because I just love shifting gears. This car is a blast to drive and shift! I previously owned a VW Passat, which I was pleased with, but have really enjoyed a slight "step up" to the Audi. The car handles very well, I love the side assist (blinking lights when someone is in your blind spot and your blinker is on), the auto-sensing wipers (never have to touch the wiper level!!), and the overall feel of the car. It is very "sturdy" and quiet. My Passat was really noisy, so this was a great change. I also love the push-button start and the push-button parking brake (no more difficult parking brake to wrestle with!) My VW had the old-fashioned remote key lock and unlock, and I love that with my Audi, I just have to reach for the handle - as long as the key is in my purse, the car will unlock for me. No more searching for my keys in the bottom of my purse!!!!! Now for the disappointments: first, even though I have the premium plus, there is no back-up camera. I knew this before I bought, but was told by the salesman that I could easily add one from Best Buy for about $250. I looked into it (before purchasing the car), and it looked like he was right. However, when I went to BB to get the back-up camera, I found out that these after-market accessories cannot be added to a factory-installed monitor without a VERY expensive adapter (like, over $1,000)! So... now I have to live without a back-up camera. I also dont like the radio selection on the steering column. Instead of just pushing a button to move from one preset station to the next (like in my VW), you have to roll a little knob to select the station, and then push the button. Its almost impossible to do this without looking at the dashboard. It takes my eyes and attention off the road. Also, Im disappointed in the bluetooth voice command. In my VW, my phone book contacts from my phone were automatically recognized by my car. All I had to say was, call Samantha Anderson (or any contact in my phones contact list), and it dialed the number. With the Audi, I have to actually pre-record a voice tag for Samantha Anderson and input her number, or it wont recognize and call. I was really shocked by these downgrades. The Audi is supposed to be a step up, and it is in most ways, but definitely some technology oversights that are surprising. Some other features that are very important to me: a very big trunk and seats that fold down (very easy to maneuver), seat memory, seat heat, and a rockin sound system!! Although there are a few technological features that I would change, I LOVE the A4!!!!

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  Just Awesome - 2007 Audi A3
  By Mark80scu - November 27 - 4:30 pm

  Bought the car with DSG, premium and open sky. Red exterior, black interior. The car looks hot, people stare at it all the time. Great performance, great pickup. The mileage has been great so far, going to tahoe from the bay I avg 29.3, coming down I did 28.5 (i was going a little faster). Im 63" and fit well, dont have a whole lot of head room, but its not an issue. Wish the trunk was a little bigger so my dog could fit a little better (great dane mix), but folding the seats will take car of that. Too bad it doesnt come with quattro in the 2.0T. I would highly recommend this car, it just puts a huge smile on my face everytime I take a turn or press the accelerator.