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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  Great Buy - 1998 Audi A4
  By A patel - November 13 - 2:00 am

  Bought it with 129,000 miles on it. After buying it, spent few grand on regular maintenance (timing belt, fluid flushes, water pump) none of those thing were needed, but I was looking to keep it for long time. Currently has 140,000 miles on it. It has been very reliable for me ever since I bought it. Only thing I had to fix after I bought it, was wheel bearing and valve cover gasket set. I have many after market parts on it such as (performance chip, borla exhaust, itg air filter, etc) the gas mileage has been decent. 18-20 city and 26-31+ highway. Which I think its great for an all wheel drive car. I will drive it till wheels fall off.

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  Avoid this over engineered junk - 2009 Audi Q5
  By RK - November 10 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful vehicle and lots of fun to drive. Great interior. Excellent manners even on Illinois pot holded roads. Now the bad news. Quality issues from day one. Spent more time in the service shop than in my garage. Had issues with audio system, numerous unexplainable warning lights that pop up and go away on their own. Head gasket leaks after 6 months. I dont believe I bought a lemon. Seems many owners seem to have quality issues. Dont fall for the looks. Im through buying over engineered junk from Germany.

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  Solid Car but Know it well - 2001 Audi A4
  By Damsaudi - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Purchased the car with 118,000 km,knew it needed a few things when I got it but was excited to get such a nice solid car.Have replaced everything on the entire vehicle within a year ($25,000)mostly replacing with performance parts but only when needed. The car always pulled strong in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, little weak in 4th and 5th with stock turbo, but throw in a k04 and a tune and it really gets interesting. Fuel economy will surprise you, rip hard on it and a tank (60l) will be gone in 300 km, but cruise on the highway and expect close to 850-900. Small electrical things pop up but online there are many helpful resources to troubleshoot. Its a maintenance intensive car but with care reliable

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  Great SUV - 2011 Audi Q7
  By Q7Owner - November 4 - 2:00 am

  I have had the car for only 2 weeks, but so far its been great. For such a heavy SUV it feels light under acceleration, but leans a little in corners due to the weight. The 3.0T feels more responsive than the TDI. The torque in the gas engine isnt quite as good, but still feels like plenty. The gas engine feels more alive and is funner to drive. It is very nice inside and out. However, some things like plastic interior door handles, cheap feeling engine start/stop button, make it seem slightly less expensive than a BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes. It still feels solid overall though. Noticed a couple very small paint blemishes I have not had on other cars Ive owned. Overall happy with the car!

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  2011 A6 QUATTRO 3.0T - 2011 Audi A6
  By GUY - November 3 - 2:00 am

  For the most part car is awesome and fun to drive. Fuel economy is better than I thought at 27 ave, but I do mostly highway mileage MMI Interface is easy to use and understand. Much easier than the E350 and BMW 5 series I looked at. Only issues so far after 4k miles is Check engine light came on , but went out 3 days later after I refueled. Audi said it was either gas cap issue or low octane fuel. Also MMI rebooted once while driving but reset itself. Seems to function fine Blue tooth works great with IPhone4 although Audi advises not to use 4.0 updates Sound system is great but cannot directly record CDs to Hard drive. Need to copy to MPS files first, then copy.

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  Still love the car - 1999 Audi A4
  By Car Guy - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought my Audi 2.8 AWD car with 70k on it about 5 years ago. I have had the usual issues that "all" Audi consumers experience. Control Arms, brakes Axel wheel bearings and tie rods. Skid plate clips broke away so I removed it in the spring, and by the summer the AC compressor had failed because of water and other road elements. I am also convinced that older Audis dump engine exhaust heat into the cabin which annoying in the summer. With all that, you would think that I strongly disapprove of the car but on the contrary, I love the performance, AWD, winter and summer driving is always fun and plan to purchase my 7th one this winter. before you buy ask about timing belt, suspension..

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  @ 3,000 miles - 2011 Audi Q7
  By Joe - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Traded in Allroad (wish they still sold that in US) for diesel - like the excellent mileage and lower emissions. Decision motivated by lower environmental impact. Compared to BMW X5, LR4, Lexus, MB BluTech. Excellent choice if you need space and winter surefootedness. Lots of torque, but its a heavy car (noticeable in stop-and- go traffic). Drives very well - particularly on highway. Towing package did not include electrical harness - took a day at dealership to install. Major irritation is drivers seat position - simply too high for comfortable posture.

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  106K miles and no problems yet - 2003 Audi A4
  By abrammicah - October 31 - 2:00 am

  My A4 wagon has been the best vehicle Ive owned. Its comfortable, gets great gas mileage, and looks like a million bucks. I perform regular maintenance like changing the oil and brakes, timing belt at 100K, etc, and the car takes care of the rest. Only once did I have a trouble (engine stuttering) and the cost to fix the issue was $150. I bought this car used and the value for the price has been incredible. Its safe and peppy. I have no complaints.

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  re: update 1/10 "from the outside..." - 2009 Audi A4
  By Lisa - October 29 - 2:00 am

  Well, I loved my Audi A4 but I had to trade it for a larger and more comfortable car. I traded it for a SUV. Size: People are not able to sit in the back of the car comfortably. Its a sports car with back seats added to it to make it look larger. Try to fit a car seat in the back with another child & you will be sorry because it will not work. I am also 9 months pregnant and I was upset every single day over the lack of quality care that the Germans put into the comfort of this vehicle. The driving experience was nice & I really liked both the interior and exterior look of the car. I never had any mechanical problems with the car and the gas mileage was great.

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  Electrical nightmare - 2001 Audi A6
  By Darren - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car for my wife in 2005. We loved it. We babied it in our garage. I was careful when I wash it. We took it for a drive south down to Vegas. We started having lots of electrical problems. I thought that German cars were the best of the best. Maybe not!! The spot lights, I was fixing, once a week and then the dash display led pin lighting started to go. Then I had other engine lights come on. I went to the Audi dealer in Kelowna and asked what the would be the cost of repairing the dash and it was almost $2000. I fixed what I could and quickly sold the car to a young lady( feeling very guilty). I would never buy another Audi or Vw product again. There is no quality.