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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  One of my best purchases - 2014 Audi S4
  By Sam K. - January 31 - 5:54 am

  Was on the fence between the S4 and the 335i, and boy am I glad I got the Audi. Ive had the car for 2 years, and this is a short summary of what Ive learned. Ill go straight to the point and point out the bad first. Transmission: can get clunky; when you pop it into Drive, its response is laggy Handling: my previous Genesis coupe felt more confident-inspiring in the corners MMI: I prefer the MB Command or the Porsche interface Thats pretty much all the cons that I can think of. The car accelerates as well as any 3.0L Scharged sport sedan will go. Brakes are fantastic with a consistent feel. The seats are not plush, but wont give you any issues. Drove from FL to NY and did not feel too bad. Build quality is top notch. My brother has the F30 328xi and the Audi feels more sturdy.

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  Great to drive - 2016 Audi A6
  By David Sherry - January 29 - 2:34 am

  This A6 is one of the smoothest rides I have had. Great acceleration and command of the road. A joy to drive.

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  Just a super car... - 2007 Audi A4
  By JF - January 28 - 6:17 pm

  I recently bought my second Audi. This one is an 2007 A4 that I bought as a CPO with 12G KMS. It has a sport suspension with 17 in. MAGS. It is a great combination of style, comfort and driving performance. The 2.0 FSI has a bit of turbo lag in automatic mode but is way less noticeable than in the 1.8T. Frankly, it is no big deal as it is not very apparent and basically disappears in manual mode. Interior is second to none and the handling is crisp and clean. In the process of contemplating this purchase, I have tried out all the competition and came back to Audi because they put everything into one great package.

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  Excellent Car - 2000 Audi S4
  By Daniel Connolly - January 28 - 3:59 pm

  I just purchased this beautiful car through a private sale, 180000 kms. The car is still as beautiful as the day it was made, everything works perfect. Great power and amazing handling. I love the interior design but there might be a bit too many buttons. Looks really good with aftermarket Pirelli tires and 18inch rims. Overall this car is a 10/10 for me. Hope you enjoy yours as much!

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  Buy this car now. - 2008 Audi A3
  By Quattro for life. - January 27 - 2:43 am

  Great car. Drivers car. Not floaty like IS 250 or G35. Very responsive, fast, engine has a very nice growl to it. Quattro is unmatched, do the research. 3.2 liter engine + Quattro = 0-60 in 5.9 at least. Tons of great standard options such as autodimming mirrors, bose upgraded audio system, rain sensing wipers. I love this car.

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  A4 3L AWD 2002 Seattle - 2002 Audi A4
  By Seattle99 - January 26 - 10:00 am

  Build quality is excellent, car is quiet, powerful, and smooth. No rattles. Front driver seat is almost too small for people 6 feet and over. Have never been able to get the linked keyfob remotes to activate the correct mirror and seating program. Throttle control takes some gettng used to as it is not linear.

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  Zoom Zoom - 2003 Audi A4
  By mcmuney - January 26 - 10:00 am

  WoW, what a great car. I went for the the V6 220HP because I dont like driving 4 cylinder cars for some reason. The design and performance of this car is just amazing. The power just oozes out when in tiptronic mode, its really fun to drive. All the little gadgets are a plus, not to mention the red interior color. My A4 lacks some comfort, but only because I went with the sports suspension. If you want more comfort, dont get this option. Otherwise, its grrreat!!

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  I left my Lexus for an Audi Q5 - 2016 Audi Q5
  By Linda Nuckolls - January 26 - 1:23 am

  After 15 years with my beloved Lexus RX300, which I passed to my daughter, it was time for a new ride. I obviously adored my Lexus, but the new RX is huge, and the NX was a good size but had nasty yellowish pleather interior, boring handling and that awful spindle grill. Instead I chose the Audi Q5 in Cuvee silver with Chestnut interior. Gorgeous! Its appearance makes my heart go pitter-pat, and it is SO much fun to drive. My only complaint is the infotainment stuff. Too granny sounding on the voice, and not intuitive enough overall. But, I can forgive that part because I am in love with the classy looks, and the ride that is the perfect combination of buttery smooth and sporty/peppy. So far, Im proud to be an Audi Q5 owner. I considered an X3 too, but the Audi is just so much better looking. UPDATE, 12/27/2017, 1.5 years of ownership: I still love the looks and ride of my Q5. There are things I dont love, though. The mirrors are too big and block my view a lot, and the sun visors dont extend and arent long enough for me (Im 53"). Voice control granny is pretty slow. The bluetooth connection with my iphone is quite variable, and the voice with google maps only works about 50% of the time (the built in navigation I dont even use, Id much rather use my phone apps). The a/c is not as good as the one on my 15 year old Lexus). My windshield wiper sometimes takes a random trip across the window. The doors are very heavy and tend to close when I dont want them to if Im entering or exiting the car in a parking spot that isnt level. Stuff in the back cargo area consistently shifts around a lot more than it ever did in my RX, though Im not sure why, and I really dont like that I cant close the back cargo door with an interior button. These are all relatively minor drawbacks, though there are many. However, I really do love the way the car rides and handles, and its still one of the classiest looking SUVs on the road.

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  It was my second choice. - 2017 Audi A6
  By Massachusetts - January 24 - 10:49 pm

  I considered and drove the usual suspects in this class. While the A6 rise to my top spot among the German imports, I found the design and features to be a bit dated. Probably about two years behind the Swedish and other imports.

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  Audi allroad 2003 - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By guenthpw - January 23 - 10:00 am

  Successful blend of utility and comfort, good looks; fun to drive. Power. Roomy. Many useful features like the ski storage, the net in the luggage area, etc. Unlike with other German cars, controls and information display are a perfect compromise between completeness and ease of use. Very comfortable seats, adjust easily. Cons: Insufficient lumbar support, road rumble, excessive tire wear ($800 per set every 20,000 miles), pronounced delay of turbines on dead start, initial glitches that are typical for German cars. But with the excellent Audi service at Maplewood Imports, I have trouble remembering the details of the faults. The care now runs flawlessly.