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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  20v Turbo Sedan - 1995 Audi S6
  By dubrmine - October 30 - 9:20 pm

  Coming from an A4 with a 1.8T and Tiptronic I have to admit the S6 feels like a rocket. I have also owed a modified VR6 VW before, but this car is in a different league all together. Great highway cruiser and unstoppable in snow. Build quality on this vehicle is excellent and the example I picked up does not feel 12 years old at all. As for the performance, this car will surprise its driver and put a big smile on your face ever time your drive it. I like to keep my cars in top mechanical shape which in case of this beast means shelling out few hundred bucks a year, but it all pays of in the end.I’m looking forward to upcoming winter season and all the fun in the snow!

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  Top Notch Performance - All Year Round! - 2008 Audi A6
  By MMMPower!!! - October 30 - 12:08 pm

  I have owned Lexus, BMW, Volvo, Jaguar, Acura and this is my second Audi. Living in Canada with the relatively harsh winters and hot/humid summers I have found that the Quattro system in the Audi is by far the best I have ever driven for all year driving. Interior fit and finish and the intuitive design/layout make it something that I havent had to this extent in any of the previously owned or tested cars. Each time my lease is up I go out and test each of the previously mentioned manufacturers, plus Infiniti, and go through all the pros and cons, including cost, performance, all year maintenance, and passion for the car. Service has been top notch! Great car all around.

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  Great combination of luxury and utility - 2004 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By GRS - October 30 - 11:56 am

  I owned a regular A6 2.7T before getting the allroad. The allroad was a pleasant surprise in almost all respects. It has all the luxury Audi is known for. I prefer the Allroads ride to the regular A6. It can be raised to SUV height which is great for driving around the city and off road. It is as good as any vehicle in snow. It is a genuine autobahn cruiser on the freeway. The only limitation is hard off road. It needs beefier tires and it would be dumb to beat up such a nice car with that kind of use. I dont know why more makes dont offer this great combination of features. Con: lag is noticeable in regular Drive. Sport drive helps in newer models.

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  Nice car, but too many problems - 2003 Audi A4
  By Ken - October 29 - 6:20 pm

  This car is great when it is working. Unfortunately, its spent too much time in the shop. Its had engine failure (engine stalled in the middle of the street), air conditioning failure, the stereo kept going mono for the first three years, all brakepads had to be replaced, back windscreen cracked, drivers power window motor failure, alarm siren failed, indicator light failed, engine oil stick broke, sunroof didnt open/close properly- the list goes on, all within the first 5 years. I cant recommend Audi to anyone.

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  First German Made car - 2007 Audi A4
  By phosphateb - October 28 - 3:57 pm

  Bought my first German made car. Almost bought a ford fusion but when I really sat down and saw the better engineering, beefier parts, and the technology on this vehicle, the difference easily went away from the v6 opponent. All I can say is I got 36 mpg at 65 mph. 32 driving slow ~45 mph in stop and go traffic around town. Vehicle kicks with the cvt which you can make drive like a regular transmission, but that burns more fuel and well you dont need it.

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  Great Car - 2005 Audi A4
  By The Ladys Car - October 23 - 10:00 am

  We traded an Audi for a Mercedes and kept it 10 years but we had to go back to Audi as it was the best automobile that we had ever owned. The dealer is top notch, the new car is even better.

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  Great Car but Expensive to Maintain - 1996 Audi A4
  By mthomaslawrence - October 22 - 4:47 pm

  I do appreciate the bulletproof reliability of Honda (Acura) and Toyota (Lexus), but the driving experience does not even come close to that of a good German sedan such as Audi or BMW. If you are looking for strictly gas mileage and reliability, those cars are the way to go. But when you compare the feel of a Acura TL, for example, to an Audi A4 of the same year and price, the Audi is more solid and refined. In other words, the car has character. The Audi is the older, more mature brother, solid and stable without trying to be. Just like all the finer things in life though, it comes at a price. That price is maintenance costs that would most likely triple that of your average Japanese car.

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  Tires are the problem - 2004 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By dnwdeep - October 18 - 12:03 am

  This is our third Audi wagon and second allroad. We are averaging 20 MPG in all kinds of driving. The car is fast and comfortable and has had few problems.

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  Huge pain, continually in the auto shop - 2001 Audi TT
  By supafunkyfx - October 17 - 3:42 pm

  This car is pretty fun to drive, but I have had to bring it to the shop a minimum of 5 times EACH year that Ive owned it. Aside from the irritation of continually having to schedule appts and be without my car, the European parts are expensive and an hour-long diagnostic is required before ANYTHING can be fixed. End result: even to replace a $20 brake light switch, there is a $90 charge for the diagnostic before anything is done for the car. Because Audi was trying to be so artistic with this car, its a pain to do even the smallest thing such as putting on the spare tire and if you have a blowout once the tires are below a certain tread depth, you have to replace all 4 tires.

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  Fun car with lots of get up and go - 2006 Audi A4
  By Audi driver in Indy - October 17 - 3:00 am

  I got a red on black 2006 Audi A4 quattro 2.0T with the Premium package and S-Line package. It priced out at about 39,300, but it is worth every penny. The turbocharged 4 liter makes you feel like you are driving a larger and more powerful 6 cylinder engine. There truly is no need to pay for the 3.2 liter engine. The car has a beautiful exhaust note and is a blast to drive with the tiptronic. With the S-Line package you get paddle shifters which are a lot of fun. The S-Line comes with S-4 body stylings and badging along with beautiful 18 inch S Line rims wrapped in high quality summer performance rubber. The suspension is also tightened up. The interior is plenty comfortable and looks great.