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:

• 

  Meltdown - 2007 Audi A4
  By czech3 - May 20 - 7:58 pm

  At around 120k miles I replace the timing belt. The engine sounded more high pitched with a whining sound right aferwards. Several thousand miles later the oil symbol started flashing and several blocks later the engine was toast. The local garage it was towed to thought it was the timing belt. Took it to the dealer and they said it was the oil pump. When Consumer Reports says the A4 models have major engine problems I guess this is what they meant. No satisfaction from the Audi dealer...only blame that I drove it several blocks befor pulling over.

• 

  Glad to be rid of this car - 2011 Audi A5
  By dontlikeaudi - May 20 - 8:04 am

  I bought mine new in 2011 and kept in nearly 4 years. My car burned oil. Audi settled a class action lawsuit because they used bad parts that cause this problem. Getting warranty to deal with this or any other issue was always a pain in the rear. The programming also was annoying. Set your lights to auto and everytime to open the door with to grab the mail with the engine on you get a warning tone. Radio presets always have to be selected instead of staying in memory. Service light can only be turned off by audi not independent garages. If the passenger unbuckles, I dont need a tone every 60 seconds. I traded for a BMW and am very happy I got out of this POS.

• 

  I love it, but I hate it too. - 2004 Audi A4
  By lagdh - May 16 - 3:00 pm

  This car is fantastic... When it works. For all the two years Ive had it, I dont think it has worked properly for more than two months of that time. Theres always some problem which is hard to diagnose, the problem which then ends up being expensive. This is not to say that it isnt a great car, it certainly is. The Quattro AWD is spectacular in the snow and sticks to the road in summer as well. Performance needs improvement though --- Theres very little low-end torque, and there just needs to be more horsepower to propel this 3,500 pound car. Overall Id say dont get this car over 100,000 miles, itll just frustrate

• 

  Horrible Service - 2015 Audi A3
  By rickykim714 - March 18 - 3:09 am

  Bought a 2015 Audi A3 a little over a month ago. Great car, but having problems with the navigation MMI already. Tells me that the car is somewhere I am not, and doesnt catch the speed traps which all other Audis do here in Korea. Took it to AUDI KOREA service center twice and they cant figure it out. Basically told me I am out of luck. This is of course AFTER taking my car our for a 44 km joy ride and unplugging the black box so there would be no evidence (expect for my empty gas tank). I just hope Audi Headquarters finds a solution to fix the MMI because the AUDI KOREA dealership and service center are incompetent and horrible. Please hire employees that know how to fix their own produc

• 

  A4 1.8T Quatro - 1999 Audi A4
  By giventi - January 27 - 8:20 pm

  One of the most expensive car to maintain. It will eat your wallet. If you know how to work on this car go for it. It drives very solid and safe. AWD great on snow but when you have more than 6-7 inches of snow you are in trouble. Very low clearance. Almost every Audi made around that time have problem with cluster panel. Air bag light on. has bunch of very expensive sensors. If all the maintenance done regularly it is OK to buy one of them. Otherwise even if you get it for free prepare yourself for $3 to 4 thousands of repairs in couple years. Engine mount and tranmsn mnt collapsed at 110K mls. That shakes rear axle like hell. Front end have so many parts to replace. FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!!!!

• 

  2014 Audi A6 - After 6 months - 2014 Audi A6
  By kcmo3 - January 16 - 11:29 am

  I bought a new A6 Prestige 3.0 in May 2014. Cold weather package, LED, 19" sport package...etc. After owning the car for 6 months, I can say that it is comfortable, quiet, and delivers enough power with the twin turbo engine but this car is not a "sport sedan". It has a tendency to understeer and the dynamic driving mode doesnt seem to help with suspension stiffness. The power comes in around 3K RPM when the turbo come on. Car interior: Id give it a B based on the fact that it has 4 zone climate control, ventilated seats, quiet cabin, shades... but these are all options you have to pay for. Door trim needs leather instead of plastic. MMI system is a fail.

• 

  a beautiful lemon - 2009 Audi Q7
  By humerus - January 16 - 9:45 am

  I have had this car/truck/suv for 6 years now. Pros: First of all, a lot of people come up and tell me how cool looking this car is. A lot of folks take pics too. Second, - the car has awesome 4WD on ice and the way it handles overtaking(passing) and gets a vroom is nice. third- the interiors are awesome looking. Cons: a) While under warranty the battery broke, the amplifier broke, the no sensor broke, some other electrical issues. b) as soon as the 4 year warranty ended, the ad-blue pump broke malfunctioned and had to be replaced for 2000 bucks. c) on its 5 year run- the a/c compressor broke costing 3000 repairs, the rear light holder burnt, front lights broke...lemon. dont buy

• 

  2009 A4- stay away - 2009 Audi A4
  By dsand00 - December 31 - 12:48 pm

  I bought it with 24000 miles and am going to sell it as soon as it gets out of CPO. I have replaced the motor mounts 3 times, a steering hose twice, and just got done replacing the pistons. All these repairs were done before 55,000 miles. I now have about 62k on it, and cant wait to sell it. This car has been a nightmare and would have cost more than $12000 in repairs if it wasnt a CPO car.

• 

  Holy Cow what a POS - 2015 Audi A3
  By italianstalli - October 27 - 6:53 am

  Had the car for four months, dealership had it for half that time. Power window issues that couldnt be fixed (charged me each time as if warranty didnt exist). Shaking at certain speeds (40mph and then again at 60mph), dealership told me I had to buy four new wheels...and that didnt fix it. Nav didnt work for days on end for some reason and then randomly started working again. One of the worst cars Ive ever owned. Dont be fooled with how great this car looks because it is an overpriced piece of junk. I ended up trading it in to be rid of it because it was leeching my time, money, and sanity.

• 

  So much to love but so many annoyances! - 2014 Audi Q5
  By remlerman - October 2 - 4:43 pm

  This car handles terrifically as smooth and responsive as any BMW or Lexus Ive owned. The diesel has so much low end torque that youll blow off kids in hot cars without meaning to. The car is beautiful and comfortable and the sound system excellent. All that being said, Ill never buy another Audi based on this car. The car lags when trying to accelerate just a little from an already-slow speed (like turning at an intersection with pedestrians or waiting for a break in oncoming cars while turning) leaving you in dangerous situations at times. The electronics are WAY behind the curve: you have to take your eyes off the road and hand off the wheel for FAR too much.