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 car!! - 2001 Audi A4
  By bustamove2000 - April 13 - 11:13 am

  I bought this car in November of last year and have had it for about six months, other than routine maintenance and fixing the simple stuff it runs great and gets great mileage. Every time i read these reviews i get angry because people complain about how much it cost to do simple repairs on the car and hows theirs engine sludge, One do routine oil changes like you should and you would not have this problem, two if the problem is a simple fix Do It Yourself the car is surprisingly easy to work on for a audi turbo charged vehicle, never take the car to audi to get it fixed they will make you pay a arm and a leg. and lastly my car has 180000 miles on it and runs like new.

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  King of the Mountain - 2008 Audi A3
  By k2mtb - April 10 - 11:42 pm

  Considering how many times a season I head up to the ski slopes here in Colorado a 4wd hatchback was a must. Coming from a Subaru family I started my search there, but was put off by the WRXs insatiable need for speed.. however thanks to this site I stumbled upon the Audi A3 and havent looked back since. Im able to hold highway speeds in the worst snowstorms and the A3 doesnt even wiggle when charging through the midlane muck. Weaving in and out of traffic while pulling up I70 is a breeze, one swipe of the paddle shifter and Im gone. But more-over, its the fit and finish that has won me over, everything is just as it should be and that coupled with the handling is pure eloquence.

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  130K and STILL going strong... - 1999 Audi A8
  By pocketchange - April 10 - 11:35 am

  After two years of ownership I have no complaints. When first purchased I decided to replace or rebuild all the systems sos not to have any concerns for a few years. Having little service history I continue to think this was a positive move in spite of the moneys spent. My greatest problem was locating a clean example of an A8 (this took months) due to their limited numbers and dubious ownership. For my limited investment, I am more than pleased with this very fine example of German craftsmanship.

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  Nice Car - 2013 Audi Q5
  By nhislop - April 10 - 9:50 am

  Bought the 2.0T Premium Plus, with Navigation, 19" wheels and B+O Stereo in December 2012. The Edmunds review is dead on - this is a well-built, agile and luxurious car. I have a few nit-picks : the MMI system has a number of quirks - for example, upon startup, the car will reset the volume level (even if previously muted) and revert music playback to the beginning of the track that was playing when you parked, as opposed to the point in the track where you left off , which seems pointless to me also, the gas mileage has been less than the EPA figures (but I suppose many cars share that trait). That being said, the joy of driving makes up for these grumbles.

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  Best SUV you can buy - 2013 Audi Q7
  By huntm2000 - April 7 - 1:02 am

  The 2013 Audi Q7 is a great SUV. It has great power, handling, and safety you can ever ask for. It has plenty of room for hauling the family around including the dog (75 lbs) to and front soccer, grocery store, and family road trips. So far i have al but positive experiences with the Q7.

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  My Audi is 9 Years Old ! - 2004 Audi TT
  By singleindixie - April 5 - 1:22 pm

  This car drives/looks brand new. I sure get respect when I drive anywhere. The people at Pete Moore Chevrolet in Pensacola have treated me very well. My interior has the baseball optic which looks impressive. Turns on a dime, fast take-off and stop. It can be a little noisy, but who cares, especially when the Bose is cranked up. Good car to purchase.

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  The Real Audi - 1997 Audi A6
  By buyer4future - March 30 - 11:59 am

  I bought my A6 Quattro new and now it gained over 200K of mileage and still going strong. The weather changed its states unpredictably but my A6 didnt change a bit of its performance. I have now owned another Audi (S7 Sportback) and since the first, I have not looked at other German made brand. "Truth in Engineering", thats right.

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  2003 Audi A6 Quatro Wagon - 2003 Audi A6
  By lrheere1 - March 25 - 9:56 pm

  Not a big fan. Too much car for the brakes, which I had a mechanic confirm this. The interior is not the quality I thought Audi was capable of. The seats are a leather set in vinyl. The vinyl cracks. As for any knobs or buttons you touch, the paint wears off.

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  far exceeds my expectations - 2012 Audi A6
  By houston_driver - March 23 - 8:52 am

  I bought the prestige line 2012 as the 13s were coming into the showroom and got a great deal. This car exceeds my 2005 Acura RL in every way possible, although the costs on an inflation-adjusted basis were nearly identical. Most importantly: after 6000 miles, I do not have any rattles, squeaks or mechanical-electrical problems of any kind. Love this car!

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  Audi low oil-Warning light - 2007 Audi A4
  By noaudi4 - March 15 - 4:16 pm

  I bought Used Audi A4-2.0 issues right from get go..low oil 1 quart. Took car to Audi dealer they inspected it for me. Everything looks great! 9500 miles later check engine light comes on. Take to Mechanic to run code. Code is saying belt slippage. Took to dealer right away. Waterpump, timing belt replaced. Noticed timing not correct still so they tore valve covers off, replaced timing chains and tensioners. Found debris in screens around cam gear. Found debris in oil pan from oil filter? Changed oil with only synthetic oil every 3000 miles so i dont get it? I am out $2500.00 dollars still and car in shop still with timing problems? Done with AUDI buy a BMW with timing chain and dependable.