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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  New to 35K review - 2012 Audi Q7
  By boyracer3 - January 20 - 6:32 pm

  Phenominal vehicle. The engine delights me still. Lots of torque, feels sporty despite its size. 7000 lb towing capacity, seats 7 and will get 32 mpg on the highway. Theres a 400 mile stretch of desert through AZ and NM where Ive done this twice! Gets almost as good mileage, in town, as my A8 gets on the highway. love the wifi hotspot, thought it was a silly gimmick, but my wife uses it with the iPad often. Wifi is tmobile so coverage isnt great but its great for looking at restaurant reviews and researching hotels etc. Love the google driven Nav. The satellite overview makes exploring easier and adds visual interest. Makes driving at night and in the rain more engaging.

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  40k-110k review - 2007 Audi A8
  By boyracer3 - January 20 - 5:34 pm

  Bought a preowned A8L 07 a couple of years ago. Have put 70K on car since. It has been remarkably reliable. The build quality is excellent. I dont get the gas mileage it promised unless driving over 70. I have all service done at dealership, and have been very surprised at the low cost of maintenance, and the quality of service. Had a new A4 in 07, hated it, swore Id never buy Audi again, got bad service. Bought the 8 because I needed big and 4WD. Expected many of the same problems I had with the 4, but it is a much better car. And I think Audi is a much better car maker and has made huge efforts to improve customer satisfaction.

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  2013 Q5 2.0T Quattro - 2013 Audi Q5
  By zunoto - January 20 - 4:07 pm

  Bought it December 28, 2012. convenience package. Amazing car, i do not miss my last two 4Runners(03,11), love to drive that Crossover, great look, gas mileage is decent (91, 93), tiptronic is so cool, fun driving on manual or automatic sport or just D. Came with Michelin tires, do not have nav but the screen for radio and blue tooth is the same look and size. Heated leather seat. takes time to know all the set up inside the car, just be patient you are in a Audi. Now i dont mind beeing stuck in traffic:)

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  Love this car - 2012 Audi A4
  By gnh917 - January 15 - 1:10 am

  Handling, ride, comfort, and noise level are all fantastic. I average about 30 mpg and I drive pretty aggressively. Build quality is excellent. I have a manual transmission with sport pkg, heated seats, bi-xenon headlights and the upgraded sound system and paid $35K. The stereo is fantastic too. The only problem Ive had was the alignment getting out of whack for some reason, but the dealer corrected it and I havent had any other maintenance issues to report.

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  Think twice.... - 2012 Audi A4
  By aih312 - January 4 - 9:42 am

  So after 1.5 years of ownership and 24k miles later I think I can firmly give a sound review. I have an 12 A4 Premium Quattro with convience pk and heated seats. I paid 35K plus taxes. Now for 35k you would expect a basic trip computer....no...xenon headlamps...no. Memory seats...no. These are options that are standard on a TSX. The ride quality is decent, on the highway is where you will feel most comfortable. The city is ok...it just feels sloppy to me. The interior is really nice and comfortable. The MMI is a pain in the ass to use. There is no logic to it in my head. I am not sure what the heck people are talking about in having great gas mileage..I barely get 300 with mix city highway

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  Our First Audi - 2013 Audi A4
  By dale49 - January 1 - 10:31 am

  After buying a 2013 VW Passat TDI in October for myself, it was my wifes turn for a new car. She had her heart set on a BMW 328i...until she got in one. Too small, too confining, truly baffling ergonomics. We then looked at another Passat TDI(too big), a Jetta TDI(too sparse), a Volvo S80(too something), and finally the Audi A4. We were both sold on it right away due to the Quattro and Nav systems. We immediately put 3,000 miles on it in the first week with a trip to Washington State. Handled perfectly on wet, icy and snowy roads, and was a really comfortable ride. No sign at all of the oil burning issue others have had after 3k miles, so hopefully thats a good sign.

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  Q7: Power and Luxury is possisble! - 2013 Audi Q7
  By texasrich1 - January 1 - 9:57 am

  The Q7 TDI with the 8 speed automatic is a pleasure to drive. This is not your typical diesel found in US cars. The TDI is very quiet but really strong, the torque provides a very smooth acceleration and the 8 speed transmission shifts flawlessly. On a recent highway trip to Atlanta, Ga we locked the cruise in at 78 and were getting 26.6 MPG with 3 adults. The Audi MMI ( multi media interface that controls the nav, music and voice recognition works great. I really like the Goggle Earth Navigation. The MMI allows for up to 8 devices to be connected through WiFi. The seats are comfortable and 2 position seat memory works well for the needs of 2 different sized drivers.

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  Since its - 2010 Audi A5
  By moderncarlover - December 26 - 6:56 pm

  Since it inception. I have always wanted this car. I was able to get a great deal on a 2010 in Deep Sea blue with the Premium Plus package. It has not let me down. I love cars but I have never actually had a car that I wanted. I just picked nice cars. As my tastes and desires grew for the kind of car that I liked. Audi created the A5 and it brought all my desires to fruition.

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  2013 Audi A8 short wheel base - 2013 Audi A8
  By mancaver - December 26 - 5:26 pm

  I have only had the car for two weeks, so I cant accurately comment on the reliability---but all other aspects I rated as execllent, so I expect the relaibiilty to be the same. Anyway, I owned an Audi A4 which was very reliable. I understand Im still on my "honeymoon" with this car, but so far it is great---I have owned: MB E320 and C280, Acura Legend and TLS, Lexus ES330, BMW 530i and 535i, Mazda Millenia and RX7, Honda Civic and Accord, and even a Triumph TR6---of course, any new car will have features unheard of a few years ago---but the A8 is everything the (just about unanimous) positive revews describe.

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  Great car (while in warranty) - 2008 Audi A4
  By chaseaudi - December 16 - 11:05 pm

  I purchased this car used with about 1 year left on the original warranty. I had a couple minor problems, but Audis service is fantastic. However, after the warranty ended I began experiencing problems every 3-4 months. These included spark plugs going bad, problems with water getting into the intake, the fuel pump going bad, problems with the brake light switch, and more. These also included my car being stuck in the shop for multiple days very long costly repairs. Overall, the car is fun to drive, but be prepared for a lot of costly repairs down the road.