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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  Sporty & Practical - 2006 Audi A3
  By webdevasp - November 16 - 3:07 pm

  I cross shopped this car against the Subaru Legacy GT/ WRX, and Audi S4 V8. The Legacy felt bland and the WRX unrefined. While the V8 S4 with its 300hp was the best motor, the interior was small and the A3s hatchback trumps it for practicality. The A3 S-line comes with all the bells and whistles: Sirius XM, Bluetooth, heated driver and passenger seats, twin glass roofs, self leveling HID lights etc. Audi continues to make cars with handsome interiors. Of course the famed Quattro drive makes winter driving a breeze. Performance is brisk for 250Hp and launches are surefooted with AWD. Brakes haul down the car in an instant with little fade.

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  Great car! Just take care of it! - 2009 Audi Q5
  By stimm32 - November 13 - 11:56 pm

  We purchased this car with 24,000 miles on it, and we have all the service records. The owners before us were very meticulous, and they had very few issues, and we have now put 6,000 miles on it and still have had no problems. The review that complains about having to replace the brakes at 30k is driving in the city constantly, I can tell because they also had to have the carbon build-up cleaned. Carbon build-up is a fact of life for direct injected engines, but when the car is driven at highway speed, the combustion chamber gets hot enough to burn off the carbon. Also, take care of your car. Change the oil with VW 502 00 approved oil every 5,000 miles, and keep up on scheduled maintenance.

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  Very Satisfied - 2006 Audi A4
  By rms572 - November 2 - 1:53 am

  Ive read all the gripes about reliability and maintenance costs, and wonder if its just the owners of the lemons using this forum to let off some steam. Suppose Id do the same, actually, but Ive been really happy with our Audi. Its design is understated, not flashy, almost utilitarian, but very classy. Its stood the test of time well and looks as good as any of the current models. As for reliability, weve really had no major issues. As NYC drivers, we put the wheels and tires to the test on our pitiful roads, and thus have changed many tires. This is really my only gripe, but that can hardly be blamed on the car.

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  audi the best - 2012 Audi Q5
  By gmudan - October 24 - 8:24 pm

  Audi Q5 2012 my first and last suv. great to drive quiet, fun great handling, suspension, steering and trans, can be adjusted to your taste, all in all its the best

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  Excellent car for the money - 2005 Audi S4
  By jnicho1 - October 21 - 9:59 pm

  Ive owned my 2005 S4 since 2007 (bought used off lease at 24k miles) and it has been a great car. It is a lot of fun to drive with lots of torque and great V8 growl. Living in the city, I buy cheap tires (nails, etc.) and they still do great with cornering. Ive had it at top speed (155 mph) and it was surprisingly smooth, although the revs were really high. Dont expect good gas mileage, but thats not why you buy thus car. It still looks sexy and I get compliments with a car that is almost hitting its 8th birthday. I test drove the new S4 (2013) and it just wasnt the same. I have no idea what to get next!

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  The best value in true luxury sedans - 2013 Audi A6
  By whittonm - October 21 - 8:06 pm

  We have driven entry level luxury cars for years (Infiniti G, Acura TL, BMW 335). We looked at these again recently when trading in our 335xi coupe - nothing special or exciting. The new BMW was downright expensive with any nice options. We looked at the Audi A4, A5, A6. The A6 has everything - great price, great economy, great interior, and the dealership was much better than our Seinfeldesque BMW dealer. We had to get the A6 and have not regretted it.

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  Audi A4 burns oil - 2010 Audi A4
  By eric141 - October 21 - 7:34 pm

  I bought an Audi A4 in 2010. The car burns a quart of oil every 2,500 miles. I took it to the Danbury dealer, who told me the oil usage was normal because it was a highly efficient engine and the gas savings more than justified the hassle of replacing oil. I wished thes sales person would have told me that while I was shopping for a car. I would have bought another car.

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  Sleeper - 2012 Audi A6
  By audilane - October 18 - 6:12 am

  This car has been owned for 6000 miles now. It has all of the features one could ask for, including an incredible sound system Bose 14 speaker system. The prestige model adds the S line exterior and really sets the front end apart from the other models. Gas consumption is a combined 25mpg. It can go from a comfort cruiser to a rocket with a few button pushs and a flick of the wrist to shift into sport mode. What is so incredible about this car is it seems like it is two cars in one when you make the adjustments from comfort to sport. Interior is top notch and so far squeak and rattles are non existent. The normal suspesion is pretty stiff on its own (which I like). Good control!

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  Fantastic Sedan - 2012 Audi S4
  By donuschak - October 16 - 6:02 pm

  Since watching Ronin many years back when I was an adolescent, I have always dreamed of owning one of Audis "S" cars. I have previously owned two Audi TTs and while having the latest one serviced last Spring, my salesman "graciously" let me take an S4 out for the day and I was hooked. A couple hours later I bid farewell to the TT and brought home my new S4 to a not-so-enthused girlfriend. Since then, the car has brought nothing but smiles to my face. It has more than enough power to get you into trouble, yet can be docile enough to chauffeur a group of friends around for a night out. As Ferris says: If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

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  1999 1.8T Avant - 208,000 Miles - 1999 Audi A4
  By interactive3 - October 9 - 8:51 pm

  Built in October 1998 and purchased in April 1999. This car came with the sport steering wheel and beautiful cloth seats. I added mud guards to help protect the exterior. The interior materials are very good. Ive had no issues with the engine. Its unstoppable. It has the original clutch, still going after millions of shits. Theres no body rust. The bad: The 99 Avants did have some front suspension issues. They were mostly covered under warranty. The rear wheel bearings need to be changed pretty frequently. The side airbags had problems too, but theyre easy to replace.