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:

• 

  Transmission default - 2009 Audi Q5
  By alex - October 6 - 9:32 pm

  Although a very good looking car and fun to drive at high speeds, this car transmission technology is still too new and Audi has not full control over it, I have a default transmission, and am not the only one, they have no right answers as how to fix it, they first exchange the mechatronics which has nothing to do with the jerking of the transmission in the lower gears, and after trying different things and not being able to repair the car their best solution is to replace the entire transmission in a vehicle that has less than 2800 miles. That to me as a customer is unacceptable.

• 

  Love/Hate Relationship - 2004 Audi A4
  By Darren - September 30 - 8:21 am

  I bought this car w/50k miles on it and it has 89k now. I love driving this car. I love the looks & the interior is awesome. Gas mileage is grt as I avg 26 mpg & get at least 32 on hwy. The hate on this car is reliability issues. I have had coolant leaks, oil leaks, & now the trans is leaving puddles on my garage flr. I have replaced both frt wdw regulators, the fuel pump, 3 of the 4 ign coils on the engine. I have had issues with the air bags & the engine light is on a lot. When it rains the car leaks water in at the A pillar & no one seems to know why. Its in the shop more than my garage. Im scared what it will cost after 100k. I love it, but its going to have to go. Go back to BMW or Japanese.

• 

  Great car, but reliability issues - 2003 Audi A4
  By Brian - September 25 - 2:51 pm

  I bought this car certified used with 43k miles on it. I have driven Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, BMW and Mercedes. In general this is a great and solid feeling car. Outstanding interior which I like even better than the new models. Strong performance (acceleration a little light), and fabulous in the snow. Great car when things are working. Some reliability issues. Car got stuck in tiptronic day 1. Received flats on 3 of 4 pirelli tires that came with. Antenna had to be fixed, wipers got stuck vertical on windshield, had to replace brakes, fix broken wiper fluid tube, and engine steamed up once. I have never felt that the car would stop running on me, but things always need to be fixed.

• 

  62,000 Miles and the engine is done. - 2006 Audi A4
  By LaneC - September 20 - 11:18 am

  What a fun car to drive. It hugs the road, it whips up to speed in seconds, it sips gas and it looks like a millionaires car. Unfortunately at 62,000 miles I just found out the engine needs to be replaced. Fortunately I purchased the car nine (9) months ago as a certified pre-owned so the work will be covered under their warranty.

• 

  A Very Appealing Car - 2009 Audi A4
  By pjl275 - September 16 - 8:39 pm

  We get many compliments on our S-Line Cab. Great looking S4 wheels. This is our first convertible and we love top down driving. The Cab is fun to drive but not BMW thrilling. Like the fact its an AWD car, for full year use. Fit and finish is excellent, interior is gorgeous. Gas mileage is terrible. Hope long term reliability is good. We leased, but buyout is very attractive. If it holds together, can envision a long term ownership.

• 

  A3 Tire noise - 2006 Audi A3
  By Irv - August 30 - 12:47 pm

  I love the car, however, at 7500 miles I complained about tire noise. The dealers response was to replace the tires. I felt that this answer was inadequate. Am I supposed to replace my tires every 7500 miles? Audi obviously knows about the problem on the A3 but refuses to do anything about it. This has soured me on the car. I will never buy another Audi.

• 

  Nice, Costly Family Sportster - 2004 Audi A6
  By Nice, Costly Car - August 26 - 7:46 am

  I bought this car from pampering owner. I had a 98 A8 10yrs ago that I prefer. The car looks awesome but I find myself nickel and diming my way through ownership of this Audi too. Both of my 5 series BMWs and my two Volvos (S60 & S80) were much less expensive to own. I hit a small deer at 20 mph that cost 5K to repair- chalk 1 for the dealer. Cant seem to get the ride completely smooth and the dealership always finds something. The car is not as fast off the line as the engine sounds, but it is great on the highway. Big gas tank is great for trips and the highway mpg is great--especially compared to the dismal in-city driving with a heavy foot. Overall- not sure its worth it.

• 

  Great little car - 2002 Audi A4
  By Lyle H. - August 21 - 12:55 pm

  I originally bought the 5sp. manual Audi A4 1.8t used with 95,000 miles on the odometer. 15 minutes after driving it away from the dealer, the car nearly broke down, so we drove it back and they replaced an engine coil and all was fine. I went about 10,000 miles with an oil change every 3k miles, and one day when I started it up the engine was acting funny and the check engine and oil light came on, indicating that there were signs of oil sludge buildup, which I read is quite common in the 1.8t, due to design flaw. Now, the radio acts up. However I love this car regardless. Such a fun, attractive, luxurious little car.

• 

  Well worth the cons. - 2003 Audi A6
  By speedracr226 - August 20 - 3:05 pm

  I recently purchased a 2003 Audi A6 with the 2.7t. I absolutely love the car and recommended buying one if you are in the market. The big con that everyone looks at is reliability and cost of fixing. These are all legitimate concerns and if you cannot afford a brand of this caliber do not force it upon yourself. If you can, go for it. It is smooth (engine and ride), fun to drive, and can easily be made into a sport sedan with a few simple tuning steps. The room inside is fantastic and the way everything is put together simply makes you realize you are driving something that was truly engineered, not just threw together. Overall I am 100% satisfied with the purchase of this car.

• 

  Engine management - 2009 Audi A8
  By joe - August 19 - 12:31 pm

  Replaced an identical 06 with this vehicle. I am having problems with the engine management of the new car. Idles rough hesitant upon acceleration and downshifts with surges unexpectedly.