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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  Not Hard Enough... - 1999 Audi A6
  By my first audi - May 20 - 12:54 pm

  UNBELIEVABLE IN SNOW! Can be driven hard. A quiet ride with tons of space, smooth brakes, and ample performance on the highway. Bought with 57k in Dec03 now has 77k. Had to replace front end tie rods (2), CV boot (1), capshaft sensor (1), and normal wear-tear items. Check engine light loves to say "hi". Still wondering why little things break on this model - perhaps its just not hard enough for my driving.

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  One of my favorite cars - 2004 Audi A4
  By Julius Ignacio - May 20 - 10:00 am

  7 words: the best car and the hottest car

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  Wonderful Car - 2005 Audi A4
  By gary - May 20 - 9:41 am

  Delivered in flawless condition. Routine maintainance only through 1st 10000 miles. Quiet interior. Manual transmission with 1.8 provides plenty of power. Have bashed rear bumper hard a couple of times with virtually no damage.

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  Dont buy this vehicle!!!!! - 2000 Audi A4
  By The Whites - May 19 - 10:26 pm

  We bought our Audi 1.8T in 2000 and we were very excited about the car. As of today 5/19/2005 we have about 30,000 miles on the odometer. From the first year we owned the car we had issues with the Turbo and Quattro drive gaskets leaking air/fluid. Since the car was under warranty for 3 years, we had the gaskets replaced at the dealer for no charge. Now off warranty, the dealer told us we needed new gaskets again and it costs $800 to replace. Our driveway shows signs of oil drops. Ive known other Audi owners having similar gasket problems with their newer AUDIs. BUYER BEWARE!

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  Problems - 2001 Audi A6
  By Disappointed - May 19 - 10:33 am

  Performance is outstanding, but here are the problems Ive had recently: Check engine light is always on. Car wouldnt start, doors wont lock, alarm, windows , sunroof, controls on steering wheel, interior lights dont work. Headlights flash if I lock the car. Airbag replaced. If stuck in traffic on a hot day, the temp gauge heads for the red zone. Need to sell the car or move next door to the Audi dealership.

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  Great Engineering and performance - 2015 Audi S4
  By Chris Falk - May 18 - 10:40 am

  The car is built and engineered well. The handling and acceleration are great (in dynamic mode). The instrument layout, interior materials etc are what you expect from Audi and German engineers in general. My only gripe is that there arent any USB ports in a 2015 model higher end car. It has 2 SD ports which personally I dont have much if any use for. However, its a small issue in the grand scheme. Ive only had to go to the dealer for a routine oil change and to date no other issues worth noting.

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  Best all around car - 2002 Audi S4
  By Dave Sanborn - May 17 - 1:49 pm

  I recently went through the experience of having our 1st child and after 6 months realized that a stable of 2 Porsches wasnt working very well. I have always been a Porsche fanatic and owned a 930 turbo and a Boxster. Knowing that I needed to buy a more practical car but realizing I wouldnt be happy with less performance, I stumbled across the Audi S4. This car is the very best all around car that is on the market. It offers a stock 250hp twin turbo engine (which can easily be tuned to 310hp) with a max torque at 1850rpms. This thing shoots off the line and handles corners like a Porsche. Its also very comfortable, fits a baby seat in the backseat, has 4 doors, huge trunk, and can handle snow.

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  Born to Drive - 2005 Audi A6
  By JPW - May 17 - 1:52 am

  Two months into my first A6 (traded in a BMW 5) and I am very pleased. The quattro system makes cornering better than ever and oh so secure. Interior and accessories are top drawer. MMI has extensive capabilities and the Bluetooth link makes hands-free cellphoning automatic. Ride is Goldilocks-not too firm, not too soft. Long distance comfort (FL to MO in 16 hours) is a pleasure. Would advise all who cant cotton to new BMW 5 to look at the A6-its made me happy.

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  Great Little Car - 2005 Audi A4
  By Inne - May 17 - 12:09 am

  Have had my newest love for two months and 4,000 miles. Single touch up/down top with glass back window and a covered boot is superior. Stock sound system is as good as BMWs Harmon Kardon. This is a sloooow car. Replaced my 2002 Honda S2000 which was fast but a bit hard on the body. Compares more than favorably to my 1999 323 BMW convertible with one exception.

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  Exactly what I was looking for! - 2017 Audi Q5
  By Peter Murray - May 16 - 7:23 pm

  Shopped around quite a bit for a mid-level luxury car and the Q5 ultimately met all my desires. A little bit more road noise on the highway than I was expecting but beyond that, the vehicle is awesome! Luxurious while practical and looks pretty damn good out there on the road.