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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  Tried German Once - Once - 1997 Audi A4
  By Audibust - May 20 - 2:00 am

  Puchased a Certified Used Audi A4 - 1.8 turbo to experience some German Engineering. Unfortunately, Engineering was the problem, as the vehicle lost both a timing belt prematurely causing $4K in damage, and then the transmission gave out as well for another $5K. The car had less than 80K miles at the time of both, and the car was well maintained with one owner. After contacting Audi, none of the items were covered under the warranty, because they were considered "wear items", so the charges were all out of pocket expenses. Never again.

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  A Nightmare - 2002 Audi S4
  By Dlp - May 6 - 2:00 am

  I had my car for about a year and it has been it the shop for evertyhing more than once and even something three times. The car has been in the shop more than 50 days altogether. For things like brakes , transmission, abs , Electronic stability system , reverse lights, tiptronic, auto dimming mirrors. The best part is that Audi told me that even though my car is so problematic and none of the defects is my fault that this car defects do not warrant a new vehicle. I pray that this situation will never occur to anyone else. If you are reading this think about what you are doing? (Purchasing an Audi)

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  An honest feedback. - 2017 Audi Q7
  By Paul - April 8 - 10:43 am

  Head up display optics produce glares which at times can be very distracting. They can be small i.e. two bright points or it can appear as two bright lines, or (pretty bad) large and very bright, and rather large (size of a credit card) spot. If you live in California or any other place with plenty of sun, test drive the car in the middle of the day and make sure you can live with this issue. This alone can be a road block. Side mirrors produce a high pitch noise. Turn off the radio while test driving and listen carefully to the mirrors. In windy days it can be very obvious and annoying. Driver assistance system is far worse than the one you can find on a brand new Volvo XC 90. It is confirmed by IIHS. Test drive both cars and you will see what I mean. Major concerns on quality of the materials used. This may not be a perfect option for demanding person paying attention to details.

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  An honest feedback. - 2017 Audi Q7
  By Paul - April 8 - 10:18 am

  Head up display optics produce glares which at times can be very distracting. They can be small i.e. two bright points or it can appear as two bright lines, or (pretty bad) large and very bright, and rather large (size of a credit card) spot. If you live in California or any other place with plenty of sun, test drive the car in the middle of the day and make sure you can live with this issue. This alone can be a road block. Side mirrors produce a high pitch noise. Turn off the radio while test driving and listen carefully to the mirrors. In windy days it can be very obvious and annoying. Driver assistance system is far worse than the one you can find on a brand new Volvo XC 90. It is confirmed by IIHS. Test drive both cars and you will see what I mean. Major concerns on quality of the materials used. This may not be a perfect option for demanding person paying attention to details.

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  Female Driver - 2002 Audi A4
  By Female Driver - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I special ordered this vehicle and waited 4 months for it to arrive. I never had a chance to test drive and A4 Avant 3.0 6 speed manual with sport package. It is too small, very uncomfortable, rough ride, and the most difficult stick shift I have ever owned. Some of my most favorite features are not even offered on the car. I would love to get rid of it. I have extreame buyers remorse. I get sick every time I drive the car because of the rought ride and the amount I paid for the car.

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  ridiculously unreliable - 1996 Audi A4
  By rosanne2e - March 17 - 5:43 pm

  In its lifetime between 60-85000 miles its had several major problems including: 1) climate control display has broken 2) keyless door locking system broke 3) tie rod wear --needed replacing 4) one set of rear wheel bearings needed replacing 5) filter piece inside the coolant reservoir broke 6)oil leaks -needed oil pan gaskets replaced 7) car would die at low idle -an idle controller part needed replacement 8) dashboard trim around air bag separated from the airbag cover I will not buy another German car, especially not an Audi. Its been a waste of time and money to own this car. Im in the market for a small to medium sized Japanese SUV.

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  German Junk - 1998 Audi A6
  By Buzzy - March 17 - 1:52 am

  Expensive to repair, many trips to the dealership

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  GET THE EXTENDED WARRANTY! - 1997 Audi A4
  By Brennan - March 5 - 11:16 am

  Do not plan to own this car without a warranty! In the four years Ive had it, Ive had to replace: radio x3, ignition switch X2, starter X2, water pump, clutch master cylinder and numerous pieces of interior trim that cant seem to hold onto their paint. I cant buy another Audi, though I love the look and feel of this car. Save yourself before its too late.

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  Why, Audi, Why? - 2016 Audi A4
  By Stephanie Henderson - February 16 - 5:09 am

  After 11 years, my beloved A4 passed on to another plane of existence. I had always planned to buy another Audi when the time came. I didnt buy this car because for some reason, this Audi cant do what my much less expensive VW can do. I want to connect my phone to my car via Bluetooth and not only get phone calls but also my music, Waze, Spotify etc., to play through the speakers. I cant do this in the Audi unless I purchase the much more expensive package or plug my phone in.. to a cord... in the glove box. No. Just no. Also, CVT transmissions are crap and forced me into a more expensive Quattro to avoid them. Who doesnt want to feel the car shifting? Who likes CVT transmissions?! Also, the back seats dont fold down, theres not even a ski sack like my 2005 had. So, theres no option for a bit more room. I did not buy the Audi. I wanted so badly to buy the Audi but I just couldnt do it. I bought a Mercedes-Benz instead. Im hoping Audi gets it right in the next several years.

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  Reliability Issues at 4,000K - 2006 Audi A3
  By coolvw - February 8 - 11:00 pm

  Rear passenger door lock burnt out at 4,000km. Door wont lock and alarm keeps going off - Audi did not have the part in stock for 4 days. They suggested I leave it in my garage because I couldnt lock the car! Not off to a good start. I loved the car and, despite previous bad experiences with VW, bought one anyway...Im thinking Ive made a mistake and should have stuck with Acura / Lexus. Other quibbles - Im 6ft tall and cannot find a comfortable driving position (center console too wide). Lack of memory on power seats makes it very difficult to share this vehicle with my wife. Did I mention I should have stuck with Acura?