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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  Nice Car - Horrible service - 2012 Audi Q5
  By kingsman - July 23 - 3:14 pm

  Audi service is horrible. I bought new a Q7 TDI and a Q5 for my wife. First the Audi dealer overfills the oil in the Q7 causing all kinds of problems and would not fix them because the car was just out of warranty. Then my coolant in the Q5 starts leaking all over the garage and they say it won’t be fixed under warranty because the leak could be caused from an “outside influence”. I called Audi America who says “sorry” nothing we can do…. I am going to relay my terrible experience on every blog I can find. Such a shame as I really loved the Q7 and thought I could get more than 70k miles out of it. FYI- Criswell in Annapolis was the dealer.

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  Disappointed Audi Owner - 2010 Audi A4
  By dfinlayson - July 3 - 7:28 pm

  I am so very disappointed in the performance of my 2010 Audi A4. June 13, 2013 with mileage at 111044 km I replaced both front wheel bearings and hubs at a cost of $1809.50. Then on June 24, 2013 (115240km) Pad Wear sensor had a broken wire. This required new front pads and rotors even though there was still available wear on the original pads. This problem cost $681.63. I have previously owned two Subaru Outbacks which I drove well over the 100,000 km mark. Neither required this type of extensive, expensive repair. Having to replace front wheel bearings at such low mileage doesnt seem reasonable to me. Is this something Audi A4s experience as the norm? Disappointed

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  Welp.. - 2005 Audi A4
  By nightseeker - June 26 - 5:41 pm

  I purchase an early 05 B6 1.8 about six months ago with about 110k on it. I have put about 4K miles, $4K into it so far. As soon as I replace one thing it throws two new codes, pretty frustrating to say the least. I Love/Hate this car. Dont buy one of these unless you can afford to fix it, or fix it yourself. At this point it should be good til 200K but Im not convinced. -Brake switch -ECU- Coolant migrated through wiring into my computer and fried it. -Fan Module -Turbo - was bad, upgraded to K04& remapped software. -MAF sensor -Ignition Coils -Oil Level/Temp sensor -Thermostat -Engine speed sensor -Shift lock Solenoid is out now but will still shift out of park if you know the trick.

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  Disappointed - 2011 Audi Q5
  By atlanta001 - May 16 - 1:38 pm

  Bought a Q5 in 2010 August. While this is a great car to drive, problems with the oil consumption ( it is a major irritant) and brake pads ( I have done 47 K miles) and have them elaced twice. What is truly disappointing with Audi is the way the company and dealership have washed their hands of these issues. I used to own a BMW before shifting to an Audi, but this is definitely the last Audi I would ever buy

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  2003 Audi A6 Quatro Wagon - 2003 Audi A6
  By lrheere1 - March 25 - 9:56 pm

  Not a big fan. Too much car for the brakes, which I had a mechanic confirm this. The interior is not the quality I thought Audi was capable of. The seats are a leather set in vinyl. The vinyl cracks. As for any knobs or buttons you touch, the paint wears off.

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  2012 A8L has some LEMONS to admit and RESOLVE - 2012 Audi A8
  By grnltrn - February 9 - 1:35 pm

  Audi is building a few (hopefully) LEMONS and attempting to outrun their flawed automobiles with marketing dollars. A search of the AUDI forums disclose a number of late model A8L vehicles with similar problems and a lack of acknowledgement by Audi that they intend to stand behind their warrantees. Audi is intimidating dealers, directing them to not service the car or refusing to pay them for warrantee repairs. Seat sensor - airbag deactivation Mirror heat not working tranny hard downshift Radio station refresh Cell phone pairing fails Console rattle Door close/locks malfunction when cold Clunk on acceleration MMI system fails to play .wav and .flac files Int lighting flickers

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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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  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.

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  Fun to drive at a price - 2004 Audi A4
  By iamme1979 - December 6 - 1:34 pm

  I have now owned my 2004 audi a4 3.0L with ultrasport package for a bit over 4 years. This car is a blast to drive, and living in Minnesota, it is the best vehicle I have ever driven in the snow. Having said that I have been most definitely disappointed with the reliability. It seems every 4-6 months I have a major repair, not including the little things that I take care of myself. New tires every 1-2 years (15,000 miles/yr)Timing belt at 75,000, new radiator fan, new clutch and flywheel. I have spent $4000 in repairs on it this year alone. So beware and know that it may be cheaper than some, has great style, and is a lot of fun, but you may be better off with something more durable.

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  Reliability Issues - 2011 Audi A3
  By a3owner1 - August 18 - 6:05 am

  I have owned for 2 years and put 55K miles on my A3 TDI. Bought car for performance and great MPG - commute is 100 miles per day. With 500 miles left on warranty Mechatronics unit went - first time had issues was 25K miles and dealer did software update. (its roughly$3,200 repair if out of warranty). At 54K miles EGR valve clogged with ash - ($800 repair & AUDI offered no help) I called AudiUSA and got nowhere. DO NOT BUY this car for MPG savings, youll give it all back in repairs. Overall nice car but, I also own 2 Toyotas and Im spoiled by the fact that they dont break...I had always heard that Audi/VW reliability issues were a problem, definitely some buyers remorse on A3