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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  No More Sleepless Nights for Me! - 2004 Audi A8
  By ANJ - July 10 - 2:00 am

  I did not need another new car but I could not sleep for 2 nights after my first test drive...so the third day I went back and got a silver one with the 19 inch wheels! Now I cannot stop driving it...I have already put 2,000 miles on it during the first months..and usually I drive only about 300 miles per month.

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  Better than a Camry and even a MBE320! - 2001 Audi A6
  By Anonymous1 - July 10 - 2:00 am

  Looking to replace our 1993 Camry, we looked at five different vehicles-- Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mercedes Benz, and VW. The Audi A6 has the best interior bar none I was extremely disappointed with the MB--they are selling status or prestige, but not quality. The VW is a close second, but has unresolved reliability issues, but the body is similar to the Audi, of course. Only problem within 30days was a HID xenon headlamp which was replaced under manufacturers warranty. Otherwise, what a wonderful car...

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  Buy Japenese - 1998 Audi A4
  By raay - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle used two years ago. Have driven approx. 15,000 miles. Here are the problems to date: tie rods again-all seals leaking-airbag sensor- cracked oil line to turbo-squeaky drivers seat-warped rotors-replaced valve cover gaskets-timing belt tensioner-cruise control switch-engine control module.

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  Too fun to drive - 2002 Audi TT
  By bertram31 - July 9 - 2:00 am

  I traded a 1999 A4 in for this car and my first impression was wow what a difference. The car tracks as if its on rails. No problems in 16K miles. The 225 HP turbocharged engine pulls like a raped ape! There is some turbo lag but you get used to it quickly. My wife and I constantly fight over who gets to drive it too work. Talk about a head turner, too bad Im not single again.

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  DBomb A6 - 2000 Audi A6
  By okienawa - July 6 - 2:00 am

  My first Audi and it wont be my last! Its the best of both worlds with the stability to go in snow with flat out fun driving the rest of the year.

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  GREAT car - 1999 Audi A6
  By ndjano - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Bought this Audi last year and haven’t had one problem. Not one complaint at all. Car is totally awesome and soooo fun to drive. Quattro system is unbelievable this car goes anywhere. We take this vehicle into the mountains on snow-covered roads to go skiing and not once have we ever lost traction. The ride is flawless and the handling is top notch. Will definitely buy again because those Germans sure can build one hell of a car! Buy one, trust me.... you won’t regret it.

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  Different - 2003 Audi A6
  By Brett C - July 4 - 2:00 am

  The design, quality and feel of this vehicle is excellent. They thought of almost everything. However, the seat is uncomfortable and no matter what I do, I cant seem to adjust it right. I have also noticed that the vehicle skids, lunges forward when accelerating, esp into corners. Not sure why this is.

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  The A8L - 2003 Audi S8
  By THS - July 2 - 2:00 am

  The A8L is a wonderful car to drive. It is very reliable and has all the confort features one would desire.

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  This Car is AWESOME - 2003 Audi A4
  By jcrewguy - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Run, run run to your local Audi dealership and buy this car!! I purchased a 2003 A4 1.8 Turbo with CVT. It is flawless! I get so many people staring at my car when I go my. I got the Ming Blue color with Beige Leather interior. The handling is superb as is the quality of the intereior and the smoothness of the ride...go get one!!

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  Its relatively new but we love everything, almost - 2017 Audi Q7
  By Mike Jacopetti - July 1 - 1:28 am

  This is a very high quality vehicle. Overall it is excellent, but there are some areas that need to be considered based on your needs. More on that later. The ride, handling, and quietness is far superior to the 2010 Lexus RX350 that we traded on this. I also find the seats to be significantly more comfortable. After an hour in the RX350 I was already adjusting the seat due to discomfort. Not with the Audi. The virtual cockpit and all the driver assist features (adaptive cruise control, side assist, pre-sense, etc.) LED adaptive headlights are fantastic and have worked flawlessly. This does not drive OR ride like an SUV. You easily forget you are driving a large SUV. For those actually looking for a seven passenger vehicle, there are several things to consider. We just had our third grandchild, so the ability to put three car seats across the 2nd row was a must. The car seats barely fit in the RX350; making it very difficult to fasten the seat belt on the high back booster. Not a problem with the Q7 since there is approximately three additional inches between the arm rests. HOWEVER, we also wanted a seven passenger SUV so we could take their mom and dad, if necessary. Only way to do that was to put two of the forward facing seats in the third row. Grandkids loved it but difficult to connect belts, etc. Plus it was necessary to put the rear facing infant car seat in middle position of second row , in order to fold and flip the outer seats for access to the 3rd row. If that car seat is too wide, you are unable to flip / fold the outer seats. Measure carefully before you buy if you have similar needs. Cargo capacity with the third row seat backs in the up positions is significantly inadequate. For those planning to vacation with seven, this is not the vehicle, unless you dont mind buying one of those roof top carriers that make you look like the Griswalds. I really was not thrilled with the fact that the Q7 only comes with Run on Flat tires. There are very few manufacturers that make the 20" tires (Goodyear) that our Prestige has so you have to wonder how many tire shops within a 50 mile radius would have a replacement tire in the event of a tire failure. I read horror stories about ROF tires, but ride quality, noise, and handling are not an issue in the Q7. Due to all the technology there will be a very steep learning curve.