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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  Great car and 36+MPG! - 2011 Audi A5
  By mps_ - June 17 - 9:38 am

  I have had this car for 7 months and think it is the perfect balance of practicality and performance. The 2.0T engine is fast but not even close to the S5. I use this car as a daily driver and often commute 4o miles each way to work. A great surprise with this car is the fuel economy. I got an average of 36.5MPG coming home from work yesterday (mostly highway). The stated MPG on this car MUCH less than what you get in real world driving. I am surprised that there isnt more press about this?

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  Very good value for the money - 2011 Audi A4
  By leodc - June 14 - 2:27 pm

  We purchased a brand new 2011 Audi 4 with the Premium package and so far 12K miles on it. After test driving BMW 3 series (even the Diesel), and Mercedes Benz C class (which is quite boring to drive), we decided to get an Audi 4 and its been a nice ride so far. The only thing I miss (I used to own a GTI), is the fun to drive. But I surely dont miss going to the dealer every month for repairs.

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  New A7 on the block - 2012 Audi A7
  By vintageracer - June 8 - 5:11 pm

  I am a long time Audi guy having early 80s coupe, 4000cs, 90cs, S5 turbo, 2- A8s, now a 2012 A7. The last time I talked to a dealer (8 months ago) I was salivating to buy a 2011 A8 ,but it was just too much $ for todays economy. I pulled over 3 weeks ago to look at the used s8s and then bang! I was hooked, what great lines and style the A7 car designers came up with. Its stance is agressive, swooping back with a great a** to boot (no pun intended). The A7 allows a more connected drivers experience and pulls with great torque from a supercharged 6 . If you want a more connected experience in the drivers seat, the a7 does not disappoint. Dynamic and Sport mode for optimum experience.

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  Best In Class - 2011 Audi Q5
  By dsippin - June 1 - 2:36 pm

  We got tired of our 2008 Audi TT 3.2 sports car (fun but impractical) and traded it in for a 2011 Q5 2.0L with the Premium Plus package. We could not be happier with this vehicle. It is far superior to the competition with a great blend of style, luxury, comfort, and economy. The electronics are phenomenal. The displays are sharp and crisp. Ride is a perfect blend of tautness and comfort - just returned from a 400-mile round-trip. Interior is extremely quiet. Perfect size, lots of leg room and plenty of rear storage. Getting close to 30mpg at $4.00 plus per gallon saves a lot of gas money. Dealership experience at Audi of Fairfield (CT) was terrific.

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  Just what I needed - 2011 Audi A3
  By ridingtoabeat - May 24 - 5:42 pm

  I just bought the car a few weeks ago. I got the Premium Plus with convenience, titanium, and open sky packages. The car rides amazingly smooth. Love the responsiveness. I was between the Audi A3 and BMW 328i wagon. The A3 is the right size, gets great gas mileage and its just a great car. I also got an amazing deal on the car (below invoice pricing). I left behind a 2010 Honda Accord which lacked performance and guzzled gas like nothing. I plan to have this car for years to come. Im new to the Audi family so I still have some tricks to learn but for a 4-cyl twin-turbo I have to say Im impressed. The car is very easy to use there is no complicated guessing or confusing buttons. Very nice.

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  Does 2005 Audi A4 need a recall? - 2005 Audi A4
  By sarah_311 - May 20 - 4:57 pm

  At 70,000 miles, I had to replace the transmission. Im now at about 85,000 miles and am being told the turbo is failing and that the cost to repair will be in the $2,000 range. If I make that repair, I will have spent about as much as the car is worth today on just two repairs. In doing some searches, it looks like to me that Audi has a transmission issue in these cars. (Havent seen the same complaints about the turbo, but I havent looked a lot either.) Sent Audi a letter about my issues and didnt even get a reply. I now tell everyone who asks that I wouldnt recommend an Audi unless you ONLY care how the car looks and drives (when it drives).

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  REALLY - 2004 Audi A4
  By tkite721 - May 18 - 2:25 pm

  Ok so i feel like the only people that write reviews are the people that have problems...... Really you are switching from a Nice loaded sports car to a cheapo Economy car with cloths seats?????? I myself have never had any problems and several of my buddies have never had any problems only on EDMUNDS do people have problems.....

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  Love it -- BUT the Oil!!! - 2007 Audi A4
  By rrli - May 16 - 12:25 pm

  Love this car. I bought it as a certified pre-owned - Ive had it about 1 1/2 years now. Love driving it BUT about every 1000-1200 miles the oil light goes on and I have to constantly put oil in. I have never heard of such a thing before. AUDI tells me that is normal for this type of "high performance" vehicle. I think NOT -- - I still love the car but I dont think I would have bought it if I knew this.

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  Audi -Never again - 2004 Audi A4
  By driver98 - May 15 - 10:57 am

  Bought an A4 2004 with extended warranty. Made a maintanence checkup with Keys Audi in Los Angeles. Told me i had to wait 2 weeks. i origanlly had a bad vibration problem to seek the appt anyway. 2 weeks latwer at 103,000 mile son car they would not honor the 100,00 warranty. AND would not honor the extended warranty. I called Audi America and bitc$$! Made them honor the extended warranty. Only got an oil change and tire rotation( SCREWED) OK THEN i asked them what was the vibration,THEY TOLD ME...Motor Mounts. Wanted 2k from the dealer to fix. I went to local mech for $800. Replaced them vibration was still there. 3 days later ENGINE BLEW! Due to timing chain fail.Called them,did nothing

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  2011 3.2 Q5 Prestige Pckg - 2011 Audi Q5
  By trinitywolf - May 3 - 12:36 pm

  After doing a LOT of research and test driving we kept coming back to the Q5. There is nothing else quite like when you combine looks, features and performance. We liked the 2.0 engine but the 3.2 has no lag and it is silky smooth. Now, after hearing about the oil usage of the 2.0 we are very glad we chose the 3.2. Yes the gas mileage is not quite as good but we are ok with that.