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:

• 

  Best used car for under $10,000! - 1994 Audi 100
  By Clark - August 28 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car. I have racked up over 150,000 miles and it still rides smooth. The looks are great and its styling looks like new. People ask me what year it is and are suprised to find out it is a 94. This is a great car and I would recommend this car to anyone.

• 

  Best used car for under $10,000! - 1994 Audi 100
  By clark - August 28 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car. I have racked up over 150,000 miles and it still rides smooth. The looks are great and its styling looks like new. People ask me what year it is and are suprised to find out it is a 94. This is a great car and I would recommend this car to anyone.

• 

  Bargain Bin A4 - 1995 Audi 90
  By Jones - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I traded DOWN from a 96 A4 a few years ago when a second baby made me unconfortable with the high payments. I saved a lot of money and got essentially the same car. Not quite as sexy on the outside but a solid, well- performing german sports sedan. Clean, crips lines like a well-tailored gray flannel suit. Fast, if not quick. Unimpeachable 5-speed transmission, smooth clutch. Very reliable except for some minor electrical issues. Comfortable, if a little cramped for most Americans. Tenacious grip in all conditions.

• 

  Bargain Bin A4 - 1995 Audi 90
  By jones - August 28 - 2:00 am

  I traded DOWN from a 96 A4 a few years ago when a second baby made me unconfortable with the high payments. I saved a lot of money and got essentially the same car. Not quite as sexy on the outside but a solid, well- performing german sports sedan. Clean, crips lines like a well-tailored gray flannel suit. Fast, if not quick. Unimpeachable 5-speed transmission, smooth clutch. Very reliable except for some minor electrical issues. Comfortable, if a little cramped for most Americans. Tenacious grip in all conditions.

• 

  Augusta A4 - 1997 Audi A4
  By EMDII - August 28 - 2:00 am

  - More fpg than any sports sedan available - precie and predictable handling, even when going deep - the auto-tranny is surprisingly good, even downshifts well - RED!

• 

  Two years of fun - 2002 Audi TT
  By tekn76 - August 26 - 2:00 am

  After having owned this car for almost two years, I have to say that I am very satisfied with the purchse. Build quality is excellent, and this car ages beautifully. This car handles and performs well enough for anything I typically use it for, and there is also a surprisingly large trunk once the seats are folded down. While visibility isnt great, the small windows beneficially allow little sunlight in, making this car cooler than most if you park it outside all day.

• 

  Comfortable Luxury but know what youre buying - 2017 Audi Q7
  By TxAggie - August 25 - 11:08 am

  Based on just 200 miles of driving this is a very comfortable car with great technology. I have the Prestige trim as many of the features I wanted were standard. I has the heads up display which is great except for one small fault. The plastic frame around the lens in the dash is smooth. At some angles sunlight will create a bit of glare around the edges of the display. They are low enough not to be in the line of sight but I would have expected the engineers to realize this and make the frame out of a material that reduces glare. The vehicle also comes with run flat tires and does not have a spare although it comes with a jack with no place to stow it so it isnt in the way. It has a can similar to something like fix-a-flat. Reviews on the mileage expected on the tires is not encouraging and a quick search for replacement tires (21") on shows two manufacturers (Goodyear & Continental) with a price per tire near $500. The interior is very nice. The one drawback is the lack of storage bins. There are only two small bins. The one under the arm rest will hold a pair of sunglasses but leaves only a little room for anything else. The CD player is located in the glove box so if you want to play a CD you have to load it before you start driving. The virtual cockpit allows you to do many things without taking your hands off the steering wheel. Functions like the radio and phone can be selected and controlled on the steering wheel so you dont have to look to the side to make a call or change the radio station. The blind spot warning lights are on the side mirrors cover and are easier to see than just a small emblem on the mirror. The speed limit for most streets is displayed on the instrument panel and the heads up display. You can set a reminder that will cause the posted speed limit to flash if you exceed it more than the amount you set. A very nice reminder in residential areas. It also lets you know if you are in a school zone although it will still flash as if you are speeding even when school is not in session. My wife has a very hard time pulling straight into a parking spot. The parking assist will display your position in the parking spot so if you are at an angle or taking up two spots you can see it before you exit the car. This is a great car (a little pricey) if you know the small shortcomings.

• 

  Awesome with some minor adjustments - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By tonester - August 24 - 10:00 am

  Great car that I love to go to work in. The 1.2hr commute each way is a breeze. Dont like the lag but I have to adjust to it as I did on the ML. Wipers were misaligned. Got that fixed. Noisy and squeeshy brakes - dont like. With bike rack fairing, the buffet-thumpning wind at 45 with open sunroof stopped. No more problems there. OEM tires feathered out at 8500m. Rotated and will need to replace soon already. Stupid accel/resume button for cruise control.

• 

  2004 S4 - 2004 Audi S4
  By keebee331 - August 24 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS GREAT CAR, THE MUST FUN I HAVE HAD IN A CAR. YOU CAN REALLY FELL THE POWER FROM THE V8.ALSO HAS GREAT COLOR CHOICES. FAR BETTER CAR THAN THE M3.

• 

  no reliability - 2003 Audi A4
  By guayamure - August 24 - 10:00 am

  My car has sport and premium package that is not really premium because the poor quality of the materials.Fun drive, safe car, good gas mileage, confortable ride but low realiability