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 combination of luxury and utility - 2004 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By GRS - October 30 - 11:56 am

  I owned a regular A6 2.7T before getting the allroad. The allroad was a pleasant surprise in almost all respects. It has all the luxury Audi is known for. I prefer the Allroads ride to the regular A6. It can be raised to SUV height which is great for driving around the city and off road. It is as good as any vehicle in snow. It is a genuine autobahn cruiser on the freeway. The only limitation is hard off road. It needs beefier tires and it would be dumb to beat up such a nice car with that kind of use. I dont know why more makes dont offer this great combination of features. Con: lag is noticeable in regular Drive. Sport drive helps in newer models.

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  Great Car but Expensive to Maintain - 1996 Audi A4
  By mthomaslawrence - October 22 - 4:47 pm

  I do appreciate the bulletproof reliability of Honda (Acura) and Toyota (Lexus), but the driving experience does not even come close to that of a good German sedan such as Audi or BMW. If you are looking for strictly gas mileage and reliability, those cars are the way to go. But when you compare the feel of a Acura TL, for example, to an Audi A4 of the same year and price, the Audi is more solid and refined. In other words, the car has character. The Audi is the older, more mature brother, solid and stable without trying to be. Just like all the finer things in life though, it comes at a price. That price is maintenance costs that would most likely triple that of your average Japanese car.

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  Better than yours - 1993 Audi 100
  By Cory nickoleff - October 10 - 2:01 pm

  I bought this car to use as a beater but after about 1200Km, I have found it to be my full time runnabout. I would rather drive this than my wifes 2006 Grand Prix, or my 2005 Sebring. Its just a better car, albeit a 14 year old car.

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  Good car but totally unreliable - 2004 Audi A4
  By SilverA4 - October 7 - 6:48 pm

  I really like my 2004 A4 but it has been in the shop too many times. It had problems with the turbo charger at about 37k miles, then a leaking oil gasket at 45k, ignition coils replaced at 48k and the entire 2nd cylinder head was replaced shortly after that. Luckily this was done under warranty but Im thinking of selling it now before anything else can go wrong.

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  TT -- a Great Car that has Issues - 2000 Audi TT
  By Rick - October 7 - 12:30 am

  I had always wanted a TT. Its a beautiful, timeless, distinctive design. Have had many problems with this car so far. Replaced the clutch @ 44k and the water outlet (common problem), $2,500. Then we had window lift mechanism issues, ($1,000). The gas door switch broke ($125), headlight washer -- (the front bumper has to be removed $400). Problems with the back-up lights, etc. Have read other forums that the timing belt can break unexpectedly. Buy a used one if you know how to work on cars. Edmunds repair estimates need to be adjusted upwards. However, the TT handles great and gets good MPG -- important in LA. Presents itself well anywhere. Easy to get in and out of.

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  One problem after another - 2005 Audi A8
  By Ali - October 6 - 7:01 pm

  From the first moment I got this car it has been in the shop. Over the past two years I have taken this car in 16 times. Problems include navigation inoperable, passenger window makes too much noise, trunk would not close properly, unless force was used. And the car died and would not start at all on one occasion and it was towed to Audi dealership. It took them three days to figure out the battery needed to be replaced. Very surprising that the battery needed to be replaced within the first year. The only good thing I have to report is that service has been accomodating and have provided loaners on every occasion.

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  S4 Avant - A car to love - 2004 Audi S4
  By S4AudiAvantAdvocate - October 5 - 3:44 pm

  Purchased my S4 Avant in July 07. Most enjoyable car I have owned. It has utility but is refined and comfortable, the design and styling of the B6 model S4 is timeless. The handling is incredible and effortless despite a 2 ton curb weight, 4 doors, a fully functional rear seat and a large wagon cargo area. My fuel economy has averaged 17.8. I have gotten as high as 21 in highway only driving. Not as bad as others suggest, but certainly no economy or hybrid. The acceleration certainly provides a more than adequate trade off. The rear seat is comfortable for average adult passengers. Not as spacious as a full size (A6/8, 5/7series) but the other options dont provide a V8 6 spd manual.

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  Practical yet satisfying - 2007 Audi A3
  By lady - October 3 - 1:39 pm

  Finally got rid of my SUV for this joy. Drove it on 1200-mile (both ways) trips and seats were comfortable enough not to have to stop every 2 hours, fuel economy was impressive, and you feel like you are glued to the road at highway speeds. Trunk space leaves a little to be desired since you cant even fit golf clubs back there without folding the seats down. Great car though. Wish you could get the options offered on the web at the dealerships without having to buy the entire packages.

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  Mean design, not so mean performance - 2000 Audi TT
  By discjedi - September 13 - 1:09 pm

  When I first took this car out, I was a little disappointed by its lack of pep. Supposedly this car has the same engine that they put into the VW GTI that year, the same GTI that my friend has. My friends GTI definitely had more go-power, especially in 3rd gear. This car lacked that "mean" mentality even after dropping down from 4th to 3rd to get that extra rev boost. After coming off of a Honda Prelude, shifting seemed a bit sticky and lacked smooth transitions from 1st to 2nd especially. The cars handling was phenomenal even on wet roads and felt glued to the ground the entire way. I love this car because of its head-turning design, handling and ability to amuse!

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  avant quattro - 1998 Audi A4
  By audiguy - September 7 - 2:00 am

  geat car, wish it was thrifty with gas. 6 cyl is smooth, but not fast off the line.