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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  Poor A4 reliability and dealer support - 2004 Audi A4
  By Arnold Thornton - August 13 - 10:35 am

  In less than 3 years and 26000 miles, we have spent $2600 on repairs to our Audi, $1000 for a door that distorted, $1600 for a clutch that failed. We also have a broken catch on a glove compartment unfixed so far. Despite the car having a 50,000 mile 4-year warranty, the dealership has steadfastly refused to fix anything under warranty. From what we can gather, this policy seems to be driven by Audi of America. We will NEVER buy an Audi again.

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  2001 Audi A6 2.8 - 2001 Audi A6
  By gwood - July 29 - 9:59 am

  I purchased my A6 2.8 used in 2002. It was in perfect condition and had low miles. It was, and still is, a beautiful car and a pleasure to drive. At the time of purchase, my commute to work was about 32 miles one way on interstate highway. Speeds where high and traffic heavy. I always felt safe in my Audi due to their reputation and side curtain air bags. I love everything about this car except its lousy maintenance history. It has been a very expensive (dollars and time) car to own. I can live with components wearing out and needing replacement but the continual oil leaks are unacceptable. It seems that Ive had every gasket and seal replace on the engine, drive train and power steering.

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  Upgrade from unreliable VW Jetta 1.8T - 2007 Audi A3
  By Jeff Lesica - July 26 - 9:14 am

  I upgraded from a very unreliable, but fun to drive, manual, VW Jetta 1.8T. I was nervous about staying in the VW brand but the second I drove the A3, I knew I had to buy it. I thought Id miss the manual tranny by getting the DSG, but its more manual transmission than automatic and I dont miss the stick at all. The interior quality is outstanding, the seats are not as comfortable as the A4, but still fine for daily driving. The Open Sky system is a splurge, probably not worth the 1100 MSRP sticker price, but I couldnt imaging the car without it. Golf Clubs dont fit in the back without the seats being folded down, but there is a ton of rear passenger leg room.

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  2008 Audi A4 2.0T CVT - 2008 Audi A4
  By Jim V. - July 25 - 9:43 am

  The car can be summed up in one phrase: performance and luxury in a compact design. I drove a 2003 and 2005 3.0L A4 prior to getting this one and the performance stands up well. There is definitely noticeable turbo lag, but this can probably be overcome by changing driving habits. The sound of the engine will also take some getting used to as the turbo is a bit "throatier" than Im used to. The car handles extremely well, though, hugging curves and accelerating very smoothly. The now-standard S-Line exterior features definitely give the car a sportier look. The interior is outstanding. The layout is getting better and the list of available features is exhaustive. In all, a great car!

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  Great SUV - 2007 Audi Q7
  By Great SUV - July 15 - 12:15 pm

  I have two children ages 4 and 11 months. There is enough room for one car seat, a booster seat and still room for an adult on the same row! I owned a minivan before, and although there is a little less room in the Q7 its not by much. Love the way it drives. MMI is really easy to work. The only bad thing is it gets bad gas mileage. But, you have to remember it is an SUV.

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  Keeps breaking every two months - 2001 Audi A4
  By Frank - July 14 - 2:44 pm

  This is my first car. When I bought it I was amazed with this it, very fast, fun to drive and very reliable. I bought it with 45k miles on it. Everything was great until the computer started giving me those annoying messages "SERVICE REQUIRED". Well, I decided to take the car to the dealership every time I got it and so far, I have paid in service and repairs around $2500 in two years! The lower lights have burned three times now, the left suspension arm broke, the battery died, the flow meter died, the sparks needed to be changed, the center console leds are broken, the horn broke and now, I have a water leak in the passenger footwell (this is caused by an aircon broken tube).

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  2003 Audi A4 convertible - 2003 Audi A4
  By Steve53 - July 13 - 6:43 pm

  I just purchased a 2003 A4 convertible a few weeks ago. So far I really enjoy driving the car, especially with the top down. It has a little turbo lag but once you get going, its very smooth. Overall, I really like this car and would recommend it if you want a fun convertible with a back seat. The back seat is small, however, and can only fit two young children I would say.

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  Excellent for some people - 2007 Audi Q7
  By Joshm18 - July 13 - 11:04 am

  Ive been driving mine for about 6 months now and I do love it. Its a lot like driving a loaded A6 (my Q7 is a 4.2 premium). It handles well, accelerates well and is extremely comfortable to drive. The tech bells and whistles offer everything you could need and want. My only complaint with the car is the off-road abilities. Thule doesnt make racks for it and for anyone who is an outdoor enthusiant looking for a more rugged vehicle worthy of hauling bikes, kayaks, etc, you may find yourself a little disappointed. However, some research early on may prove that this is the perfect all around vehicle for you. My wife has a Lexus and ive gone through Land Rovers, BMW X5, Tahoe, etc.

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  Audi 100cs Avant - 1994 Audi 100
  By jpcanuck - July 9 - 7:57 pm

  Of the 9 European cars I’ve owned, the ’94 Audi 100cs Avant wagon is by far my favourite. I paid $7,500CAD in September 2003 with 198,000 km (118K miles), from my local independent Audi/VW garage. Since then, I’ve clocked 80,000 km of relatively trouble free miles with the exception of front end suspension work, thermostat replacement and brake work ($1900CAD), all common repairs for any high mileage used car. As typical of late Audis, the body and paint are solid showing only superficial rust - not bad for a car that’s seen 14 years of winter road salt. As for performance, it’s no rocket off the mark, yet at highway speeds of 160 km, it’s like driving on glass - yeah its all about the Quattro!

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  2003 Audi A4 1.8T CVT - 2003 Audi A4
  By Darwin - July 5 - 12:19 am

  Compared to a reliability of a Honda Accord, I rate the reliability of this car to 8 out of 10, 10 being a Honda. Problems I encountered include driver side window rolling down on its own due to sensitive anti-pinch protection (4 dealer trips to fix), moonroof moving on its own (switch keeps going bad), driver side speakers going in and out. Good mileage (26 mpg), nice interior/exterior. CVT has a slight delay, which is sometimes annoying. Sound system is good even for a basic system (except for the speaker problem).