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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  Awesome Car - 2007 Audi A4
  By Kryzak - September 23 - 11:00 pm

  Just got the car, so this is my initial reaction review. After I drive it a year or so Ill put in another review. But right now I LOVE this car. The handling is great, the steering wheel (adaptive steering) is a godsend, the color (deep blue pearl) is beautiful, the acceleration is strong and the engine roar is sexy (too bad Im still breaking it in, so nothing over 5000 rpm yet), and the safety and interior features are very well designed. I personally liked how the manual drove on this car than the 2006 325xi, and the Quattro system is much better. I think this car is a keeper!

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  Great car - 2006 Audi A3
  By misterjj - September 22 - 6:30 pm

  An excellent vehicle that looks great and drives better! Very sporty, nice luxury touches, utility of a hatchback, lots of power and good fuel economy. This car seems to have everything going for it.

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  my review - 1998 Audi A4
  By lightdog555 - September 22 - 2:00 am

  this has been a great upgrade in car for me. i had a 94 jetta and this one well i love it

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  Perfect car for us - 2006 Audi A3
  By TigerZH - September 20 - 6:13 am

  This car is so fun to drive, everyday commute or trip to mountain. 6-speed DSG with 200 HP works like a dream, you dont feel a thing when it shifts. We are big fan of hatchback (or so called compact wagons) Cabin looks or feels great. We factory ordered our Silver, DSG, premium, sound, cold weather Pkg and open sky. We are pretty happy to pay 31K for it plus 2.9% APR.

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  Idaho Audi - 2016 Audi Q5
  By Doug - September 19 - 6:36 pm

  This crossover is terrific. Design, ride, engine(3.0), cabin, acceleration...you name it and wow. Meets and exceeds our expectations. Technology is good but not up to some of its competitors in all aspects. Back up camera view is blue and orange....Not the best for visibility for the driver. No collision avoidance...should be standard. Coming in 2017? Blind spot alert is very visible, a plus. Instruments well laid out. Controls intuitive...no more smudges on the screen. Sound system(B&O) aka as concert hall, very rich. Seat pre sets: steering wheel not included, a big oversight by Audi. Wipers and lights wonderful. Cabin noise could be less. Wife is 52" so access is easy compared to other suvs.

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  Audi Q7 Prestige - 2014 Audi Q7
  By J Ham - September 10 - 6:14 am

  Tire and maintenance are very expensive

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  Audi Q7 Prestige - 2014 Audi Q7
  By J Ham - September 10 - 6:14 am

  Tire and maintenance are very expensive

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  31,000 miles of fun - 2015 Audi A3
  By David - September 9 - 5:54 pm

  Ive waited to review this after Ive had plenty of time with it and now that the vehicle has just about 31k miles, I have to day that it is a really great car. Maybe Ive been lucky, but I have had no issues with my vehicle. I like how quiet it is compared to my last car and it seems to fit me perfectly. Granted, Im only 56" so Im on the shorter side, but I bought it for me and not my friends. Taller and larger friends complain, but I just ignore them. I will say that the back seat is not that comfortable for my wife and growing son, but she can always sit up front. About the only thing I have done is change the tires at 25k. The rear tires were already bald so hopefully the current set (different manufacturer) will last longer. The things I like the best is the air conditioning and the volume knob on the center console as well as the volume control on the steering wheel. To me, the placement of the knob is very intuitive and always easy to get to the right position. The a/c, with summer days of 110+ where I live, always cools down fast for me. It is by far the best a/c system Ive used in a car. One other gripe I have with the car is that the MMI wheel seems to go in the wrong direction. Ive owned it over a year and it just seems off. Ive heard theyve reversed it in newer vehicles so Im hoping its something a software update could take care of. Speaking of MMI hardware/software upgrade, dont count on it. It can be upgraded, but Im doubtful Audi will do it so you have to like it how you bought it. Overall, I really enjoy the car and even though my eye often wanders to other vehicles, I still am really happy with the A3.

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  Super car! - 2002 Audi A4
  By Starred - September 8 - 12:43 pm

  Great car

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  coming up on a year and still love it - 2015 Audi S4
  By david Z - September 7 - 10:52 am

  I had a 2006 corvette and a 05 acura tl. This car is like a combo of both I got it due to the security of the awd but at least touring on the highway it handles well is super comfortable and in S mode is quite fast. I did the upgraded leather and tech package and all in all it feels like it cost easily 40,000 more then I paid for it. It is not a flashy car but understated and beautiful.It gets returned for the lease in a month. I will miss it. Nits to pick the computer is horrible the time it takes to boot up, the lack of music for minutes after starting the car. My wifes escape sync system is better. Styling tends to blend in not a flashy car by any means. Still a very comfortable cruiser. I had fun tackling the twisties in W VA.