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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  top pick - 2002 Audi A4
  By unfairadvantage - March 5 - 10:00 am

  The a4 and the 3 series seem to be in somewhat of a battle to be THE german car in the size. Having done a lot of reading on both cars before making any desision, i noticed that all the magazines comparing the two seemed to favor the audi but yet still chose the bimmer? accepting this at face value and driving both cars, you notice both have a lot to offer. 2 advantages to the audi, are, 1)its not the cookie cutter norm. and 2)the car has a personality about it that you instantly connect with. if given a fair chance i feel that audi should rank higher buck for buck, if it would only get the media recognition it deserved....

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  Right Brain Meets Left Brain - 2004 Audi A4
  By klmitch - March 1 - 10:00 am

  This car has probably the best combination of attributes among sports sedans that will appeal to both right-brained and left-brained people. For left brainers, theres the super- smooth, cutting-edge CVT transmission that doesnt sap engine power to achieve creamy smoothness (I previously drove sticks); absence of torque steer; superb handling and value versus BMW (I paid the same for this as I did for a 2001 BMW 325i with fewer options and smaller engine). For right- brainers,theres the clean exterior lines with an aesthetically superior interior design and quality of materials that cant be matched in any price class.

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  What a ride! - 2001 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Inquisitor - February 24 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for about 3 1/2 years now, and its been great- the best car Ive ever owned. Twin turbo engine mated to AWD and a variable suspension lead to a car both fast (got my first ticket in 10 years in this car) AND utilitarian. I still get looks and the best comment I ever heard was from a little kid who pointed and said, "Daddy, thats a cool-looking car!" Aside from usual wear, there have been very few problems. Im switching out now, but only because I miss having a manual transmission (which is available for this car- what a mistake not getting it!).

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  Watch out for Bad Ignition Coils - 2002 Audi A4
  By ace14 - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Overall I like the car, but 2 bad ignition coils have really spoiled the experience. Audi Customer "Care" refused to replace all 4 coils on the 2nd occurence. This is a major problem with the 2001-2002 models. From what I have read, very few 2003 have had the problem. Audis Customer service is poor at best.

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  Fun to drive. Poor to maintain. - 2008 Audi A3
  By Jay - February 20 - 8:59 pm

  We bought 2008 A3 in 2015 with only 27000 miles on it. It is FUN to drive! It feels like a race horse wishing to run! This thing is made for highway driving. Its ability to accelerate and maneuver is the best I have ever felt. That said, it is annoying to drive in city. The least little bit of pressure on accelerator causes it to jump, sometimes too far too fast! It is very uncomfortable / awkard to get in and out of, and I am an average size American guy (58, 200 lbs). The worst aspect is the inability to find qualified, reliable mechanics who are willing to work on the vehicle. I have owned Ford, Isuzu, Honda, and Toyotas. I never had an issue with find qualified mechanics with those brands. Here, it took awhile to find one outside of a dealership. Audi has a management software that few mechanics have access to, and I live in south Florida, not middle of nowhere Montana, North Dakota, etc.! Also, due to low profile, going over any railroad tracks or potholes can be annoying at best, or expensive at worst. We went over one, and fractured the radiator support, which needed to be replaced. I saw later that it was made completely of plastic! How cheap! A front-end structural support made of plastic, how cheap on Audi!

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  wonderful - 2006 Audi A3
  By UCLA Driver - February 18 - 11:10 pm

  I have had this car for about three weeks and I love it. Coming from a Camry family it has been like traveling to a new world with the amount of handling and road grip the Audi has especially on the winding souther california roads. The powerseats of the premium are really the only things I wish I could have withy my sports package. But really, the interior is classy and functional, the leather doesnt get really hot in the sun, and I have black ext. and black int. The only thing you have to get used to is that the car is slightly jumpy when you hit the gas, and when you park it rolls a couple of inches. The other options I got were the open sky and xenon headlights and the DSG.

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  Unsafe at (Low) Speed? - 2005 Audi A4
  By Jack - February 18 - 9:36 pm

  Odo @ 9,730 mis. when I "subleased" car from friend, who reports repeat instances of exiting hiway where engine revs too high while attempting to decelerate. My 1st day with it became keenly aware of major safety issue: posts at 4 corners of the cabin are too WIDE. Impact on field of vision most pronounced at low speeds as it takes longer for blind spots to clear, esp. if object is moving in same direction as spot: while driving <6 mph in grocery lot (turning R after stop) I almost ran into LARGE pedestrian who, though I had looked R- L-R, was invisible until I was facing him, and when leaving almost tagged a woman and the baby stroller she was pushing!

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  Tempermental Performer - 2001 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By LASurf - February 14 - 12:30 am

  Bought mine used with 35K. Ive had a few problems from the suspension airbags to drive seals and electrical bugs. Car is now at 70K. It is a highly engineered car that is also intended as a rugged vehicle. Maybe too much for the billing. It can be costly to keep but it does run hard, always looks good and is differentiated even from new cars. It is feature rich and the fit-n-finish quality evident. Depending on driving patterns, off-road etc. the air suspension, brakes and cooling systems can be faulty. You do have the turbo lag and heavy transmission shifting that the manual tiptronic addresses. The car is a beast in wet or snowy conditions and runs well in cold weather and desert.

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  Total Satisfaction - 2003 Audi A4
  By biguneatsza - February 10 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely satisfied with the A4. Its fun to drive, looks great and is extremley comfortable in all situations. While not blazingly fast off the line, its incredibly quick from 30mph up.

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  Glitchy!!! - 2017 Audi Q7
  By Unhappy Audiowner - February 9 - 10:52 am

  No sooner than I pull out of dealer lot, a warning light goes off... The next day another one, then the third day the first light goes out by itself, but I get another, then the transmission got stuck in park at school drop off line with lots of angry parents behind me, windshield wipers went to and stayed in service position, I got out and pushed them back down. They were inoperable until about the fourth time I restarted the car. That seems to be the trend, I get different warnings for things that are not an issue, low windshield washer fluid that is full, low tire pressure, etc.... Its like rebooting your computer, I have found that after a series of restarts, the glitches end up clearing..... Price paid? Too much for this much headache..... The car is comfortable but after 8 days of ownership, Im not happy at all, give me my 2012 Q7 back.......anyone in the market for a lightly used Q7??? I would not buy again.