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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  Perfect for me. - 2015 Audi Q3
  By Don Parks - October 18 - 10:21 pm

  I have been very pleased with the Q3. It does everything I want so I have only good things to say.

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  Q5 TDI Perfect family crossover - 2015 Audi Q5
  By SMM - October 18 - 7:36 pm

  So far with 7500 miles the Q5 has been great. Plenty of power, great gas mileage, very comfortable around town and on the highway. Good value for cost of ownership. Hope to keep it in our family for a long time.

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  One of the vehicles Ive owned that I will miss. - 2010 Audi A3
  By Artie - October 17 - 11:01 am

  Solid car. Tracks great. At 72 on cruise control gets 30 mpg. Averages between 27 and 28 mpg combined.Have been very happy with it but looking for something a little bigger, but still in a sport back, or hatchback. Same thing, different terminology.

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  Car of my dreams turns out to be a dud! - 2012 Audi Q5
  By JLM - October 15 - 10:43 pm

  Ive wanted this car for 4 years. I finally purchased one after test driving all other vehicles in its class just to be sure. Only 35k miles when I purchased and was a lease return (keep in mind I made sure they put new rotors and break pads on the vehicle when I purchased it). I have owned this car less than one year and put 20k miles on it. I had completed the 45k mile service no problem. Just took it in for the 55k service and was told it needed new brake pads and rotors along with brake fluid flush, oil pressure valve replacement and of course thats on top of the $399 price tag for the normal maintenance at 55k miles. All of that totalling $2,300!! And I havent even owned the vehicle for a year. I knew that audis were expensive to fix but did not realize the poor quality of the factory parts such as brake pads and rotors. Im not a crazy driver and take pride in driving my car gently only occasionally speeding and braking when needed. On a side note the blue tooth is horrible and the navigation is useless. After this experience I have lost faith in Audi. I definitely will not be purchasing one again. I do not feel that this car is worth the price tag...disappointing altogether.

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  AUDI A4 ....What a dissapointment!! - 2009 Audi A4
  By Ramon Albarran - October 14 - 10:24 am

  Do your research!!! I purchased this used 2009 A4 Quattro with 72k miles, the car is very appealing and looks very nice which is what my wife liked about it. I thought I got a really good deal on the car, but now I know why the dealer basically gave it away and didnt push for that extended warranty. This car is by far the worse car Ive ever had on maintenance issues. The oil consumption is just ridiculous and just started ticking very loud...I have a 3 series BMW and absolutely love it. Im going to be trading the Audi in soon for another BMW and be done with this car. I jumped in this car without doing my research and paid for it. There are complaints about this oil issue every where and the dealership will not help unless your under warranty. Even under warranty it will be a hassle, dont make the same mistake!

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  Less Impressed Than Id Hoped - 2008 Audi A4
  By D Manetta - October 13 - 2:33 pm

  Purchased this car in 2014 after my 2006 A3 2.0T was totaled by a hit-and-run driver. The 2008 A4 had 28K miles from a warm-weather state and was a one-owner car from a vacation home - well cared for with full service records based on time, not mileage. I would have preferred Quattro, but the price and mileage were hard to beat. I should have listened to my instincts. Vastly different character than the A3... this A4 feels like a luxury car without any sporting pretense. The CVT transmission is horrendous - slow to respond in standard mode, jerky engagement from dead stop... in Sport mode, it holds RPMs far too long at low speeds before initially "upshifting." Engine vibration is far more apparent than it should be for any luxury vehicle - the same engine in the A3 was less prone to vibration. Brakes on the A4 are less direct, more difficult to modulate and with longer pedal travel than the A3 - might be fixed with stainless steel brake lines. Steering is much lighter and less dynamic as well same with the suspension which is calibrated for a compliant, soft ride over handling - lacking the balance of a BMW 3-series. Lastly, the climate control is noticeably less accurate than the A3... the interior temp seems to be about 5 degrees higher than the set point during all seasons. Might be a faulty part or just the nature of the system - hard to tell and not worth tearing apart the climate controls to find out. On the good side, the car is indeed comfortable as a highway cruiser. The interior materials are top notch. The trunk seriously swallows more cargo than my wifes Ford Escape. Instruments are legible and direct. For the price paid, the car came well optioned for a 2008 model - although bewildering that certain features now standard on mid-level cars (like heated seats, Bluetooth and USB/AUX inputs) were nowhere to be found on my A4. Its a handsome car that will serve as a good family hauler for a couple of years - a car that I wouldnt be ashamed to take clients between point A and B. Lesson learned though - its not a drivers car in the same way a 3-series might be. No major mechanical issues so far (knock on wood)... replaced post-purchase: an A/C diverter valve, the engine thermostat and the window lock switch. Not bad for a mid-2000s Audi. Overall, Im not sure I would buy the A4 in this configuration again... at this price point for a used vehicle, there are more competent sport sedans and more reliable family sedans that cost less to operate.

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  Save some money and buy a Jetta - 2009 Audi A4
  By Justin - October 13 - 1:40 am

  I have owned more cars than I can count. The Audi A4 was hands down the worst car I have ever owned. I bought the car with 40,000 miles on it. It was beautiful and drove great. As the 60,000 mile mark started to tick on the odometer, it started to fall apart. Every 1,000 miles the oil light would come on. I would take it in and the dealer said "add a quart of oil!" Thank you but is my car burning that much oil that I need to add a quart every 1000 miles or less? They offered to replace the turbos that "might" be the problem... Then the transmission problems started in. A very loud "clunk" every time you hit the gas pedal from a stop. Back to the dealer, "past the warranty, 7,000$, sorry, dont know what to tell you." Apparently the transmission slips into neutral when you stop and then clunks into "gear" (CVT transmission) when you hit the gas. It sounded and felt like the transmission was falling out everytime you stopped at a stop sign. It was embarrassing. It had to be driven like a manual and ease it in. Then the interior rattles started. It sounded like something was loose in the doors, every door. The kicker was when I started dating a girl that drove a 1 year newer Jetta. It was THE EXACT SAME CAR with the same features for way less money. She opted for the manual transmission so no tranny problems for her. The good things about the car is that it has comfortable seats and the interior design is comfortable, although, coating on the plastic will start peeling off so your interior will look 10 years old after 5 years. I had enough and traded it in. After 2 years of ownership I realized I could have bought a new car for cash with all the repairs and losses. The first thing the dealer asked when I traded it in and before he looked at the car was "Let me guess, Tranny or electrical?" Sums it up right there...

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  Lemonade season is almost over - 2015 Audi A3
  By Sonia - October 11 - 1:47 pm

  Uncomfortable rear seats with no leg room. AC is not as powerful as it should be and will not cool off your passengers in the rear seats. There has been a tapping noise coming from the sunroof which the dealership cannot seem to locate. They stated that this is normal due to the new models all glass sunroof. Experienced a loud whistling noise coming from the ac, Talk about embarrassment. The dealer said there was tree leaves. Lol. Less than a year with this car and already went in to have the ignition switch completely replaced. ( key is removed yet still recognizing a key in the ignition, if you dont pay attention your interior and exterior lights will stay on and your battery will drain) The brakes have started to roll which makes me weary if I ever am in a jam. This has got to be the biggest headache known to man. At less than 11,000 miles my check oil light went on, Im not sure this was a wise decision. Its time to breakup!

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  Way Too Many Problems.... - 2009 Audi A4
  By Mark - October 7 - 2:07 pm

  I love Audis, and have always wanted one for myself. I purchased my first Audi less than a year ago - a used 2009 Audi A4. It was fantastic for a few months....and then the oil problems started. Less than a year in and I have spent over $2,000 fixing oil problems which are not covered under the recent lawsuit. It really has made the car not worth it in the least. Additionally, the first Audi dealership I went to, had the worst service I have ever experienced. STAY AWAY FROM AUDI OF WESTWOOD MASS! They literally broke my engine hood one of the times I had to leave my car there. Everything about them was terrible from misquoting repair costs to not getting the right repair done the first time. They are horrible. So yeah, love the car but its unfortunately not worth it. Go for a Benz or BMW I guess.

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  Ok car, but Ok at $50k doesnt make the cut - 2015 Audi Q7
  By Jonathan Held - October 4 - 8:46 pm

  Where to begin with this car? The biggest problem is that the controls, for the most part, just make no sense. Lets take safety - all other modern vehicles with front sensors alert you when parking. With this car, you have to enable the feature (or go into reverse first) before the system becomes active. Thats not just non-intuitive, but just downright dumb. As for the side assist, make a turn when a car is next to you and nothing will register. The side assist is only blind spot assist, and there are strict parameters where this function only works. This is junk - the truth in engineering is that you help the driver and take the risk out of driving by adding modern technology, not that you take technology and make it not work the way it should. Other controls are not intuitive either - from AC to the pain of having to use the wheel to enter an address for navigation. Interior looks nice, but functionality and design are fighting each other. Lexus and Infinity vehicles have much better fit and finish to them and are intuitive and easy to use.