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 car - 2004 Audi A4
  By redsox44344 - August 1 - 9:26 pm

  The ride was fun, always a good experience. Gas mileage is pretty good, and so is just about everything else. Not exceptionally fast, but it does the job well.

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  Loved our Cab so much, bought a Sedan - 2009 Audi A4
  By Hans - July 31 - 1:41 pm

  Just picked up an Aruba Blue,Premium Plus with Navi and wood trim. My wife has a 2009 Cab (older platform) for about a year now. I love driving it so much that I shopped the end of season sales for a sedan for me and found a great deal. I was driving an 04 Accord with 100k trouble-free miles and had no desire to give it up. The Audis driving dynamics, power and smoothness of the engine are great (even vs. Cab) and gas mileage is quite good. Its also the perfect size I was looking for. The gray interior is beautiful. The MMI is awesome as is the bluetooth and stereo. Seats very comfortable as well. If reliability is on par with the Honda, this will be the best car Ive ever owned.

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  Big performance in compact package - 2011 Audi TT
  By Joel Liebowitz - July 28 - 8:46 pm

  This is my third TT and it is the best, Agile handling.Fast pickup.A lot of car in an iconic package.

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  Terrific SUV - 2007 Audi Q7
  By Rick H - July 26 - 11:00 am

  We have had a vastly different experience to many of the recent posts. We have had this car for nearly 2 years and have had no defects or problems. The engine, MMI system, tires etc have all been faultless. The car is extremely comfortable and surprisingly easy to drive given its size. In fact, we are considering purchasing another Audi due to our satisfaction. Perhaps we just got lucky, but this vehicle has been terrific for us. Prestigious, stylish, comfortable, and reliable. If it got 10mpg more in the city it would be perfect!

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  Top-notch all around - 2003 Audi A4
  By pbrice68 - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Being a very satisfied Honda Accord owner, I never expected the considerable jump up in build quality, attention to detail, and pure fun to drive element when moving to the A4 1.8T quattro. Everything has a consistent and well-made feel. It feels amazingly light on its feet, so to speak. The quattro AWD is a dream in heavy rains. I cannot wait for winter to try it out in the snow. Dealer has been excellent. Best compliment, to date (from a co-worker): "You can tell that its the newest car on the lot. The design is so modern it just makes every other car look old."

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  Nice Car - 2004 Audi A4
  By Paul Hazlerig - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Great looking. Fun to drive. Has more power then you will ever need. Great on gas.

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  Sweet A4 - 2009 Audi A4
  By cyberalAL - July 20 - 8:51 pm

  This car is simply stunning, especially from the outside, especially with the Prestige package I got. Handling is very balanced, ride is sporty yet comfortable for longer commutes. Quattro provides excellent grip and 2.0T is powerful yet fuel efficient (have gotten 35 mpg cruising). Plus, this car is as big as the Passat I traded in. Some downsides include having to get Prestige to get those stunning 18" wheels and 4 cyl. a little course when revved hard. But overall, I loved my choice for my first luxury brand car.

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  So thrilled - 2009 Audi Q5
  By newb2audi - July 20 - 8:09 pm

  Previous car was a Subaru 08 STI 5 dr hatch. Speed, agility, utilitarian use best describes our needs. STI proved to be too low for driving on VT pot hole roads. So what was out there that would be fun to drive, quick acceleration, a great solid ride, not too fancy in appearance and interior, yet functional? My friends on facebook submitted their suggestions, this is how I came across the q5! In traffic, great visibility, amazing control maneuvering slow pokes. Quiet. An overall sense of being in your own world with its secure solid build. Great turning into parking spaces. The vehicle drives and feels small. We bought the premium model, base with some options which kept the price down.

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  Great Crossover SUV - 2009 Audi Q5
  By rb - July 20 - 2:15 pm

  I bought the Q5 after driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee for the last 5 years. I loved my jeep and hated to give it up but the build quality was poor and gas mileage was terrible. I wanted a higher quality vehicle that still could function as a SUV but drove well and offered better gas mileage. The Q5 fits the bill. The Q5 has a high ground clearance and decent cargo room. It handles great and IÂ’ve been getting 25 MPG + at 75 MPH. The cabin is quiet, the seats are comfortable and the visibility is very good. This car provides great car performance with the functionality (functions you use 99% of the time) of a SUV. This is one of the best reviewed luxury SUVÂ’s on the market and I can see why!

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  What a car - 2006 Audi A4
  By GerryM - July 20 - 10:24 am

  The precision of the steering, the power of the turbo and overall fun to drive aspect, has revitalized me and given me a reason to love cars again. Definitely not a boring, Lexus and Acura. This is German engineering at its best.