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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  Used to love Audis :( - 2011 Audi A4
  By audikate - August 15 - 8:37 pm

  It absolutely breaks my heart to write this review (seriously, Im emotionally attached to my Audis)... I have been driving Audi/VW for the past 15-16 years. This was my first new Audi purchase (I had previously bought used). Car was AWESOME for the first 1.5 years. In the past 6 months it has started an problem burning/consuming oil. First, I had to add one quart of oil between changes (every 5000 miles), which we are told is within spec for this Audi. It has progressively gotten worse and is now burning so much I have to add a quart every 750 miles. Audi would not do an oil consumption test until it got BELOW 800 miles. IF Audi fixes the problem, I think Ill have to switch brands. :(

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  2.8l Quattro - 1998 Audi A4
  By theburchyfeel - August 4 - 6:31 pm

  I love my a4. I bought it used over a year ago, and havent had too spend TOO much money fixing it up. Of course, some things have gone wrong, but thanks to a large internet owners community, you can easily fix many problems yourself if you are willing to learn some DIY. I have never once regretted buying it.

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  2013 A6 Audio System Problems - 2013 Audi A6
  By rfsbranch - August 4 - 9:08 am

  I own a 2013 Audi A6 2.0T. The vehicle was defective from day 1. While I love the car overall, one big watch out is an issues with MMI equipped cars with their standard sound system that intermittently sends a very loud, starting boom noise. The sound will cut out for up to a minute and then play normally until the next time. It can happen infrequently or several times in a day. If you are considering purchasing this vehicle beware of this major, unresolved issue. I have heard that several other models have the same issue. Audi stalled on acknowledging the issue for about 6 months and still does not have a fix. It is believed to be software related.

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  Disasterous Q7 experience - 2007 Audi Q7
  By horribleq7 - August 1 - 12:21 pm

  Where do I start? 2000km off warranty, the engine blew up and cost $15k to replace and install. the brakes have been replaced a dont know how many times(last count 4). Brand new exhaust system installed at 100k kms @$3800 and now a new fuel tank to the tune of $3200 and $1200 in labour. Car has only ever been serviced at Audi dealers. This is my 5th audi in 13 years and will be my last. Audi Canada has been very difficult to deal with and unresponsive. The obviously have no idea how much it costs to create the type of brand loyalty they r losing. As I type, i am booking a test drive in the 2013 BMW 5 series sport wagon. Good by and good ridance Audi. I should have done this long ago.

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  Surprising Luxury and Performance - 2014 Audi A8
  By clarkg - July 29 - 8:52 am

  I have owned Audi A8 sedans previously but switched to Mercedes S Class a few years ago - all of these high tech sedans can be problematic due to the complexity of their electronic systems - so be prepared to buy only from a dealer with 5 star service - recently, I was intrigued by the 2014 A8L TDI diesel sedans specs and options so I acquired one - it does everything right, especially fuel mileage which surpasses my expectations - the A8L is "sized right" as compared to the lumbering S550 - the diesel performance is outstanding - the electronic gizmos are entertaining but most are not necessary for daily use - cons - lots of road noise from stiff tires, mediocre stereo, electronic failures

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  Dont buy, unless you have money to burn - 2005 Audi S4
  By somedaycame123 - July 11 - 4:03 pm

  This car is so much fun to drive, I love it! However, now that my car, bought new, has 75k miles on it, I would be happy to get rid of it and never buy Audi again. Since I first bought it there have been problems, but when you add them all up, they are outrageous! The original top failed during a rainstorm ,causing the car to flood. Spent $9k replacing the control panel and rewiring the car. The new top hasnt worked for a year, Audi USA is involved now but still no satisfactory resolution. The starter broke, the car fan wouldnt shut off, draining the battery until I needed a tow to get repaired, so many other!

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  Disappointed - Oil Consumption Nightmare - 2007 Audi A4
  By jbgjresq - July 9 - 4:41 am

  Purchased car just off lease at approx 52K miles. My wife is the primary driver doing a 14 mile RT work commute. Car was always maintained by dealer while on lease. Overall a great car to drive but (big but) the greatness is negated by the incredibly excessive oil consumption. Right away I noticed the oil consumption issue. Even after oil changes (always 100% synthetic) it uses approx 1 qt every ~400 miles. Doing a quantitative test now down to the mile and pint. I am so disappointed at this example of Audi german engineering. In 40 years of car ownership, I have never seen this issue with any other properly maintained domestic or imported car or truck. In a word - "disappointed"

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  Cheap to buy, Expensive to maintain - 2006 Audi A6
  By chewetson825 - June 20 - 5:02 pm

  I only had my A6 for 3 months. On the way home from the dealership (It was 5 hours away), the transmission went out. Only an Audi dealer can replace it, so it was a little over $5,000. Then the passenger seat switch broke. It was going to cost $300 to fix, but decided to leave it alone. Then a coolant pipe broke and costed $85 for the pipe plus $25 for the coolant you HAVE to use on Audis. Two days later I got a warning light and took it to the dealership. They adjusted some sensors but warned that a $11,000 repair was about a year away and recommended I traded it in, so I did. I only had the car for 4,000 miles. I am the worlds biggest Audi fan, but if you have to have one, buy one new.

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  2013 Audi Q5 2.0 - Good so far - 2013 Audi Q5
  By bkholay - June 17 - 10:33 am

  Have owned it for over a month now. The quality of interior and exterior is very good. The turbo responds well . I like the paddle shifters and the ability to temporarily switch to manual from automatic by using the paddle shifters when you need that extra power. The car is very easy to handle and responds well. But I am disappointed by the mpg. I am supposed to get 20/28 but I am getting 17 with 25% freeway / 75% city combination . I was hoping to get 21/22 at a minimum . I use premium gas (93) and I have already tried 3 different gas stations ( Exxon, Mobil, Sams). Do difference so far. I sold my MDX that was giving me 15 mpg for (25% freeway / 75% city combination ) and now I get 17 :( .

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  Fantastic Car..........but - 2013 Audi A6
  By rudybucks - June 9 - 7:30 am

  Only have the car for a week. Overall it is a great car, but, not designed for a "portly elderly man" as it is a bit difficult to get in and out particularly if you have bad knees! Once in the car everything is fine. Traded a 2010 Lincoln MKT which developed rattles after only a year or so. It also had "Unintended Acceleration"! Yes, it accelerated when I didnt intend it to do so! Dealer would not acknowledge or fix the problem. After more than a dozen incidents, I know it was NOT me!