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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  Cool Fun - 2002 Audi TT
  By wiz - September 18 - 2:00 am

  From the moment I saw the prototype of this car I knew it was a classic.After years of lusting for it I finally purchased the red ALMS.Its a classy car, loads of fun to drive and always gets a thumbs up on the road.No mechanical problems after 2 years and my weekend ritual is keeping it clean. I put a computer chip in it and changed the exhaust system for a little more kick. A sunroof would be nice but really its a great car!

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  Great car when it not in the shop - 2001 Audi A6
  By mrchaseA627T - September 10 - 2:00 am

  I really enjoy my A6 2.7T except that is has spent too much time in the shop. Problems arose at about 2.5 years and its last stay in the shop was 26 days waiting for a tourqe converter. I was given a loaner, a much lesser car. At end of lease I was well under the mileage limit so although I paid for the more expensive A6, part of the time I drove a stripped A4. The dealership and Audi have not been very responsive so no more Audis for me nor would I recommend the car or the dealer to others. They are not reliable.

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  My A6 - 2002 Audi A6
  By tacik - September 9 - 2:00 am

  A Fun car to drive, esspecially in the sport mode. But the fuel economy in the city is very poor.

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  The Audi Experience - 2004 Audi A4
  By Robert B - September 9 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my vehicle 4 months ago. It has spent 2 weeks and going in the shop with an electrical problem. Audi of America has brought no value to resolve the issue or expediate the repair of this $35,000 paper weight. Its a beautiful car if you dont have a desire in driving it. Overall, the car had been a fun driving vehicle despite the cramp quarters.

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  Could have been a contender... - 2001 Audi A6
  By harrydirt8 - September 8 - 2:00 am

  This car has a solid and subtle design. The interior is laid out well with exception to the climate control. Performance is also exceptional with the factory performance package and overall features are above average. Warranty and scheduled service was handled professionally and efficiently. That said, the implementation of the so- called solid design is extremely poor. Based on the number of trips to the dealer for serious defects and warranty service and recalls, I give a very low reliability rating for this car and I would never buy another Audi again.

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  A6 Wagon - 2000 Audi A6
  By Bag - September 7 - 2:00 am

  Very useful car, holds a ton of stuff, especially if you add a roof rack. A bit underpowered at 200 HP, but adequate if you dont do a lot of hill driving. Great for kids, safe and reliable. Interior is superb for a car of this price.

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  Great, But Expensive to Maintain - 1999 Audi A4
  By Jim in KCMO - September 6 - 2:00 am

  I love driving this car. But after owning it for two and 1/2 years Im now asking myself: is the fun is worth the high maintenance costs? Routine maintenance is much more expensive than the two VWs I drove before this. Example - new front pads and brake fluid - $350 versus about ~$200 on my 95 Jetta. Ouch. Plus, my water pump went out at 60k which required me to also replace the timing belt and serpentine belt at a $1,250 price tag. That one still stings. Ask me in two more years the answer to my above question. If no more major maintenance, then I will have loved this car - if theres much more, then Id say the costs were not worth the price.

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  Help is on the way - 2014 Audi Q5
  By Hardy Kornfeld - August 29 - 8:03 pm

  This is my third update on a review posted shortly after I bought my 2014 Q5 TDI. I loved the car then and I still do today, despite Audis diesel fiasco. Pros: 1. This is a very comfortable car to sit in on the commute and long hauls. The front seats are great unless you want to pretend its a sports car, in which case they lack a bit of lateral support. The Q5 does its suburban transport function perfectly well and the panoramic roof glass gives it an airy feeling. Like all the Audis in my experience, the drivers sight lines are excellent. 2. The fuel economy has gone from outstanding to somewhat higher than that. In the same mixed driving pattern since purchase, Im now averaging 31-33 mpg measured at the tank (the low end of that range in winter). High 30s with pure highway driving. For a 4400 pound truck with a 5000 pound towing capacity, thats supernatural. 3. About that towing capacity; I still havent hauled any really heavy loads but the Q5 tows 1000 pounds of motorcycle plus trailer with barely any hit on fuel consumption. 4. Driving dynamics are very good within limits. Body roll is minimal for an SUV, the steering is reasonably quick and accurate without being nervous, braking effort is linear and absolute stopping power is good but not stellar. Ride quality is quite good, striking an excellent balance of composed cornering without too stiff damping. While I usually dont ask much of the engine and rarely spin it above 1800 rpm, when acceleration is called for at any speed that initial torque surge is amazing. 5. The Q5 is good in winter, particularly since I put on Nokian Hakkapeliitta winter tires (probably not needed but they provide more braking performance in snow). Excellent ground clearance, the wheel wells dont get packed up with snow and the traction control is effective without being intrusive. It would be nice to have a locking center diff but the Quattro is perfectly fine for most snow conditions. The defroster does a good job but it would help to have a windshield option as it does get packed up with snow and ice at the base and left side of the window. 6. VWAG finally has a plan to deal with the 3.0 liter diesel scam and it looks good. Last year I got a $500 debit card for any purchase and another $500 card to use exclusively at Audi dealerships. Now theyre on the verge of recall the car to implement the fix, which appears to be limited to ECU reprogramming. We will have to see if this adversely affects performance or fuel economy with no third party reports yet, as far as I know. One cause for optimism is that a friend of mine with a Golf Sportwagen TDI had no degradation of mileage or performance after recent fix of his 2.0 liter I-4. Audi will also evidently give me something in the range of $7000 compensation with a smaller amount coming from Bosch. That will have a significant impact in cost of ownership (and might put me in a new Porsche Cayman or Corvette Grand Sport when I trade in my other car next year!). Cons: 1. The steering has poor on-center feel which is a bit irritating when I set out on highway driving although after a bit of time I stop noticing it. 2. While the stopping power is adequate, the initial brake feel is spongy. I much prefer brakes that have a strong initial bite and linear rise in stopping power, like those on my Audi S4. 3. The defroster is adequate but in very snowy conditions it would be nice to have a heated windshield base or heated washer fluid. 4. I would prefer to have engine stop start switch in a more intuitive position. The system itself is not bad; the engine restarts quickly and smoothly. But I only want to use it when I anticipate a relatively long stop, like arriving at a traffic light that has just turned red. So I am turning the system on and off multiple times in local driving but its hard to find the switch without taking my eyes off the road. 5. The interior trim on the drivers side door and left front of the dashboard reflects sunlight on the instruments and windshield under some circumstances. Its an occasional minor irritation. Overall, its hard to find much to complain about with this car!

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  Almost perfect car. - 2014 Audi Q5
  By JT - August 28 - 12:12 am

  After owning 11 different cars over time. This was the best overall!

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  Nice Car, Expensive to Repair - 1998 Audi A6
  By S.Costa - August 23 - 2:00 am

  Nice Vehicle. Bought 2 months ago. Some problems included rim leaks,window failure (drivers side), battery start, air bag light. Also the bose speakers blew on the drivers side door, but are ok now. Repairs on this car are very high. Dont buy the car if you cannot afford the up keep!