Audi is a German carmaker founded in 1909, now part of Volkswagen Group. The cars themselves are another matter: across 5 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 2 countries — Germany 97%, Hungary 3%. 50 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.2 out of 5 across 50 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Audi
Audi AG is a German luxury automaker headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group. Founded in 1909 by August Horch as Audi Automobilwerke, the brand's four-ring logo represents the 1932 Auto Union merger of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. Volkswagen acquired the modern Audi NSU Auto Union AG in 1966. Audi competes in the German premium triumvirate alongside BMW and Mercedes-Benz and pioneered permanent all-wheel drive in passenger cars with the 1980 Quattro coupé. The brand's Vorsprung durch Technik slogan, in active use since 1971, signals an engineering-led positioning. Audi RS variants are produced by Audi Sport GmbH (formerly quattro GmbH), and the e-tron sub-brand designates Audi's battery-electric models, including the Q4 e-tron, Q6 e-tron and e-tron GT. Audi shares its parent's Frankfurt Stock Exchange listing under VOW3 (Volkswagen Group). Recall data for every Audi VIN is reported to NHTSA, and EPA fuel-economy ratings, IIHS Top Safety Pick designations and J.D. Power studies provide independent benchmarks. ForCar.org decodes any Audi VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
August Horch founded his namesake company in 1899, but trademark disputes after his 1909 departure forced him to rename his new venture; he chose Audi, the Latin translation of the German horch (listen). The 1932 merger of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer formed Auto Union AG, the source of the four-ring logo. The brand was reborn under Volkswagen ownership in 1965 with the Audi 60 sedan, and the 1980 Quattro coupé brought permanent all-wheel drive to mainstream sedans.
| Audi | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1909 |
| Founded by | August Horch |
| Headquarters | Ingolstadt, Germany |
| Owned by | Volkswagen Group |
| Slogan | «Vorsprung durch Technik» |
| Models tracked here | 50 (1981–2026) |
| Assembled in | 2 countries |
Technology it is known for: quattro permanent all-wheel drive, virtual cockpit digital instruments, MMI infotainment, Matrix LED and Digital Matrix headlights, Audi pre sense safety.
This page covers Audi AG, the German automaker owned by Volkswagen Group — not the Audi Foundation or any unrelated audio brand.
Where Audi cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 9,209 vehicles on record, 5 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WAU, WA1, WUA, WAV | 1982–2026 | |
| Hungary | TRU | 1998–2016 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Audi beginning WAU was assembled in Germany.
All Audi models 50
Every Audi model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Audi SUVs & crossovers 17
Audi Cars & sedans 30
Audi Wagons 2
Audi More models 1
Audi by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Audi | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 1,377 campaigns | Most recalled: Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| Owner complaints | 9,029+ filed | Most reported: A4 |
| Fuel economy | 115 mpg best | Leader: e-tron |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ top rated | 8 models tested by NHTSA |
| Insurance | $2,394/yr typical | Cheapest: Q3 |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Audi hybrids & electric models
Audi's electrified lineup — 22 hybrids and 9 electric / plug-in. Click any model for its full powertrain, MPG and range by year.
Audi hybrids 22
Audi electric & plug-in 9
Electrified variants from EPA fueleconomy.gov powertrain data. A model may offer gas, hybrid and electric versions across years.
Get a Audi window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Audi's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Audi window stickers →How to read a Audi VIN
Every Audi built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Audi and the country it was built in (real Audi codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- GermanyWA1 · WAU · WU1 · WUA
- HungaryTRU
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. The whole position-by-position breakdown — year codes 2001–2026, country codes, stamping locations — lives in our VIN decoder tool.
Who owns Audi, and what you get
Audi belongs to Volkswagen Group. Audi competes in the global premium and luxury segments alongside BMW and Mercedes-Benz, with overlap into Volkswagen Group platforms shared with Porsche and Bentley. The brand's engineering-led positioning emphasizes quattro AWD traction, interior craftsmanship and the Audi Sport RS performance variants. Within Volkswagen Group, Audi serves as the technology and powertrain incubator whose innovations migrate down to VW and Skoda.
| Audi | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Ownership | Volkswagen Group |
| Basic warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | Germany, Hungary |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 4 years / 50,000 miles. See when Audi models actually start to break →
Audi — frequently asked
Is Audi german?
Audi is a German company, headquartered in Ingolstadt and founded in 1909. The cars are a separate question: 97% of the Audi vehicles in our records were assembled in Germany.
Where are Audi cars made?
Across 5 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: Germany (97%), Hungary (3%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Audi?
Audi is part of Volkswagen Group.
How many Audi models are there?
We track 50 Audi models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Audi warranty?
New vehicles come with 4 years / 50,000 miles basic cover and 4 years / 50,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Audi reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Audi model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.