Best Audi cars: the brand’s top models present and past
Want an Audi, but not sure which one? Read our guide to the best cars that Audi currently sells, and stick around for its greatest ever cars
Audi is one of the most recognisable automotive brands out there, and it’s not unusual to see one of the German company’s models sneaking into the UK’s top ten best-selling cars list, as the A3 family hatch did in 2023.
Today, the manufacturer offers a wide range of models, from the supermini-sized A1 hatchback to performance hatchbacks, saloons and estates, SUVs, and electric cars in just about every segment. Sifting through that lot as a car buyer can be a challenge though, so below we’ve gathered together our favourite models from the Audi stable – plus a few from Audi’s impressive back catalogue, too.
What makes Audi’s cars special?
Audi has an impressive record for implementing technological advancements in its cars. The brand’s old slogan of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ might be easy to dismiss as marketing-speak if ‘progress through technology’ didn’t accurately describe much of the firm’s history.
Most famous of Audi’s technological introductions is quattro, the name for its four-wheel drive system. That one is more of a marketing term these days, with Audi having used several different versions of all-wheel drive technology since the original Audi Quattro road car arrived in 1980, but that car’s abilities in poor weather, and the real-world benefits that has had for drivers all over the world, mean the Audi brand is still strongly associated with four-wheel drive cars today.
Audi was also an early adopter of aluminium bodies and structures, when it introduced the A8 luxury saloon with its aluminium monocoque structure and aluminium panels in 1994. It wasn’t actually the first company to use such tech (the Honda NSX beat it to the punch in 1990) but Audi later used the aluminium for the A2 supermini and R8 supercar too, as well as widely using it in the second and third generation TT.
The brand is also known for five-cylinder engines – again, not unique to Audi, but used to good effect in everything from the original Quattro to the modern RS 3. Audi was also among the first brands to implement LED daytime running lights, and a TFT instrument driver’s display in the form of Virtual Cockpit, in 2014’s third-generation TT.
In general, UK buyers have come to appreciate Audi for its classy and understated image in relation to arch rivals BMW and Mercedes as well as its sturdy build quality and clever ways to make complicated technology user-friendly. Now let’s take a look at its best cars…
1. Audi A5
At a glance
Engine power
150 - 367 BHP
0 - 62mph
4.5 - 9.8 secs
Top Speed
132 - 155 MPH
Fuel Economy
35.8 - 58.9 MPG
Insurance Group
23E - 43E
The Audi A4 is dead; long live the Audi A5. The long-running saloon and Avant estate have been replaced by a new fastback and Avant, which take their names from what were previously the coupe and Sportback equivalents of the A4. Clear as mud, but many of the A4 qualities have been preserved intact in the new A5. As they should be, since it’s a lot more expensive than before.
The Audi A5 has arrived with a range of petrol and (unusually for the 2020s) diesel powerplants, but that should suit some buyers down to the ground. A plug-in hybrid is on the way for the all-important low Benefit-in-Kind tax ratings for company car users. Audi’s usual classy cabin is present and correct, if a bit festooned with screens, while taller rear-seat passengers might feel a little hemmed in by the swoopy new roofline.
2. Audi RS3
At a glance
Engine power
400 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.8 secs
Top Speed
155 MPH
Fuel Economy
30.1 - 31 MPG
Insurance Group
36E - 39E
There’s one big, noisy reason you might want to buy an Audi RS 3, and it’s sitting behind those blacked-out four rings on the grille. Compared to a fast electric car, the RS 3’s turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine may now seem a bit sluggish and uncouth but no amount of fake gears or digital sounds can top Audi’s hot hatchback for character.
RS 3s used to be a bit one-dimensional – there was little beyond that engine to give them appeal – but today the RS 3 even handles quite nicely, with a fluidity and balance these cars never used to have. It’s just a shame the interior, always an Audi strong point in the past, has started going the other way, with a busy design and materials that don’t quite match the punchy pricing.
3. Audi RS6
At a glance
Engine power
630 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.3 - 3.4 secs
Top Speed
174 - 190 MPH
Fuel Economy
22.4 - 23.2 MPG
Insurance Group
50E
While the Audi RS 6 Avant isn’t singlehandedly carrying the flag for fast, cool estate cars, it’s certainly one of the standard-bearers. The current generation has been around since 2019 so it’s getting on a bit, and while some alternatives are now more powerful, the RS 6 hits back by having much more character, and a more compelling soundtrack, than its hybrid and plug-in hybrid rivals.
The recent RS 6 Avant GT, resplendent in 1980s-style Audi warpaint, shows off the model at its best. It’s hugely enjoyable and provides a two-way dialogue with the driver, making it interactive as well as fast – though it’s also hugely expensive. Even the regular car is fun though, while still being practical: space in the front and rear is good, and there’s a 585-litre boot, too.
4. Audi A6 e-tron
At a glance
Power
286 - 503 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.9 - 6 secs
Top Speed
130 - 149 MPH
Efficiency
3.8 - 4.5 m/kWh
Range
353 - 461 miles
Insurance Group
43E - 50E
You can still buy a combustion Audi A6 for the time being, but the A6 e-tron is where the model’s future lies. It’s a long-range executive saloon in a similar mould to previous generations of A6, but granted the usual EV benefits of effortless refinement, ample performance even at the bottom of the range, and more tech than you can shake an iPhone at.
Underneath it’s similar to the Porsche Macan Electric. Big batteries are a key component of this architecture, with 83kWh and 100kWh packs, with range figures of 384 to 463 miles depending on the pack, and whether the car has performance-enhancing but range-sapping Quattro all-wheel drive. The cabin is striking and has more screens than a branch of Currys, and it drives well – with unusually good brake pedal feel for an EV.
5. Audi e-tron GT
At a glance
Power
592 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.6 secs
Top Speed
152 MPH
Efficiency
3.2 - 3.4 m/kWh
Range
355 - 374 miles
Insurance Group
50E
The Audi e-tron GT has been on sale for five years now, but certainly doesn’t look like it. None of Audi’s subsequent electric cars have been more rakish, stylish, or downright desirable, even if several have since eclipsed the e-tron GT’s range figures. Recent updates have bumped the GT’s maximum range to a claimed 375 miles, so it remains competitive.
Co-developed with the Porsche Taycan (hence the low-slung styling), the e-tron GT is also good to drive. It’s a little less on-edge than the Porsche, feeling like more of a… well, grand tourer - as per the name. Cosy rear seat accommodation and a modest 405-litre boot mean it’s not the most practical EV, but with various SUVs and the A6 e-tron in the range, it doesn’t really need to be.
6. Audi Q6 e-tron
At a glance
Power
252 - 490 BHP
0 - 62mph
4.4 - 7.6 secs
Top Speed
130 - 142 MPH
Efficiency
3.2 - 3.9 m/kWh
Range
297 - 402 miles
Insurance Group
44E - 50E
The Audi Q6 e-tron straddles the gap between Q4 e-tron and the old Q8 e-tron SUVs in Audi’s range. The Q6 is nearly the same size as the Q8 too, which is perhaps why the latter is no longer available in EV form in the UK. The Q6 has certainly got the claimed range to serve as the brand’s top electric SUV, with an 83kWh battery delivering 326 miles, and a 100kWh pack offering up to 392 miles.
It’s spacious inside and the cabin is mostly up to Audi’s usual quality standards. You’re presented with a bank of screens on the dashboard, including one for the passenger on higher-spec cars, but there are a handful of physical controls to make some functions a little easier. Driving it is easy, with an experience geared towards comfort, especially on motorways.
7. Audi Q7
At a glance
Engine power
231 - 507 BHP
0 - 62mph
4.1 - 7.1 secs
Top Speed
140 - 155 MPH
Fuel Economy
23 - 35.3 MPG
Insurance Group
45E - 50E
Audi’s stalwart large SUV remains a compelling choice in its class, despite fresher and flashier models making for a much busier marketplace than when the original arrived nearly 20 years ago. The big seven-seater pairs restrained styling (despite its imposing size) with a luxurious driving feel, courtesy of supple air suspension yet surprisingly capable cornering.
The Audi Q7’s cabin is now a generation behind the latest Audis, but arguably better for it. Quality is hard to beat and the dual touchscreen layout is intuitive. There’s also no shortage of in-car tech. Nor space: the third-row seats are best suited to children but people in the first two rows are better catered for, and there’s 295 litres of boot space even in seven-seat mode, expanding to 770 litres as a five-seater.
8. Audi Q3
At a glance
Engine power
150 - 245 BHP
0 - 62mph
5.8 - 9.4 secs
Top Speed
124 - 147 MPH
Fuel Economy
31.7 - 52.3 MPG
Insurance Group
21E - 37E
The Audi Q3 is another long-running model in the German maker’s range so another that the brand has had plenty of time to perfect. Not that it is a perfect car, especially as it’s another model that’s now closer to the end of its lifecycle than the start (this generation was launched in 2018), so rivals have had a chance to leapfrog its performance, economy, and equipment levels, often for less money.
Styling hits all the usual Audi marks inside and out, as does the general feeling of quality, and the well-judged infotainment interfaces, that offer plenty of features without feeling clunky. It’s not as sharp to drive as a BMW X1, and while the petrol and diesel engines are effective, it lacks an electric option like the BMW to woo company car users.
9. Audi A8
At a glance
Engine power
286 - 571 BHP
0 - 62mph
3.8 - 5.9 secs
Top Speed
155 MPH
Fuel Economy
24.6 - 40.4 MPG
Insurance Group
45E - 50E
Along with the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Audi A8 is one of the ‘big three’ of luxurious German saloons. While it lacks the BMW’s sporty appeal and the ‘best car in the world’ refrain often attributed to the Mercedes, it’s a more understated option that misses little in terms of quality or space next to its rivals.
The one thing it probably does lack is a sense of occasion; the Mercedes has always felt special and the latest 7 Series is arguably even more so, whereas the A8 can feel a little like a large A4 from behind the wheel. It still behaves like a luxury car, with hushed powertrains, and four-wheel steering that improves its manoeuvrability despite its considerable size.
The best Audis of all time
All the cars above owe their existence, and the high reputation that Audi now holds, to some of the brilliant cars that Audi has made in the past. Much like the Porsche Cayenne has been a success partly due to the work the 911 did in making Porsche’s brand strong enough to sell virtually any style of car, the reason a Q3 or Q6 e-tron appeal today is a result of the groundwork laid by cars like the Quattro, TT, and R8.
The five cars below are Audi’s best of the best, showcasing everything from technological advancement to show-stopping style.
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Audi Quattro
This is where Audi’s reputation really started. On its own, the Quattro was an impressive achievement. Not only was Audi’s new four-wheel drive system effective and reliable, giving the car the kind of all-weather ability that until then had been the preserve of clunky and agricultural off-roaders. But also, in combination with the car’s turbocharged five-cylinder engine, it genuinely enhanced the Quattro’s abilities as a performance car.
The ultimate expression of this, of course, was that first the Quattro, and then four-wheel drive cars in general, became the dominant force in rallying, the tech making cars faster and easier to drive than ever before. That the boxy body, designed by Brit, Martin Smith, still looks fantastic today despite its long-nosed proportions, only enhances the Quattro’s desirability.
Audi R8
Not many sports cars over the years have been able to not just compete with the Porsche 911, but beat it on ability – but the Audi R8, launched in 2006, was one of those cars. Much like the Honda NSX the previous decade, here was a sports car that could be used every day but performed like nothing else when really stretched.
The mid-engined Audi R8 featured a high-revving, 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8, four-wheel drive, and the most glorious open-gated manual gearshift. An automated manual and later a dual-clutch were available, but the manual seals the R8 as a modern classic legend, as does handling that makes the car feel almost like an outsized Lotus Elise – something that was barely believable given how dull most Audi performance cars were to drive at the time.
Audi RS 2 Avant
The Audi RS 2 Avant of 1994 almost single handedly made fast estate cars cool – perhaps with a bit of help from Volvo’s BTCC campaign that same year. We’d seen the ingredients in Audis before, from quattro four-wheel drive to a turbocharged in-line five-cylinder engine, and an interior that felt like Brunel had been involved, but the bit out the back put a practical new spin on the formula.
There was Porsche magic in the RS 2 as well. The brand helped with chassis tuning, and built the car at its Zuffenhausen facility that had recently been vacated by the brawny Mercedes-Benz 500E. Clues to the dual-heritage can be found in the RS 2’s Carrera Cup wheels, and a set of door mirrors nicked from a 911. The RS 2 has set the template for every fast Audi wagon since.
Audi A2
It’s not a coupe or performance car like the other legendary Audis here, and it’s not four-wheel drive either, but the Audi A2 does have another traditional Audi characteristic on its side: it’s fiendishly clever. Few cars launched more than a quarter of a century ago still make so much sense in a modern context.
The reason for this is that Audi concentrated on both low weight and aerodynamics with the A2 - so its supermini-sized five-door body is made from aluminium, and has a drag coefficient of as little as 0.25 in some models, but no more than 0.29 in any – the current Audi A1 can’t even beat that, with its 0.31 figure. The A2 was expensive, but that rust-free alloy body means it has outlasted most rivals, too.
Audi TT
The Quattro sealed the idea of Audi’s engineering excellence in everyone’s minds, but it was the Audi TT that made the brand cool for the masses. The TT was the car to be seen-in following its launch in late 1998, styled like nothing else on the road but in an enduring way that means the TT still looks great today. It was no mere flash-in-the-pan fashion statement.
That the TT wasn’t anything particularly special to drive hardly mattered. You could have more fun in a Porsche Boxster, but you could appreciate the TT simply looking at, or sitting in it. The cabin was a bit of a masterpiece, with a timeless style and cool-to-the-touch aluminium detailing. Turbo engines and quattro four-wheel drive made it effortlessly quick as well.
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