When it comes to buying a premium car, the opinion of people who have already emptied their bank accounts for it weighs more than any glossy brochure. Our colleagues at Topspeed decided to delve deeper into reality, analyzing hundreds of customer reviews on the Kelley Blue Book (KBB) platform. The results of this large-scale satisfaction survey among ten of Audi's current models are, to put it mildly, curious and show that even in Ingolstadt, not all that glitters is gold. It turns out that German precision sometimes gives way to the whims of electronics and salty maintenance, but the brand's electric offensive reaps unexpected superlatives.
At the very top of the food chain, with an almost absolute perfection of 4.9 on a five-point scale, is the updated Audi Q8 e-tron. As many as 95% of owners of this technological flagship would recommend it with both hands, showering it with praise for its royal comfort and impeccable assembly. Immediately after it, with the same impressive result, is the slightly older Audi e-tron, which wins hearts with one very simple but important quality - the feeling of a real, solid car, and not another soulless digital gadget on wheels. The only serious bitter pill here remains the modest range of about 320-350 kilometers on a single charge, which makes drivers glance at the remaining battery more often than they would like.
The golden mean in the ranking is held by the brand's classic gasoline and diesel fighters, where, however, the first serious details begin to emerge. The eternal classic Audi A4 enjoys a solid 4.4 points and the approval of 88% of buyers, thanks to its perfect road behavior and economy. Well, some owners are still dissatisfied with the strange behavior when starting off on asphalt, which official service stations never manage to cope with. The sports-oriented Audi SQ5 SUV achieves the same result, with its fans crowning it the best crossover in their lives for its perfect balance between dynamics and family comfort, although the price of maintaining this pleasure makes the wallet tingle. Lower down with 4.3 points are the Audi A6 business sedan - quiet and fast, but cursed with ill-conceived touch screens and a microscopic armrest - as well as the seven-seater Audi Q7, whose huge plus is power, but winter software bugs and expensive repairs spoil the pleasure.
However, the real headaches begin where the ratings fall below the critical minimum for the premium segment. The mass favorite Audi Q5 sags with 4.2 points, and despite its quiet cabin, it has already earned the ominous nickname "black hole for money" due to chronic defects in the engine and transfer case. Even lower falls the luxurious Audi Q8, which collects only 4.0 points and a modest 68% approval, as its stunning design is often overshadowed by sudden failures in the alternator and steering system. The adventurous Audi A4 Allroad also disappoints with slow multimedia and a nervous start-stop system, remaining at the same level.
The absolute bottom of this ranking, however, is reserved for the compact Audi Q3. With a desperate 3.8 points for such a brand, this model has become a nightmare for its owners. Complaints there rain down one after another - from transmission oil leaks to leaking panoramic roofs, and to top it all off, Audi's customer service department often responds with complete silence and indifference. Ultimately, the big lesson from this study is clear: the four rings on the front grille still carry enormous prestige, but the high initial price is far from guaranteeing a problem-free life after the warranty expires.