Quattro GmbH, a subsidiary of Audi AG, is located in Stuttgart, Germany. This division of the automaker is responsible for the production of sports and powerful. Founded in 1983, Quattro GmbH has brought many famous and legendary cars to the market.
It is quite possible that if this Audi division did not exist, the world would never have seen such models as, and. We have collected the top 10 for you. sports models released by Audi over the past 20 years. Unfortunately, choosing a winner is very difficult. We invite you to help us in this choice by voting at the end for the car that, in your opinion, deserves to lead the palm.
1 Audi R8
8 Audi RS2
In 1994 deutsche mark presented to the public a powerful all-wheel drive small station wagon. . The car accelerated from 0 to 100 km / h in 4.8 seconds. RS2 has been produced for a long time and was in demand.
9 Audi RS Q3
Equipped with a five-cylinder 2.5-liter engine with 306 hp. The engine is paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission with double clutch, which distributes torque via the Quattro system to all four wheels. Thanks to the power and tuning of all components, the engineers managed to create a crossover that can accelerate from 0-100 km / h in 5.5 seconds.
10. Audi Q7 V12 TDI
Not typical car, which could attract specialists from Quattro GmbH. But, nevertheless, the tuning engineers of the Audi division decided to create a special diesel version crossover Q7, which was supposed to impress fans of diesel engines Audi and. As a result, specialists installed a 12-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine 490 hp
But the engineers decided to change not only the traditional power units installed on the Q7, but also other SUV systems. So the tires were upgraded, wheel disks, suspension, brakes and much more, which actually made this model a completely different car with a different spirit and ambition.
It was deservedly considered an extremely successful model and was produced from 1997 to 2004. The chassis design proved to be very promising, but even the most successful machines cannot live on the assembly line forever, especially in premium segment, where Audi has settled since the late 80s.
The new A6 in the body, which received the designation C6 / 4F, inherited many of the generic features of the previous model, including the layout and suspension design. But the body has noticeably increased in size and, of course, the entire line of engines has been replaced. No less changes have taken place inside: the MMI multimedia system is only the visible part of the iceberg. A much more complex structure of electronic units and actuators remained out of sight. Well, as expected, more chic, "premium", dynamics and ... prices. All according to the laws of the genre.
And the car was remembered for the monstrous V10 on the sports versions of the S6 and RS6. The engine is of the same modular series as the V6 and V8 FSI, but it is on the basis of this block that the unit for the new Lamborghini will be made later. And for Audi, an atmospheric version of 5.2 liters with direct injection with a capacity of 435 hp was in store. with. and a completely unrealistic biturbo with a volume of 5.0 liters and a power of 580 hp. with., and also with a good margin for additional forcing.
Pictured: Audi S6 and RS6
In the process of restyling in 2008, the car seriously changed its appearance, electronic filling and a line of motors. And then she managed to light up in a scandal with a recall in several stages of cars with a 3.0 TFSI engine, in which the piston group literally “devoured” not just quickly (which the owners are already used to), but very quickly. Fortunately, a pleasant surprise was in store for the Russian owners, leaving the old three-liter V6 in the range of engines. reliable series for 218 l. s., which, along with the 3.0 diesel engine, looked simply amazing against the background of the extremely problematic more “perfect” engines with their “oil burner”, failures and even fires. However, let's talk about everything in more detail.
Body and interior
Audi in this body really almost does not rust - the oldest cars are just getting point defects in the paintwork in the area of \u200b\u200bthe rear wheel arches. The paint on the front arches peels off a little earlier, but corrosion is not noticeable “by eye”, because the fenders and hood are made of aluminum. True, it also corrodes and eventually collapses, turning into a white powder. The solid structure of the body does not allow any special liberties: the subframes are strong, like the spars and attachment points. Unless the trunk floor and floor spars suffer - the car is low, and contact with curbs and other obstacles often occurs with not very neat owners. Outwardly, this is imperceptible, but it would be nice to update the anti-corrosion layer.1 / 4
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Pictured: Audi A6 2.7 TDI Avant "2005–08 and Audi A6 4.2 quattro S-Line Sedan" 2005–08
Also pay attention to the frame. windshield- damage to the paintwork is possible here, and the state of the joint sealant in engine compartment cars with V8 engines and diesel V6, a large load on the front and heat can damage the seams very early, but such a defect is rare. The beautiful interior of the A6 is fraught with many potential "crickets". Alas, the complexity of reinforcing work here is much higher than average, breakdowns additional equipment are common, poorly diagnosed and periodically have to remove the seats, door trim and even the dashboard to access the blocks and connectors. Collecting everything is difficult, and the materials age over time. In general, the design for multiple assembly and disassembly is not designed. But the quality of the materials has become even better, except that the leather of the seats and steering wheel is no longer as good as on old cars, fraying is common. But there are no buttons with white worn zones, all the inserts are silvered or delight with a wooden sheen, like new ones, for many, many years. And small things work well even in age, the buttons do not lose their elasticity and clarity of switching.
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Salon Audi A6 Allroad 4.2 quattro "2006–08
Serious damage? The climate unit can "please" the failure of one of the six gear motors. New roads, and changing a failed part is long and dreary, services often offer removal dashboard entirely to complete the work. The fan motor is not particularly reliable, the climate displays “burn out” over time - the loops lose contact, the MMI loses sound, buttons, settings, navigation ... The control keys on the central tunnel are in the vulnerable zone - they are often tritely filled with liquid. By the way, sometimes the sunroof and autumn leaves are to blame - they clog drains, and then water flows into the cabin, right in the center.
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Salon Audi A6 Allroad 3.0T quattro "2008–11
A broken handbrake button is already our “trick” - many owners try to “drift” or simply pull sharply, “until it clicks”. It is clear that the Germans did not count on such barbarism, the key simply breaks. And the cigarette lighter is poorly located, coins or metal debris can get into its vertical connector and cause a short circuit.
Otherwise, everything is fine, and the condition of the cabin depends on the quality of the service where the A6 was serviced, as well as on the number of breakdowns in the interior electronics. The cars are not so old, a complete set of problems is present only on completely abandoned copies, killed by a “high-quality” dealer service with repeated replacement of elements, and on traveling cars that are operated “for slaughter”.
Electrical and electronics
It is the electronics of the machine that owes the appearance of almost all salon “problems”. After all, there are a bunch of independent electronic units with their own settings and features. Any breakdown of the electrics on the A6 is not solved by a fifteen-minute visit to an electrician, but by the serious work of people specializing in such electrics. And paid accordingly. For example, a non-working seat heating came out at ... 42 thousand rubles. Well, what do you want, 10 thousand - work on finding and flashing blocks, 32 thousand - the price of a new block and replacement work. By the way, the heating mat itself in the seat was intact, if it broke, then it would be another 20 thousand, if you do not introduce "emel" instead of the original rugs with precisely calculated heating zones. Can you imagine how much it would cost to repair a handbrake? Wiring harnesses to the right and left rear caliper, and even fixing the button and removing the error? Yes, minus 50 thousand rubles from the budget. Failed mirror adjustment? A new door block and comfort block firmware, the issue price is 30 thousand rubles with a used replacement block. No battery charging? Oh, the choice of problems is truly rich, from the most banal generator failure to a failure in the charge control system, and replacing the generator is still a “successful” option.
This car needs a lot of love. And never quit, otherwise then it simply cannot be restored. There are more than three dozen electronic components, they all fail in very different ways: someone dies quietly, someone puts the entire bus and stubbornly defies diagnosis, someone gives out something much more ingenious. The system can work for years without failures, but if problems appear, they are solved for a long time and expensively. Of the more banal, purely electrical problems - the headlights, correctors, reflectors, the glass itself die, there is another trouble in restyling - the LED line goes out. If the ESP acceleration sensor fails, half of the “very necessary functions” stop working and an error lights up for ... correctly, for the ABS unit. In general, without a scanner and knowledge of the features of the machine, there is nothing to do here. And the engine compartment on 4.2 engines and sensors do not last long - they are hot. Starters and fans don't last long on all petrol V6s and V8s. The rear parking sensors suffer from weak sensors. I'm afraid that the list of those electronic components that ruin the lives of their owners quite regularly will be long. There are too many of them to highlight really serious patterns. The future owner just needs to be ready for anything and take even the smallest things very seriously. And avoid service in services where such a car is seen for the first time.
Suspension, brake system and steering
Multi-link suspension has long been considered an extremely problematic place. But even the multi-link front and rear on the A6 will not seriously unsettle the owner of the car. The price of replacing everything on a "departed" car, of course, is very high. But everything rarely breaks down at once, expensive units have inexpensive analogues, and the mileage of most elements during normal urban operation is at least 60 thousand kilometers, or even times more. With a very careful and normal movement, the car can go thousands of 200 kilometers without serious interventions. Of course, with the V8 under the hood and on the “duct tape”, the suspension bulkhead becomes a mandatory operation at every MOT.
In front, the lower front and upper arms traditionally suffer first. At the rear, it is also the upper arms that fail first. Fortunately, almost all loaded units have replaceable silent blocks on at least one side, and the cost of spare parts is low. Separately, it is worth noting that the silent blocks of the front subframe also need to be changed regularly, especially on machines with powerful engines. Front wheel bearings run only 100-120 thousand on cars with heavy engines and sports suspensions. At the back, the resource depends on the mode of operation: if the car often drives with a full load and on bad roads, then you will have to change it after a hundred. If this is urban operation, and even with a maximum of one passenger, then they can be said to be almost eternal.
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In the photo: Audi A6 Allroad 3.2 quattro "2006–08
Optional air suspension is rare and notorious. But now the price of air springs is no longer prohibitive, there are substitutes and craftsmen who repair systems and even modify them. For example, you can put a sealed casing, "a-la Porsche" and strengthen the system with a large receiver.
In the photo: Audi A6 Allroad 4.2 quattro "2006–08
The steering here is completely traditional: hydraulic booster and rack with servotronic. Everything is quite reliable, the rail is not prone to leaks and knocks, the hydraulics are well done, the pipes do not leak, the pump is reliable. Complaints about the short resource of steering rods and tips are mainly characteristic of cars with very wide tires. Brakes differ in size and successful design. Large brake discs are prone to buckling and even imbalance over time and should be replaced on time. And the resource of the pads is small, but this is typical for heavy and powerful machines. Otherwise, everything is very reliable: brake pipes very rarely they fail even in the cars of the very first releases, and the ABS unit suffers only from problems with on-board electronics. However, when buying a car, you should pay attention to "collective farming" - brakes from the Porsche Panamera or another custom set of brake discs and calipers are relatively common. The handbrake often fails, but even here there are problems of a purely electrical nature - it breaks the wiring to the individual motors of its drive, and people, in addition, break the control button in the cabin.
transmissions
Manual transmissions are reliable here, but the dual-mass flywheel requires regular replacement or repair, and the pleasure is not cheap at all. The driveshaft on the Quattro and the wheel drives are strong and last a long time. With runs for one and a half - two hundred thousand kilometers, an intermediate support may give up cardan shaft and front outer CV joints. Quite a worthy resource. It is worth keeping an eye on the oil level in rear gear: if there are drips on the body, then it is worth checking it regularly or repairing the breather and seals. If the oil leaves, it will fail very quickly. There are two types of automatic transmissions. The Multitronic CVT was installed on front-wheel drive cars, and the classic ZF gearbox relied on all-wheel drive. I already talked about Multitronik - at first there were continuous problems from the variator. An already heavily modified version was installed on the C6, which differs both in the control unit and in the filling of the unit itself, and it causes relatively few difficulties. Since 2005, this box can be considered very reliable, the number of failures due to design failures is really small. Since 2006, variators of the 0AN series have appeared, which perfectly digested the moment of even powerful 2.7 diesel engines and a 3.2 FSI engine. Most of the complaints about the box are related to the mode of operation and design features. The chain variator is still a variator. He does not like slippage, abrupt starts, shock loads, towing heavy trailers and driving at maximum speed. In addition to everything, there are generic “sores” - the cones are damaged during towing and the chain resource is 100-180 thousand kilometers. And if you tighten it with a replacement, then the chain will break the cones, and the repair will come out “golden”. With quiet operation, even with fairly powerful 3.0 MPI and 2.0 TFSI engines, the resource is very good and, most importantly, predictable. There are almost no minor failures, glitches and failures. The main thing is to check it when buying, cold work, the absence of obvious slippage and extraneous sounds with smooth movement. And after full warming up - about 10-20 kilometers, normal work without twitching with traction, adequate switching during acceleration “to the floor” from a speed of 10-20 km / h and above. Shocks and howling when accelerating, as well as hard twitches when “switching down” are unacceptable. The price of the chain itself is relatively low, about 20 thousand rubles for the "original", but if it is not changed on time, then the costs, as I said, will increase by an order of magnitude. Six-speed automatic transmissions of the ZF 6HP19 series on all-wheel drive vehicles with engines up to 4.2 liters and 6HP26 with 5.2 engines cannot be attributed to particularly fragile structures, but you should not count on a long resource either. Active use of the blocking of the gas turbine engine during acceleration, work with the slipping of the main friction clutches sharply reduce the resource. Vibrations and wear products in the oil break the automatic transmission bushings and contaminate the valve body, which here is separated into a separate unit, called mechatronics, which also successfully fails.
If the owner drives carefully and at the same time changes the oil in the box often, at least once every 40-60 thousand kilometers, then it will pass more than 200 thousand, and the amount of work to restore it will not be very large: repair of the gas turbine engine, replacement of friction clutches and something little things. But usually the operation is much tougher - frequent races with gas to the floor (remember, this is a Quattro), irregular oil changes at intervals of 60-100 thousand kilometers or “before impacts”, plus constant overheating of the box. It is surprising that the design can withstand at least 150-200 thousand kilometers in such conditions. But the price of repair ... To the replacement of friction clutches and linings of the gas turbine engine, the repair of the box bushings is added - they are broken by dirty oil with vibrations, plus the repair or replacement of mechatronics. The mechatronics unit costs 300 thousand rubles, repairs - from 15 thousand, but the typical price of intervention is about 50-70 thousand rubles. The quality of the repair at the same time - "how lucky." And even a purchase by a competent owner often no longer saves from expenses - switching to a regular “partial” oil change at every or every second MOT, installing a reinforced automatic transmission radiator with a filter will only prolong the agony. If the oil pressure in the automatic transmission is already low, then wear will proceed at an accelerated pace, and any “acceleration to the floor” will sharply reduce it. And, unfortunately, boxes with runs already from 80-100 thousand begin to act up: shocks during switching, failures, illogical work. The problem is not always easy to localize, many cars drive like this for years. Fortunately, the adaptive capabilities of the control system are great and the dealer scanner with the new firmware works wonders: often already clearly dying designs go to the last spurt and extend another 30-50 thousand km of completely normal operation after adaptations. Both the CVT and the ZF 6HP automatic often break the owners with their attitude. You need to understand that a powerful car is bought in order to use its power, and not to stand in traffic jams. The variator provides a minimum number of failures with careful operation and a stable resource, and the ZF "automatic" allows the driver a little more, provides better dynamics, better tolerates hard overclocking, but at the same time it will also not endure bullying for a long time.
Motors
Audi tried to make big car dynamic and economical. Therefore, almost all engines of that period were with direct fuel injection, as light as possible and unified. Among the A6 engines, only three gasoline ones stand out from the general row. It is a 2.0 TFSI (BPJ), 3.0 V6 MPI (BBJ) and 4.2 V8 MPI (BAT) turbocharged inline-four. All these are the last motors of the old series related to EA113. Three-liter is an outlet for Audi owners, it is powerful, 218 hp. with., with a good sound, and reliable - not at all prone to oily appetite. The larger V8 4.2 essentially differs from it only in an extra two cylinders, a tighter layout and frankly excess power. The supercharged two-liter is not so reliable, more often suffers from an oil appetite, but is simpler in design and, as a result, cheaper to operate. It has an excellent margin for boosting: let me remind you that the same engine was in fact on the Golf R VI, and there they removed 300-450 hp from it. with., which is comparable to the impact of the V10 on the S6.
All engines - with a combination of a belt and chain in the timing drive, cast iron sleeves with inexpensive spare parts and a minimum problem areas. Of course, 2.0 turbocharging requires quality service, and the first generation direct injection is rather capricious, but there are adapters for more modern high-pressure fuel pumps and injectors, high-quality firmware. As a result, of the gasoline engines, these three are rightly considered the best. With regular replacement of the timing, consumables, ignition modules and maintaining the control system in good condition, the number of problems is minimal, the resource is obtained far beyond 300 thousand. A series of engines 2.4 MPI (BDW), 2.8 FSI (CCDA / BDX / CCEA), 3.2 FSI (AUK), 4.2 FSI (BVJ), 5.2 FSI (BXA) and 3.0 TFSI (CAJA) essentially differ only in the number of cylinders and piston stroke . They have a unified cylinder diameter of 84.5 mm, and the younger engine is distinguished by a simple distributed injection. These motors also have common problems.
We are accustomed to believing in the impeccability of the "Germans", in the reliability of the "Japanese" and in other axioms (or is it legends?), Which automakers themselves have been stubbornly repeating for decades. Of course, there are independent studies that prove that this or that respected brand has received recognition all over the world for a reason. It is all the more interesting that some other reliability ratings completely refute popular misconceptions.
Myth 1. Cars used to be better
We live in an age of disposables. Durable-looking "tourist" boots can come apart at the seams in a couple of months, even if you walked in them exclusively around the city. From the body of the "fifth" iPhone, the paint peeled off already in the first days of operation. And I personally know the buyer Ford Mondeo, who, in the first year of owning a car, encountered so many small and not very troubles that he handed over the car back to dealership. Has this happened before?
It is believed that the models of previous years were created with a much greater margin of safety. Like it or not, it is impossible to say. But manufacturers take into account the fact that we have begun to change cars more often and rarely think about what repairs a car will need after 200 thousand kilometers.
It is believed that companies have switched en masse to components of lower quality, starting to buy them from manufacturers from third world countries. The automotive components industry has indeed changed: for example, the Chinese company Fuyao Glass Industry has now come in second place in the supply of automotive glass to factories of various brands (by the way, this year it opened production in Russia and began to supply glass to the Volkswagen plant in Kaluga). Such examples cause concern among motorists of the old school.
However, statistics can dispel doubts. Studies conducted on the European market show that among the current 4-5 year old cars there is the same proportion of instances with various kinds of malfunctions (about 11%), as among cars manufactured 15 years ago and examined at the beginning of the "zero" years. Such data are given in the reports of the German organization TUV, which deals with vehicle inspection. Of course, in this case we are talking about neat Europeans who keep their cars in good technical condition.
And what about the ocean? There statistics are even better. Research by the American agency J.D. Power, fixing all (even the smallest) problems that arise during the operation of machines, show that over the past 10 years the number of comments has decreased by as much as half! In 2003, there were an average of 273 problematic parameters per 100 three-year-olds, and in 2013 this number fell to only 126 (data from the 2013 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study report).
However, if we are not talking about an “average” car, but about models of specific brands, then you can see that, depending on the year of manufacture, reliability can vary over a very wide range. For example, according to the TUV rating, the reliability of Renault cars has declined significantly over the past decade. In the 2004 report, the four- or five-year-old Laguna and Megane models are in quite worthy places - on Audi level A6 and BMW 5 Series. Of the used cars surveyed, only 10.5% of the Laguna and 11.3% of the Megane had serious problems. Over the years, the situation has changed radically.
In the 2013 report, Lagunas and Megans, aged four or five, are already at the bottom of the list with numbers of 18% and 23%. Lower - Renault Kangoo(23.2%), but the related Dacia Logan (25.8%) was recognized as the most unreliable car.
A similar drop in quality is observed in Citroen. If the Xsara golf-class model in 2004 surpassed Audi and BMW business sedans in reliability, demonstrating the result of only 9.8% of faulty cars at the age of 4-5 years, then the Citroen C4 that replaced it breaks down almost twice as often (16, 7%).
However, such examples are, fortunately, the exception. The special quality of previous models is believed, first of all, by hardened “car gurus”, who found the times when “Mercedes was still the same”, and new Lada is no longer a match for “the very first Zhiguli”. To believe them or not is a philosophical question. Neither one nor the other can give any reliable statistics of breakdowns.
Myth 2: Engineering excellence of prestige brands
At world premieres of cars, journalists are always impressed by how luxury brands effectively present their technical know-how. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus, range rover, Cadillac - all of them will certainly show new nodes in the context and allow you to ask engineers in detail about all the benefits of fresh solutions. This is done so that buyers have no doubt that they are paying not only for the brand and expensive finishing materials, but also for true technical excellence. True, not a single brand, of course, admits that a car stuffed with advanced electronics is more capricious than simpler models, and components and assemblies that have received new design solutions are sometimes less reliable and more expensive to repair than cheaper designs.
A year ago, the British organization Warranty Direct, which collects statistics on warranty and post-warranty car repairs in the UK, published a rating worst cars over the past 15 years. The list can be called shocking: it consists almost entirely of the flagship models of the German car industry. The real surprise was that it even included models that, in other ratings, on the contrary, were called the most trouble-free. The worst ten cars, according to Warranty Direct, looks like this:
- Audi RS 6 (2002-2011 release)
- BMW M5 (2004-2011)
- Mercedes-Benz SL (2002-2012)
- Mercedes-Benz Viano (1996-2004)
- Mercedes-Benz CL (2000-2007)
- Audi A6 allroad (2000-2005)
- Bentley Continental GT (2003-2012)
- Porsche 911 (body 996) (2001-2006)
- Range Rover (2002-2012)
- Citroen XM (1994-2000)
Such an amazing selection of cars can be easily explained: the experts took into account not only the total number of breakdowns, but - more importantly - also the cost of repairs. This can explain why the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-Benz SL were blacklisted. Of course, the comparison of the cost of repairs is only partially fair, but it should be noted that the rating taking into account the "monetary factor" gives more correct results than without it.
Although even without taking into account the "issue price", the reliability of many respected brands is highly questionable. For example, statistics on engine breakdowns are not in favor of Audi, BMW, Mini and Volkswagen, Warranty Direct experts say. For every 27 Audi cars one engine failure. Worse - only the MG Rover brand, which has one breakdown for every 13 cars. well and top scores showed brands Honda and Toyota, in which one engine failure occurs in 344 and 171 cars, respectively.
Not only in the Warranty Direct research, but also in the American ratings, these brands do not show the best results. At J.D. Power brands such as Audi, Mini and Volkswagen also rank in the bottom 10 for reliability when evaluating cars as young as three years old. Yes, and BMW showed a result lower than the industry average.
To be sure, you can refer to another independent rating - Consumer Reports, which contains statistics on calls to American car services from 2003 to 2012. The top 20 cars said to have received "significantly more than average" hits were expensive models such as the BMW 7 Series, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GL, Mini Cooper S and Volkswagen Touareg.
Myth 3. Trouble-free "Japanese"
They say that the Russian ambassador to Japan at one time drove alternately in a Mercedes and a Lexus. There were always many problems with one machine, while the other served flawlessly. Guess what? This story was told to me by my friend, who worked for several years at the embassy, and I subsequently retold it to many acquaintances. Everyone usually guesses correctly, because Japanese reliability is an axiom. Or no longer?
In recent years, the Toyota brand has become notorious for several large recalls of cars at once due to various kinds of factory defects, but this brand still ranks high in reliability ratings. The ability to quickly eliminate the deficiencies found may contribute here.
Really, Toyota models and Lexus occupy quite high lines in many ratings, but you can’t say the same about other brands. Yes, and Toyota is not praised by all researchers. For example, German car club ADAC, which has been researching car reliability for many years, did not notice any special advantages for Toyota. The list of 21 cars, the owners of which are the least likely to apply for service, includes only one "Japanese" - Nissan Micra. Well, Honda Jazz got into the top 12 outsiders. Of course, here we can talk about the error of German research: there are not so many Japanese models in the German car fleet. But in America, there are definitely enough of them.
According to J.D. Power, among the “three-year-olds” Lexus is in the lead, but Mitsubishi is one of the top three outsiders. Worse than this brand only Dodge and Land Rover. Subaru, Nissan and Infiniti also perform worse than average.
Research by Consumer Reports (statistics of calls to car services from 2003 to 2012) also confirms that the Japanese are different from the Japanese. The titles of the best are awarded to several models of Toyota / Lexus, Honda / Acura, Mazda and Infiniti at once. The rest Japanese stamps, according to the researchers, do not represent anything remarkable in terms of reliability.
Myth 4. "The British" are the most problematic
Testing new Jaguar and Land Rover models, we note from time to time that English engineering has stepped far forward in recent years. Take, for example, completely aluminum bodies: this solution is now used not only on sports cars, but also - for the first time in history - on thoroughbred off-road vehicles. And on highways, and on a serious off-road, these cars will not yield to anyone, but all words of admiration usually have to be accompanied by remarks about reliability ratings that have already set teeth on edge.
Is it a joke: in the studies of J.D. power Land brand Rover has repeatedly been recognized as the worst of all, and Jaguar in the latest ranking has risen only five lines higher. If for every 100 used Lexuses aged three years there are 71 reported problems, then Land Rovers have 220.
However, representatives of the British brand say that the quality of cars has seriously improved in recent years. Indian concern Tata, which acquired Jaguar Land Rover in 2008, has made significant financial investments in reliability and innovation.
To find some confirmation that the unreliability of British brands is already an outdated myth, one must seriously try. Well, for example, in the latest ranking worst cars There are no ADAC English models. Also, in the twenty most unreliable models according to Consumer Reports, there is currently not a single Jaguar and Land Rover car, despite the fact that there is a BMW 7-series and X5 (statistics of calls to car services from 2003 to 2012.) That is, according to this study, it turns out that the Jaguar XJ and Range Rover Sport surpass them in quality. However, the fact that the "English" were not among the worst here is still little consolation.
But a recent study by Warranty Direct is already encouraging: the Jaguar brand entered the Top 5 in terms of engine reliability, losing only to Honda, Toyota, Mercedes and Volvo. True, experts immediately make a reservation: the breakdown of the Range Rover engine has become the most expensive warranty case over the past 15 years. The repair cost £13,000, equivalent to RUB 680,000.
Myth 5. Mass brands save on reliability
As much as buyers of luxury models would like to feel the superiority of their cars over cheaper ones, in terms of reliability, many cheap models have long made their way to the leaders. If you can argue about all of the above myths, finding certain contradictions in the ratings, then all researchers almost unanimously note that in terms of reliability, some small cars not only are not inferior to expensive models, but even surpass them.
The ADAC ranking of exceptionally reliable cars includes Volkswagen Fox, Renault Twingo, Peugeot 206, Nissan Micra, Ford Ka and Citroen C1. They are placed on a par with the Audi A5, A6 and Q5; BMW 1st, 3rd, 5th series, X1 and X3; Mercedes A-class, B-class, C-class and GLK.
According to TUV statistics, the top ten used cars aged 4-5 years now look like this:
- Toyota Prius
- Mazda 2
- Toyota Auris
- Toyota Corolla Verso and Smart Fortwo
- Mercedes C-class
- Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Boxster
- Porsche 911
- Volkswagen Golf Plus
The absolute leaders in reliability (including the cost of repairs) according to Warranty Direct are the following models:
1. Mitsubishi Lancer(2005-2008 years of release)
2. Opel (Vauxhall) Agila (2000-2008)
3. Suzuki Alto (1997-2006)
4. Toyota Aygo (2005-2012)
5-6. Honda HR-V(1998-2006) and Volvo S40 (1996-04)
7. Mazda MX-5 (2005-2012)
8-9. Mercedes E-class(2006-2012) and Toyota Yaris (1999-2003)
10. Honda Jazz (2001-2008)
One big myth
Finally, it is worth mentioning those models whose reliability is not measured by any statistics at all. And the perceptions of buyers about how faithfully such a model will serve is based solely on myths, rumors and isolated cases that happened to friends and acquaintances. At best, you can add results to this long tests and resource tests that journalists arrange, but their results still should not be attributed to all released copies of a particular model. I'm talking, of course, about products. Russian stamps, about foreign cars of local assembly and about Chinese models.
Curious reliability tests are carried out by our colleagues from Autoreview. At the test site, they simulate the operation of the machine in a variety of modes, and the loads are increased. This allows you to quickly assess the endurance of machines and identify many "congenital diseases" of various designs. Many models do not withstand: serious breakdowns occur long before the end of the test. For example, on Chevrolet Aveo the Kaliningrad-assembled gearbox withstood only 18,000 km, the shock absorbers leaked much earlier, and the front stabilizer mounting nuts were already untwisted at the first thousand kilometers.
Let it be difficult to judge the reliability of all machines from one copy, but when in comparative test direct competitors are involved, the results become more indicative. Take, for example, parallel life tests Renault Duster and Chevrolet Niva. Some buyers of domestic models are convinced that affordable foreign cars are little better than Russian cars, but in terms of reliability, the difference was huge.
100,000 km road simulation test different type, including some serious off-roading and cobblestones, found the Duster's suspension to be commendable. For the first time in the history of autoreview life tests, after a long test, the suspension did not require the replacement of a single element. But the diagnostics of the motor based on the results of a long-term test showed that it wears out much faster than expected. The model also showed many other disadvantages, but all of them are essentially nothing compared to the problems that Niva discovered. Experts noted that under her hood, everything that could rust was rusted, including the cylinder block. During the test on the cobbled road, Shniva needed to change 10 (!) shock absorbers. In the gearbox, the teeth of the fifth gear fell apart and it jammed.
Of course, tests of single copies do not give the picture that is made up of statistics that take into account the breakdowns of hundreds of thousands of cars. But after all, the manufacturers themselves record all calls to official services, and it is possible that sooner or later independent organizations will also have access to the statistics of Russian service stations. And then, perhaps, widespread myths about Russian models and locally assembled foreign cars will be debunked. So far, unfortunately, we know quite a bit about their true reliability.
| Place | Model | Share of faulty machines | Average mileage (km) | Place | Model | Share of faulty machines | Average mileage (km) |
| 1 | Toyota Prius | 4,0% | 63 000 | 62 | Volkswagen Touareg | 9,9% | 92 000 |
| 2 | Mazda 2 | 4,8% | 48 000 | 62 | Audi Q7 | 9,9% | 101 000 |
| 3 | Toyota Auris | 5,0% | 57 000 | 64 | Citroen C4 Picasso | 10,0% | 76 000 |
| 4 | Toyota Corolla Verso | 5,1% | 71 000 | 64 | Suzuki Swift | 10,0% | 54 000 |
| 4 | smart fortwo | 5,1% | 42 000 | 64 | BMW Z4 | 10,0% | 52 000 |
| 6 | Mercedes C-class | 5,3% | 68 000 | 67 | Mitsubishi Colt | 10,1% | 56 000 |
| 7 | Porsche Cayenne | 5,6% | 76 000 | 67 | Ford Mondeo | 10,1% | 95 000 |
| 7 | Porsche Boxster | 5,6% | 46 000 | 67 | Nissan Qashqai | 10,1% | 64 000 |
| 9 | Porsche 911 | 5,8% | 47 000 | 67 | Volkswagen Passat | 10,1% | 111 000 |
| 10 | Volkswagen Golf Plus | 5,9% | 61 000 | 71 | Hyundai Getz | 10,2% | 54 000 |
| 10 | Ford Fusion | 5,9% | 51 000 | 71 | Opel Zafira | 10,2% | 79 000 |
| 12 | Suzuki SX4 | 6,2% | 61 000 | 71 | nissan note | 10,2% | 60 000 |
| 12 | Mazda 3 | 6,2% | 61 000 | 74 | Volkswagen Beetle | 10,5% | 52 000 |
| 12 | Audi TT | 6,2% | 58 000 | 75 | Opel Astra | 10,6% | 70 000 |
| 15 | Toyota Avensis | 6,3% | 78 000 | 76 | Volkswagen Caddy | 10,9% | 87 000 |
| 15 | BMW X5 | 6,3% | 83 000 | 76 | Opel Agila | 10,9% | 49 000 |
| 17 | Mercedes SLK | 6,5% | 48 000 | 78 | Nissan Micra | 11,1% | 52 000 |
| 18 | Toyota RAV4 | 6,7% | 69 000 | 79 | Ford Galaxy | 11,3% | 101 000 |
| 19 | Audi A3 | 6,9% | 74 000 | 80 | BMW X3 | 11,6% | 80 000 |
| 20 | Mazda MX-5 | 7,1% | 44 000 | 80 | Honda Accord | 11,6% | 76 000 |
| 21 | volkswagen eos | 7,2% | 58 000 | 82 | BMW 5 Series | 11,9% | 99 000 |
| 22 | Audi A4 | 7,3% | 92 000 | 83 | Daihatsu Sirion | 12,0% | 52 000 |
| 23 | Ford Fiesta | 7,4% | 53 000 | 84 | Chevrolet Aveo | 12,3% | 52 000 |
| 24 | Audi A6 | 7,5% | 111 000 | 85 | Skoda Superb | 12,4% | 94 000 |
| 25 | Volkswagen Golf | 7,6% | 71 000 | 86 | Mercedes E-class | 12,5% | 110 000 |
| 25 | Mini | 7,6% | 53 000 | 87 | Renault Modus | 12,8% | 50 000 |
| 27 | Ford C-Max | 7,7% | 67 000 | 88 | Hyundai Tucson | 13,0% | 65 000 |
| 28 | Honda Civic | 7,9% | 64 000 | 88 | Volkswagen Polo | 13,0% | 56 000 |
| 29 | BMW 3 Series | 8,0% | 79 000 | 88 | Kia Picanto | 13,0% | 53 000 |
| 29 | Renault Twingo | 8,0% | 41 000 | 91 | Volkswagen Sharan | 13,2% | 98 000 |
| 31 | Toyota Yaris | 8,1% | 53 000 | 92 | Fiat Bravo | 13,4% | 65 000 |
| 32 | Honda Jazz | 8,3% | 53 000 | 93 | Citroen C3 | 13,9% | 57 000 |
| 32 | Mazda 6 | 8,3% | 77 000 | 94 | Renault Scenic | 14,0% | 70 000 |
| 34 | Toyota Aygo | 8,5% | 53 000 | 95 | Suzuki Jimny | 14,3% | 49 000 |
| 34 | Mercedes B-class | 8,5% | 60 000 | 95 | Kia Rio | 14,3% | 64 000 |
| 36 | Opel Meriva | 8,7% | 52 000 | 97 | Hyundai Atos | 14,4% | 46 000 |
| 37 | Volkswagen Touran | 8,8% | 89 000 | 98 | Renault Clio | 14,5% | 55 000 |
| 37 | Opel Tiger | 8,8% | 47 000 | 98 | Ford Ka | 14,5% | 50 000 |
| 37 | Volvo C30 | 8,8% | 69 000 | 98 | Chevrolet Matiz | 14,5% | 46 000 |
| 40 | Seat Altea | 8,9% | 70 000 | 101 | Kia Sorento | 14,6% | 82 000 |
| 40 | Ford Focus | 8,9% | 74 000 | 102 | volkswagen fox | 14,7% | 55 000 |
| 40 | Ford S-Max | 8,9% | 95 000 | 103 | Skoda Roomster | 14,8% | 67 000 |
| 43 | Volvo S40 | 9,1% | 89 000 | 103 | Peugeot 207 | 14,8% | 56 000 |
| 43 | Suzuki Grand Vitara | 9,1% | 66 000 | 105 | Citroen C2 | 14,9% | 57 000 |
| 45 | Opel Vectra | 9,2% | 87 000 | 106 | Citroen Berlingo | 15,2% | 76 000 |
| 45 | Skoda Octavia | 9,2% | 92 000 | 107 | Fiat Punto | 15,3% | 61 000 |
| 47 | BMW 1 Series | 9,3% | 66 000 | 108 | Alfa Romeo 147 | 15,5% | 65 000 |
| 47 | Citroën C1 | 9,3% | 56 000 | 108 | Volvo V70 | 15,5% | 114 000 |
| 49 | Subaru Forester | 9,4% | 72 000 | 110 | Alfa Romeo 159 | 15,8% | 83 000 |
| 49 | Kia Cee´d | 9,4% | 65 000 | 111 | Citroen C5 | 15,9% | 89 000 |
| 49 | Peugeot 107 | 9,4% | 54 000 | 111 | Seat Ibiza | 15,9% | 62 000 |
| 52 | Hyundai Matrix | 9,6% | 55 000 | 113 | Citroen C4 | 16,7% | 70 000 |
| 52 | Mercedes A-class | 9,6% | 55 000 | 114 | Fiat Panda | 16,9% | 51 000 |
| 52 | Honda CR-V | 9,6% | 71 000 | 115 | Peugeot 307 | 17,8% | 72 000 |
| 55 | Mercedes CLK | 9,7% | 62 000 | 116 | Peugeot 407 | 18,0% | 85 000 |
| 55 | Nissan X-Trail | 9,7% | 81 000 | 116 | Renault Megane | 18,0% | 76 000 |
| 55 | Mercedes ML | 9,7% | 94 000 | 118 | Fiat Doblo | 21,4% | 80 000 |
| 58 | Mazda 5 | 9,8% | 74 000 | 119 | Renault Laguna | 23,0% | 90 000 |
| 58 | Opel Corsa | 9,8% | 53 000 | 120 | Renault Kangoo | 23,2% | 72 000 |
| 58 | Seat Leon | 9,8% | 73 000 | 121 | Dacia Logan | 25,8% | 73 000 |
| 58 | Skoda Fabia | 9,8% | 53 000 | 120 | Renault Kangoo | 23,2% | 72 000 |
| 121 | Dacia Logan | 25,8% | 73 000 |
Audi cars are a typical example of the German car industry. This brand of car is characterized by reliability, durability, excellent maintainability and the obligatory equipment of its models with the latest technical achievements.
If you go a little deeper into history, then you should stop at truly people's cars Russia and Ukraine - Audi 80 and Audi 100.
Audi 80, which belongs to the middle class cars, was produced in 1966-1996. And his fellow class above the hundredth model was produced in approximately the same time range (1968-1994).
These cars, imported to the CIS countries in the nineties, already, with a significant mileage (more than 150,000 km), also had a huge potential resource for both the engine and the body. Therefore, the first repair of the Audi after import was postponed for several years. Several factors contributed to this:
a) starting in 1986, these Audi models began to be produced with a fully galvanized body (the originally established eight-year corrosion guarantee was increased to twelve);
b) the cars were equipped with reliable petrol (E, S) and diesel engines (D, TD, TDI). A huge number of imported cars turned out up to 500,000 km before major repairs. Separately taken Audi came to our service station for the first overhaul engine with a total mileage equal to seven hundred thousand kilometers. Topping up oil for 10,000 km was 1.5-2 liters (so, in principle, these cars could ride a little more).
But the unkillable Audi 80 and 100 were replaced by the Audi A4 and A6. The range of engines has expanded, five-cylinder engines have sunk into oblivion, and some models have been equipped with a tiptronic automatic gearbox (with the additional possibility of manual gear shifting).
In 1996, the Audi Wagon and the Audi A4 quattro with all-wheel drive appeared.
Although the new models also had an improved appearance, and modern equipment, their reliability has somewhat decreased. If we take the reliability rating for 2002 according to the British magazine "Which?", then for Audi models A6 (new car) it was 90%, and for the Audi A4 it was even lower - 87%.
All these problems are related to the general trend of cheaper cars by the world's main manufacturers. The use of cheaper components always affects the quality.
In recent years, Audi cars have regained their somewhat shaky positions. It is again reliable, comfortable, modern car. But technical achievements have gone so far that a high-quality Audi car service can only be provided by a station equipped with the latest science and technology Maintenance. This applies especially to diesel engines. Only competent specialists will be able to set up the operation of this main unit of the car as correctly as possible, which will immediately turn it from a simple means of transportation into a "frisky horse".
You can talk a lot about Audi cars, but let's focus on the main thing: timely maintenance from good specialists is the key to the trouble-free operation of your car.
To date, one of the most popular automotive manufacturers is the concern "Audi". All models created by this company are good in their own way. But let's talk about the most popular ones.
Machines from the last century
Many old ones can compete in quality and power with the new products of our time, produced by other concerns. Although in the 20th century the Audi concern did not succeed as it does now, it produced really reliable cars. Take, for example, the Audi 80. This mid-size car was produced for 30 years - from 1966 to 1996. But best model this series is considered RS2 Avant. The most powerful car was equipped with a 315-horsepower engine, and its maximum speed was 262 km / h. It is worth recalling that for the end of the last century, these figures are quite good.
The Audi models, known under the index “100”, were also very popular. The family of these machines was published from 1968 to 1994. The best car boasted a 280-horsepower 8-cylinder engine. It was installed under the hoods of cars produced from 1991 to 1993.
However, do not focus on sedans. It is also important to talk about other cars. For example, about cars of the supermini class. In the 70s, the Audi concern produced such a car. It became known as the "Audi 50". The car was sold only in Europe. The machine has become the best on the market in its segment. And all because she had a rich equipment (for the 70s) and low price. Managed to sell more than 180 thousand copies.
2000s and success
Time passed, technologies improved, and together with them the Audi concern became better. All models that were produced in the future delighted potential buyers with their equipment and characteristics. The A6 series has become very popular. The sedan of this series in 2005 even received an award as the best car in Europe.
The most powerful version was the 4.2 FSI quattro AT. Under the hood of this car is a 350-horsepower engine, thanks to which the car accelerates to 100 km / h in less than 6 seconds. Max speed is 250 km / h (electronically limited), and the consumption is 10.8 liters in the combined cycle.
The beginning of the 21st century was successful for the company. After all, it was the A6 series that in 2005 outstripped the popularity of the Mercedes E-class and the BMW 5 series.
sports cars
It should be noted sports cars "Audi". All sports car models are special. Take the 2013 Sport Quattro Concept for example. The characteristics are amazing. The maximum speed is 305 km / h, and acceleration to hundreds takes only 3.7 seconds! Motor power is 700 horsepower! It is not surprising that among the sports cars produced by Audi, this car is in first place in terms of high cost and performance.
Released in 2010, the RS6 MTM "Clubsport" is also good. The power of this car is 730 hp, acceleration to hundreds is 3.6 seconds, and the maximum speed is 350 km/h.
Another luxury model is the Quattro Concept. Engine power - 408 "horses", acceleration to "hundreds" - 3.9 seconds, and a maximum of 300 km / h. This is also a concept.
New
Above were listed some of those released by the Audi concern. Of course, it is impossible to name all the models, but they really deserved attention. And now a few words about cars released recently.
Q7 is the most expensive car to maintain. In 2015, the second generation and electric version were introduced. She became known as e-tron. This car is equipped with a diesel three-liter hybrid, whose power is 373 hp.
Another sensation is the 2017 R8 Spyder from Audi. New model, the photo of which is provided above, boasts a 540-horsepower engine, thanks to which the car accelerates in 3.6 seconds. The maximum speed can be 318 kilometers per hour. The cost of the novelty is as impressive as its characteristics. It starts from 186 thousand euros.
The 2016 Audi TTS is also considered one of the most luxurious cars of the current year. No wonder, since this is a coupe made of especially durable materials (steel and aluminum). Under its hood, a 310-horsepower engine is installed, which can be driven by both a 6-speed manual and an automatic S-Tronic. By the way, the price is quite modest when compared with the cost of the previously listed models. It starts from 3,135,000 rubles.
And one more novelty worthy of attention. This is the Q5 model. Stylish and comfortable crossover, which is offered with several different engines. The most powerful and economical is a turbocharged diesel. It has 320 horses. And there is also a bi-turbo gasoline unit, producing 20 “horses” more.
In general, every car produced by the Audi concern deserves attention. But the most popular and powerful models were named above. It is safe to say that in the future this list will only grow.