Audi’s performance in the U.S. automotive market has taken a significant downturn, with the company reporting its worst sales figures in several years. In its end-of-year report for 2025, Audi announced it sold just 164,942 cars, representing a troubling 16% decrease from the 196,576 units sold in 2024. This decline marks a stark contrast to the sales figures from the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, when the brand recorded 186,620 and 196,038 units sold, respectively.
Sales of Audi’s electric models, particularly the e-tron series, mirrored the overall downward trend. The Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron saw substantial drops of 38% and 48%, with sales plummeting from 8,546 and 2,810 units in 2024 to 5,264 and 1,474 in 2025. The recently discontinued Q8 e-tron further impacted Audi’s sales performance, posting only 642 units sold—an alarming 89% reduction from the 5,978 units sold in the previous year.
The e-tron GT also faced challenges, with a 59% decrease in sales, from 2,894 units in 2024 to 1,195 in 2025. The decline was not limited to electric vehicles; traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) models were also affected. The Audi Q3, recognized by J.D. Power as one of the best luxury cars under $40,000, experienced a 27% drop in sales, going from 32,090 units to 23,581. Similarly, the Q5 recorded 46,215 units sold, reflecting a 19% decline compared to 2024.
The most significant decline was seen in the Audi A4, with sales falling by an astonishing 93% to just 507 units, largely due to its discontinuation. Despite these setbacks, there were a few bright spots for the automaker. The Q8 and A7 models both saw modest increases of 5% in sales, with 10,881 and 1,654 units sold, respectively. The introduction of the new Audi Q6 e-tron also showed promise, boasting a remarkable 1,681% increase in sales, attributed to it being its first full year on the market, with a total of 17,207 units sold.
Consumer reviews remain positive for many of Audi’s models, with several vehicles, including the RS3 and SQ7, receiving commendations from various automotive outlets. Furthermore, seven Audi cars earned the Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the year 2025, highlighting the brand’s commitment to safety and quality.
Despite these accolades, Audi’s sales figures stand in stark comparison to its German rivals. Both Mercedes-Benz and BMW have consistently outperformed Audi in recent years. As of October 2025, Mercedes-Benz reported sales of 223,800 cars by the third quarter alone, nearly 60,000 units more than Audi, with a full quarter remaining in the year. Meanwhile, BMW achieved a record-setting year, selling 388,897 cars in 2025, a 4.7% increase from the 371,346 units in 2024. The Mini subsidiary also contributed positively, with a 9.3% increase in sales totaling 28,749 cars.
As Audi navigates these challenging sales figures, it must address the underlying issues to regain its competitive edge in the U.S. market and improve its overall performance in the coming years.
