2022 Audi A8

Overview

Audi's answer to the Mercedes-Benz S-class is the 2022 A8 sedan, which is also an Editors' Choice winner. It offers a spacious interior and every conceivable luxury and convenience feature, which helps justify its nearly six-figure starting price. The A8's styling is expertly rendered to look ritzy but restrained, and fans of the smaller A4 and A6 sedans will find the A8 handsome. Its cabin, however, is far more comfortable than those four doors and offers similar space and features as the S-class and the BMW 7-series, the Audi's other natural rival. Massaging seats for both front and rear passengers are available and Audi also includes a host of driver-assists as standard. Drivers looking for more oomph should consider the performance-oriented S8 model, which we review separately.

What's New for 2022?

Audi's flagship sedan receives a styling makeover for 2022 which includes a new grille, re-worked front and rear bumpers, revised exterior lighting elements, and updated wheel designs. An S line exterior appearance package is now available, too, which makes the A8 look a little bit more like the performance-oriented S8 model. Inside, new rear entertainment displays are now optional and Audi has added some new interior trim options to the spec sheet.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

If you're going with Audi's flagship luxury sedan, do it right and order it with the Luxury package, which includes heated rear seats with power adjustments and massage, leather-wrapped dashboard, all-wheel steering, and more. We'd also suggest the Executive package, which adds massaging front seats, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist, and interior ambient lighting.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The A8 comes with a turbocharged V-6 rated at 335 horsepower which is augmented by a 48-volt hybrid system. An eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard. At our test track, the A8 we tested sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. Among six-cylinder executive sedans, that puts the A8 a few tenths off the rapid pace of the BMW 740i and the Mercedes-Benz S500. The Audi's engine is smooth, but there's no fanfare to its power delivery, and sound-deadening measures are so extensive that it's practically inaudible with the windows up. The A8 offers a very Audi-like blend of athleticism and ride comfort. An adjustable air suspension and driver-adjustable adaptive dampers are standard. With this setup, the Audi A8 isolates you from road irregularities but can still hammer down a back road when the mood strikes.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The EPA estimates the 2022 A8 sedan will earn 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. We can't evaluate the real-world mpg for the A8 until we take it on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen. For more information about the A8's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Impressive passenger space is an A8 hallmark, and its long wheelbase ensures that rear-seat passengers are well accommodated. Five-passenger seating is standard, but an optional four-passenger seating package deletes the rear center seat and provides a pair of power-adjustable rear seats with heating, ventilation, and massage as well as a heated foot-massage function and a pair of individual entertainment tablets (while reducing power adjustments for the front passenger seat to make room for all that). Fine materials are in abundance, and you can order up extended leather and a small forest's worth of wood inlays. But much like the A8's exterior, the interior ambience is sober and not as lavish as that of the Mercedes S-class. Trunk capacity is modest for a big luxury sedan at just 13 cubic feet.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

Audi's excellent 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster is standard as are the 10.1-inch upper and 8.6-inch lower haptic center screens with the MMI Touch Response system. There's a lone volume knob for the audio system, since most functions are controlled through the touchscreens. It can be overwhelming initially, but the system is quick to respond and highly configurable, allowing owners to choose their own dedicated buttons on the lower screen while offering permanent buttons for navigation, weather, telephone functions, and radio on the left side of the upper screen. Just know that you'll wear out the included microfiber wipe trying to remove fingerprints. Up front, there are two USB ports with combined data and charging capability, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay phone integration is standard along with Amazon Alexa compatibility. Wi-Fi via Audi Connect Plus is available for an additional subscription fee.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The A8 has much the same driver-assistance technologies as other high-end sedans. When equipped with Traffic Jam Assist (Driver Assistance package), the A8 will help you out with acceleration and braking in heavy traffic, but your hands can't leave the wheel for more than a few seconds. For more information about the A8's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
• Available adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Warranty coverage on the 2022 A8 is nothing special in the realm of luxury cars. Buyers looking for more value in this category should check out the Genesis G90, which comes standard with up to 10 years or 100,000 miles of warranty coverage and three years of free maintenance.

• Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

More Features and Specs