2019 Audi A8 Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byTravis LangnessReviews Editor

　　Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.

　　

What's new

Completely redesigned for 2019New V6 engineExecutive rear-seat package includes wireless tablet for controlPart of the fourth A8 generation introduced for 2019

　　Redesigned for 2019, the A8 signals all sorts of changes for Audi. With a new infotainment interface, more advanced safety features and an updated powertrain with mild-hybrid technology, the A8 should be worth a close look.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Audi A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$209/mo  for A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro

　　A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro

　　L 3.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) (Most Popular) - $83,800 MSRPL 4.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) - $96,800 MSRP

　　vs

　　$197/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　The A8's infotainment interface, still referred to as Audi MMI, is completely redesigned. It's a multi-touchscreen system, and there's no longer a controller knob. In our early testing, we've found that using these touchscreen-only controls increases the possibility of causing driver distraction. Luckily, the voice controls work flawlessly. And after some learning, the system can become second nature.

　　The A8 also gets many of Audi's newest and most high-tech safety features such as Pre Sense Plus, Pre Sense Rear and Pre Sense Side, all of which are designed to protect you even before a collision occurs. Then there's adaptive cruise control, steering assist and an available 360-degree parking camera. Certainly, this A8 is on the cutting edge.

　　Finally, the A8 has a new 48-volt mild-hybrid system. This system comes standard, so the A8 is now a hybrid but only in the loosest sense of the word. It's mostly used to smooth out and speed up the engine's stop-start feature and power vehicle accessories in certain situations, such as coasting down from highway speeds.

　　All of these are significant improvements for the 2019 Audi A8. And thankfully, along the way, the big Audi hasn't lost any of its luxury prowess. It's still a massively comfortable and impeccably built sedan with excellent materials and a strong presence on the road. If you're in the market for high-end luxury, it should be near the top of your shopping list.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

7.4 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Audi A8 L w/ Executive package (turbo 3.0L V6 | 8-speed automatic | AWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	7.4 / 10
Driving	7.5
Comfort	7.5
Interior	8.0
Utility	7.0
Technology	8.0

　　

Driving

7.5

　　At this level, a car's performance should be almost transparent, letting the passengers enjoy the experience of a true luxury car. But the A8 L gets most of its athletic aptitude from optional summer performance tires instead of a more well-rounded approach. The A8 L can feel a bit numb and clumsy where it can least afford to.

　　

Acceleration

7.5

　　The A8 L is by no means slow, but that doesn't mean it couldn't do with a little more in the power department. The engine can feel strained at higher speeds and lacks a bit of punch around town, the kind of punch you'd get from a V8 engine. Still, the V6 revs quickly and hits 60 mph in 5.5 seconds at our test track.

　　

Braking

7.5

　　These brakes are definitely not lacking for maximum stopping power. Panic stops from 60 mph take a sports car-esque 106 feet, aided by grippy summer tires. But the brakes perform less commendably in the city, proving to be a bit jumpy in heavy traffic. The 48-volt mild hybrid system lets the A8 L coast silently up to stoplights.

　　

Steering

6.5

　　The big Audi lacks a bit more steering feel than we'd like. And it still manages to be overly busy when the road surface gets a bit rough. That's not a good combination at any price point. Our test car's optional four-wheel steering did prove useful in tight situations.

　　

Handling

8.5

　　When equipped with summer performance tires, like our test car, the levels of grip are very close to astonishing. Despite its size, the car is quick to change direction. The all-wheel drive and optional rear-wheel steering work hard to maximize traction, but their efforts are more noticeable than we'd like.

　　

Drivability

6.5

　　Shifts are silky-smooth, even at full throttle, and exactly what you'd expect from a big German sedan. But the car tends to wait a beat before moving away from a stop. And when it does, it does so with a lurch of power. Downshifts take a deliberate stab at the gas pedal, making the car feel slightly unresponsive.

　　

Comfort

7.5

　　On the right road, and in the right conditions, the A8 L is nearly as good as they come, offering supremely comfortable seats for all passengers. But the ride can feel decidedly downmarket on less than perfect roads, and the climate control works a bit harder than it should have to in a car of this status.

　　

Seat comfort

9.0

　　With the Executive Rear Seat Comfort package, front-seat passengers benefit from 22-way-adjustable ventilated and heated seats with vigorous massage functions. As part of that Executive package, the two rear seats are highly adjustable and heated with the right seat getting a massaging footrest. Decadent.

　　

Ride comfort

6.0

　　At high speeds, the A8 L feels a bit soft and too floaty through dips and over crests. Yet in town, the A8 cannot isolate its occupants against impacts from potholes or even rougher road surfaces. When driven briskly, Dynamic mode does a commendable job of managing body roll, but impacts feel even harsher.

　　

Noise & vibration

6.5

　　On a smooth highway, the A8 L is nearly silent, with only a faint rush of wind around the windshield. Rougher roads introduce distracting levels of tire noise for a luxury car. The engine has two personalities: It has a bit too much vibration at idle yet is remarkably smooth at higher rpm.

　　

Climate control

7.0

　　The narrow air vents look sleek, but they prove a bit too small to maintain cabin temperature effectively without using higher fan speeds. The touchscreen interface makes sense but proves a bit less intuitive than any traditional three-knob and button setup. Rear-seat passengers get their own climate control and vents.

　　

Interior

8.0

　　To put it simply, if Audi retained the use of its old MMI system, the A8 L would have received a higher score. Visibility and interior space are difficult to fault. But the new dual touchscreens, though not impossible to figure out, are not intuitive, and the screens can look dirty after a day's use.

　　

Ease of use

7.5

　　Any familiarity with past Audis will be of no use in this new A8 since dual touchscreens replace Audi's tried-and-true MMI system. The menus are deep, and it will take some time for an owner to learn the system. Thankfully, Audi's digital instrument panel remains much the same and easy to use.

　　

Getting in/getting out

8.0

　　Generous door openings, especially for rear-seat passengers, make entry and exit quite easy so long as you have enough room to open the long rear doors. The seats prove easy enough to slide over, and the driver gets an easy exit function that moves the seat back and slides the steering wheel out of the way.

　　

Driving position

8.5

　　As different as the interior may be, the driving position is still very typically Audi, which is to say excellent. Drivers of varying heights will find adequate adjustability from both the seats and steering, and major controls fall readily to hand for both taller and shorter drivers.

　　

Roominess

8.5

　　As expected with a long-wheelbase luxury sedan, rear legroom is excellent. The Executive Rear Seat Comfort package adds extra legroom for the right rear passenger by way of moving the front seat well forward, exposing a footrest in the seatback. Headroom is ample for all passengers, as is shoulder room.

　　

Visibility

8.5

　　For such a long car, visibility is impressive due to the thin window pillars and the long windows. Tighter parking spots are easily navigated thanks to The top-down 360-degree camera system, and the backup camera is crisp and handles varying light conditions well.

　　

Quality

9.0

　　Fit and finish is excellent both inside and out, and Audi manages to combine traditional luxury surfaces, such as wood and leather, seamlessly with touchscreens and modern design. Even the plastic parts feel substantial and impart a satisfying sense of quality to all passengers.

　　

Utility

7.0

　　Audi's streamlined styling and Executive Rear Seat Comfort package takes a bit of a toll on cargo capacity for both passengers and trunk space. Both front- and rear-seat passengers will need to declutter. And while the trunk will likely never see a run to a home store, it also can't hold more than a couple of large suitcases.

　　

Small-item storage

6.5

　　There's not much room for accessories beyond a phone, keys and sunglasses for both front and rear passengers. In the front seat, the center console storage is occupied by a wireless phone charger, and the control tablet blocks storage for rear passengers. The door pockets are small but lined with fabric.

　　

Cargo space

7.0

　　Passenger comfort has taken priority over cargo capacity. But the A8 L still offers a trunk with some usable space (12.5 cubic feet), albeit less than competitors from Mercedes-Benz (16.3 cubes) and BMW (14.8 cubes). There is a center pass-through for longer items, but the rear seats do not fold.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

7.5

　　Isofix anchors are marked and easily accessible. The extended wheelbase should make loading and unloading even the largest car seats a breeze.

　　

Technology

8.0

　　Definitely impressive to look at and absolutely impressive to listen to, the A8 L should be the runaway class leader when it comes to in-car tech. But some usability issues, as well as some conservative tuning with the adaptive cruise control system, show there's still some room for improvement.

　　

Audio & navigation

8.0

　　The optional Bang & Olufsen system in our test car was powerful and offered excellent clarity at all volumes. Audi's Google Maps navigation system remained easy to use but exhibited up a few graphics-related glitches on more than one occasion. Handwriting recognition is impressively accurate with the nav system.

　　

Smartphone integration

8.0

　　Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard as well as quick connecting Bluetooth. Front-seat passengers get a wireless charging pad and two USB ports in the center console, and rear passengers each get their own USB port.

　　

Driver aids

7.0

　　As you'd expect for a luxury car of this price, driver aids are plentiful in number and advancement. Audi's Pre Sense 360 provides constant coverage and situational awareness for the A8 L. The adaptive cruise control was mildly frustrating with somewhat lazy response times to changes in traffic flow.

　　

Voice control

8.0

　　The A8 L uses a more natural voice recognition system that proved relatively accurate across navigation, audio and climate control commands. And since the Audi's touchscreen interface can be a bit complex to use quickly, the voice controls prove to be more useful than most.

　　

Which A8 does zzdcar recommend?

　　Since there's only one Audi A8 currently available, you won't exactly be spoiled for choice. The A8 L with the turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 comes with plenty of standard features and all of Audi's new in-car infotainment features. If you want a bit more in the way of creature comforts and safety features, we recommend getting the optional Executive package. You'll also need that package in order to get many of the A8's additional options.

　　

2019 Audi A8 models

　　The 2019 Audi A8 is a flagship luxury sedan available in a single long-wheelbase L body style called the A8 L. It comes standard with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (Audi calls it the 55 TFSI Quattro) that's paired to a 48-volt mild-hybrid electric system. This combination provides 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

　　A turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 (60 TFSI Quattro) is also available and produces 453 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque. Every A8 is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive as standard.

　　As you'd expect, standard equipment for the A8 is plentiful. It comes with 19-inch wheels, an adaptive air suspension, LED headlights and taillights, heated and power-folding mirrors, auto-dimming mirrors, parking sensors, a rearview camera, power door closers, a power trunklid, and keyless ignition and entry.

　　Inside, you get four-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, extended leather interior trim, 22-way power-adjustable front seats (with heating and four-way lumbar adjustment), front-seat memory settings, a panoramic sunroof, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and power rear sunshades.

　　Standard electronic equipment includes Audi's new dual-screen MMI infotainment interface, a navigation system, Bluetooth phone and audio, voice controls, and a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround-sound audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and satellite radio.

　　Many of the A8's options are grouped into packages. The Executive package includes multicontour front seats (with ventilation and massage), a heated steering wheel, a top-view parking camera, a head-up display, Audi Pre Sense Basic and Rear (a system that pre-tensions the seat belts and closes the windows if it senses an impending collision), Audi Side Assist (a similar system but for side-impact collisions) with rear cross-traffic assist, and wireless smartphone-charging capabilities.

　　Nearly every other package requires the addition of the Executive package first, so they build from there. Highlights include the Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise control and active lane keeping assist) and the Luxury package (simulated-suede headliner, additional leather-wrapped interior surfaces, a multicolor ambient lighting display, and an upgraded cabin air filter with fragrance control).

　　For enhanced rear passenger comfort, Audi offers the Rear Seat Comfort package (rear-seat heating, ventilation and massage), the Rear Seat Connectivity package (which includes two tablet-style rear displays) and the Executive Rear Seat Comfort package (even more leather, folding tables for the rear seats, and a rear-passenger footrest with a massage function).

　　Jump to:Related 2019 A8 articles

　　

2019 A8 Highlights

Trim: L 3.0 TFSI quattroL 4.0 TFSI quattroL 3.0 TFSI quattro

　　

Base MSRP	$83,800
Engine Type	Mild hybrid
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$209/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	12.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles