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TheCarConnection's editors have driven the latest Audi A8 to deliver firsthand driving impressions, along with a comparison of the A8 to other full-size luxury sedans. TheCarConnection also compiles a full review of quotes and opinions from other respected Web sources, to bring you a comprehensive guide to the A8.
Likes:
- Nimble handling
- Great front seats
- Vast rear-seat room (A8 L)
- Quattro all-wheel drive is standard
Dislikes:
- Looks a bit stale
- No more high-performance S8
- Lacks brand presence
The 2010 Audi A8 is Audi's largest luxury sedan, and it's available for a final year in its current body style. A major redesign is coming for the 2011 model year, and will bring with it new V-8 engines, both gas and diesel, as well as a much more sophisticated interior with touchpad technology for audio and communications systems. In its current body style, the A8 comes in a single powertrain combination, with a V-8 engine, automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive-though it's sold in standard and extended-length body styles. With a base price of $75,000, the A8 competes with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Lexus LS range, and the new Jaguar XJ.
It's long, and it's lithe, but the 2010 Audi A8's exterior shape is somewhat forgettable. It predates the era of Bangle-designed BMWs and follow-up Benzes that turned Germany's automakers into purveyors of style-and it's outshaped by the lovely new 2011 Jaguar XJ, which renders all these cars in somber shades of grey. The A8 doesn't suffer for its sedate looks, and the large Audi grille up front has begun to grow on TheCarConnection.com's editors-if only on large vehicles that can handle its overbearing size. Elsewhere, the cues echo those of older Audis-the gentle downward drape of the roofline, squared-off tail lamps, and discreetly creased fenders. The A8's interior reads exceptionally clean and simplified, thanks to the Multi-Media Interface (MMI), which brings a single tactile controller to access a range of audio, climate-control, and navigation functions. Fewer buttons collect on the A8's dash and armrests, and high-dollar finishes add more than a veneer of rich look and feel. Audi's interiors have always looked a bit brighter and friendlier than other German sedans, and even at its advanced automotive age, the A8's cockpit shines.
