2020 Audi A8 English Us
Channel: kamran sumqayitli
Date: 2023-04-04

2020 Audi A8 English Us
Audi A8 Expert Review
Duncan Brady
The current fourth-generation Audi A8 made its North American debut for the 2019 model year with only one powertrain option, but for 2020, the executive four-door expands its engine lineup and is joined by the performance-oriented S8. It's Audi's largest sedan, positioned above the A3, A4, and A6 sedans in size and price. It's a less popular choice than the long, segment-leading Mercedes-Benz S-Class but holds its own against the 'Benz as well as other full-size luxury sedans like the BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, Genesis G70, and Porsche Panamera Executive.
What We Think
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It's hard not to appreciate a giant four-door sedan. The segment is rapidly diminishing, but there's something wonderfully nostalgic and refreshingly modern about a car that eschews sporting intentions and embraces itself as a quiet, comfortable cruiser that prioritizes luxury above all else. That's the Audi A8.

It would be easy to cover great distances in this car. The standard air suspension is wonderfully plush, and combined with the A8's long wheelbase, ride quality is refined and superb. It's an ideal road trip machine thanks in part to its nearly silent cabin, standard Bang & Olufsen audio, a capacious fuel tank, and available (not to mention excellent) adaptive cruise control.

Audi is known for polished, tech-forward interior design, and as its flagship sedan, the A8 is no exception. Wood dashboard trim retracts to reveal hidden air vents; the digital instrument cluster and dual-screen infotainment setup are crisp and responsive; and that executive rear seating package is next-level luxurious. Some of our editors took issue with the infotainment screens' touch sensitivity, though, and there's too much high-gloss piano black plastic trim for our tastes.

Other quibbles include the available lane-keeping system pinging and ponging against lane markers and the A8's understated design, but there's a lot more to like about this car than there is to take issue with. If you're looking for a tech-filled bank vault in which to cover some serious miles in serious comfort, we can't think of many reasons not to do so in an A8.


Performance and Fuel Economy
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Audi's largest sedan is offered with two different engines—each in multiple configurations. The entry-level car comes with a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 under the hood, which develops 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. All A8s feature an eight-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels. The single-turbo V-6 is EPA-rated at 17/26 mpg city/highway, and in our A8 First Test, the V-6 model hit 60 in 5.3 seconds. (That's 0.3 second quicker than Audi's estimate.)

New for this year is a plug-in hybrid variant that pairs a 14.1 kW-hr battery and an electric motor with the base model's turbo V-6. Total system output sums to 443 hp and 516 lb-ft, and it offers up to 17 miles of all-electric range. Audi's 0-60 estimate is 4.9 seconds. In terms of efficiency, the plug-in is rated at 54 mpg-e combined when running on gas and electricity or 23 mpg combined running on gas alone.

Two V-8 models are also new for this year, both of which utilize a 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine. The standard model is rated at 453 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque—in the mighty S8, a version of the same engine generates 563 hp and 590 lb-ft. Audi claims the regular V-8 model will hit 60 in 4.5 seconds and the S8 will do so in 3.8 seconds, but don't be surprised if those estimates are conservative. (Once we test one of them, we'll get back to you.) Models with the V-8 take a bit of a fuel economy hit, returning 13-15/22-23 mpg.


Safety
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The A8 has not been evaluated by either major North American safety organization, nor Euro NCAP, but it does offer standard and optional driver-assist active safety features. Only auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and auto high beams are included as standard. The Executive package—standard on the S8—adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, as well as a 360-degree camera system. An additional Driver Assistance package includes adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and lane-centering.


Utility (Cargo Space and Interior Room)
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The A8 seats five—or four if you opt for the Executive rear seat package. This being a full-size long-wheelbase sedan, there's plenty of room. Front seat passengers have a spacious 41.5 inches of legroom and those in the back can stretch out and luxuriate in 44.3 inches of legroom. Cargo volume in the trunk is somewhat disappointing, though; the A8's 12.5 cubic feet measure less than a Toyota Corolla's cargo capacity of 13.1 cubic feet.