At this price, luxury is more than just a state of mind. It's found not only in the wealth of features but also in the way the vehicle behaves and its ability to make its occupants forget the stresses of daily life. The Audi A8 has all the trappings of luxury, but it never feels entirely special or cohesive, and it lacks that last little bit of personality and luxury you'll find in other large luxury sedans.
Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at Edmunds and was the first editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.
Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of Edmunds' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.
Pros
Impeccably crafted cabin
Impressive interior technology
Responsive steering and cornering for a big sedan
Exceptionally comfortable seats all around
Cons
Relatively small trunk
Infotainment interface can be tough to learn
Powertrain is a little unrefined
Ride is too floaty at high speeds and too bumpy around town
What's new
Comfort Plus package adds upgraded LED headlights
Executive package gains an automatic parking system
Part of the fourth A8 generation introduced for 2019
Overview
The 2023 Audi A8 flagship luxury sedan is fresh off some updates for the 2022 model year. The automaker's top sedan rides on an extended wheelbase and uses a 335-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 that powers all four wheels through a standard all-wheel-drive system. If you prefer a sporty version of the A8, check out the Audi S8, which employs a twin-turbocharged V8 engine.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 Audi A8 L 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (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 $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.
This year, Audi adds its brilliantly shining HD Matrix LED headlights to the optional Comfort Plus package, while the Executive package now boasts an automated remote parking assistance system that works if the driver is sitting behind the steering wheel or is standing outside of the A8. Otherwise, the A8 carries on without significant changes.
Audi's top sedan faces fresh competition in the form of a redesigned BMW 7 Series, which is available with a wider variety of drivetrains, including an electric i7 model. Likewise, the recently redesigned Mercedes-Benz S-Class makes the aging Audi A8 seem outdated, and it's further available in an ultra-luxury Maybach specification. Genesis is also wading into the flagship luxury sedan pool with the all-new G90 model, and the often overlooked Lexus LS remains a potential alternative to the A8.
Though it's been just half a decade since Audi redesigned the A8, the car is already outclassed in a shrinking segment. Learn more about why we think so by reading our test team's detailed Expert Rating.
Edmunds Expert Rating
Our VerdictThe Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.
Average
7.4
out of 10
edmunds TESTED
At this price, luxury is more than just a state of mind. It's found not only in the wealth of features but also in the way the vehicle behaves and its ability to make its occupants forget the stresses of daily life. The Audi A8 has all the trappings of luxury, but it never feels entirely special or cohesive, and it lacks that last little bit of personality and luxury you'll find in other large luxury sedans.
How does the A8 drive? At this level, a car's performance should be almost transparent and allow passengers to enjoy the experience of a true luxury car. But the A8 gets most of its athletic aptitude from optional summer performance tires instead of a more well-rounded approach. The A8 is by no means slow, but that doesn't mean it couldn't do with a little more in the power department. Unfortunately, the V8 and plug-in are no longer available. You'll have to upgrade to the sporty S8 for extra oomph under the hood.
The A8 also comes across as a bit numb and clumsy in aspects that you wouldn't expect it to. The brakes performed well in our panic-stop tests but were jumpy in traffic, making it hard to stop smoothly. The transmission was also slow to downshift when we wanted it to. The A8 is good overall, but there's room for improvement.
Comfort
7.5/10
How comfortable is the A8? On the right road, and in the right conditions, the A8 is nearly as good as they come, offering supremely comfortable seats for all passengers. The Luxury package adds ventilation and massage for the outboard rear seats so even backseat occupants are treated to a first-class experience.
But the ride quality can feel decidedly unrefined on less than perfect roads. It can be too soft over dips and crests, resulting in wallowy body motions, but then too firm over potholes and rough surfaces. Other negatives include a climate control that has to work a bit harder than it should have to in a car of this status and more road and engine noise than we'd expect.
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How’s the interior? To put it simply, if Audi retained the use of the previous A8's MMI infotainment system, the A8 would have received a higher score. The dual-screen system, though not impossible to figure out, is not intuitive and the screens can look dirty after a day's use. It offers a lot of features, but the learning curve is steep. We do, however, like the standard digital instrument cluster.
Visibility and interior space are difficult to fault thanks to the large windows and thin roof pillars. As a result, this large car is relatively easy to park. There's plenty of space, especially for rear passengers. The optional four-seat setup offers the ability to slide the passenger seat forward for more rear legroom.
Technology
8.0/10
How’s the tech? The A8 is definitely impressive to look at and absolutely impressive to listen to. You'd think the A8 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 room for improvement.
We like the standard Bang & Olufsen audio system and Google Earth-based navigation, but we had some graphical glitches in our test car. Voice recognition works well, as does the handwriting recognition system. The driver aids feel slow to respond and can feel behind the beat in traffic.
Storage
7.0/10
How’s the storage? Audi's streamlined styling takes a bit of a toll on cargo capacity for both passengers and trunk space. Both front and rear passengers will need to declutter since there aren't many places to hold small items beyond sunglasses and a smartphone. The trunk can't hold more than a couple of large suitcases.
Fuel Economy
6.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The A8 is expected to return an EPA-estimated 22 mpg in combined city/highway driving. That's right in the mix with other similarly equipped executive sedans. But in our time with our test car, we saw only one tank barely exceed 22 mpg, even though it was made up of mostly highway miles. You might have trouble matching the EPA's numbers in your car.
Value
7.5/10
Is the A8 a good value? Luxury-car buyers are right to expect a lot from their purchase, especially when the price tag exceeds $100,000. The A8 does impress prospective buyers with exceptional build quality. Audi's limited warranty is pretty typical for the segment, and Audi offers four years of roadside assistance with unlimited miles. That's good, but some competitors offer better plans.
Wildcard
6.0/10
The Audi A8 strives to mix Audi's tech-forward heritage and high-end luxury appointments with a touch of sport into a long-wheelbase executive express. But the recipe never feels fully baked, and the A8 winds up feeling only like a bigger Audi instead of a special one.
Which A8 does Edmunds recommend?
Audi offers its flagship sedan in a single A8 L 55 TFSI Quattro trim level and with four primary option packages in addition to paint, trim and wheel selections. We think the Comfort Plus package and the Executive package are the worthiest extra-cost upgrades.
Audi A8 models
Audi offers the 2023 A8 in a single, nicely equipped trim level called the L 55 TFSI Quattro. The "L" is for the long-wheelbase body style, the "55 TFSI" represents the turbocharged mild hybrid 3.0-liter V6 (335 horsepower, 369 lb-ft) and eight-speed automatic transmission, and the "Quattro" signifies the standard all-wheel-drive system.
L 55 TFSI Quattro
The Audi A8's standard features list includes:
19-inch wheels
Sporty S line design elements
Adaptive air suspension (can raise or lower the ride height of the vehicle and improve ride comfort and handling stability)
Power trunklid
Soft-close doors (catch as they're being closed and gently pull shut)
Panoramic sunroof
Digital instrument cluster (Audi Virtual Cockpit)
Four-zone automatic climate control
Power-adjustable steering wheel
Leather upholstery and wood trim
Heated and ventilated front seats with 22-way power adjustment
Rear window sunshades
Dual touchscreen interface, with 10.1-inch upper screen for infotainment functions and a lower 8.6-inch screen for climate control and seat adjustments
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Satellite radio
Navigation system
Wireless charging pad with Audi phone box signal booster
Bang & Olufsen premium audio system
The A8 also comes with several standard safety features, including:
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the A8 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Several option packages are available for the A8:
Executive package
20-inch wheels
Aluminum switchgear
Configurable ambient interior lighting
Heated steering wheel
Traffic sign recognition
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Audi and the car in front)
Lane keeping assistance (steers the A8 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Blind-spot warning with front and rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change, while crossing an intersection or while reversing)
Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)
Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
Comfort Plus package
Executive package
Upgraded HD Matrix LED headlights
Sound-reducing front windows
Heated front armrests
Massaging front seats
Heated rear outboard seats
Upgraded leather upholstery
Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
Luxury package
Comfort Plus package
Rear-wheel steering for better handling and a tighter turning circle
Leather upholstery extended to dashboard and door pulls
Heated rear armrests
Power rear outboard seats with lumbar adjustment, memory settings, ventilation and massage
Rear seat remote control
Black Optic package
21-inch wheels
Black exterior trim
Black Optic Plus package
Black Optic package
Black Audi badges
Black brake calipers
Summer performance tires (no-cost option, available with either Black Optic package)
2019 Audi A8 L 4.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (4.0L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 8A)
Very gorgeous car, but it turned into an expensive paperweight soon after purchasing. After buying the car, dealership then told me they needed to do minor work on the cooling system. That took about 3 weeks. 2 weeks of having the car, the temperature light started spazzing with 5 miles of driving. Towed to the dealership and was told that the car was throwing codes and the technician … cleared them and the car drove perfect. Picked the car up and the car acts up in the same manner within 10 minutes in traffic. Car has been in the shop for another month with 0 repairs. Two months of ownership and the car has been down majority of the time. Complete CPO lemon!
Too Many Issues to be Audi's Flagship
1 out of 5 stars
C. R., 01/12/2023
2019 Audi A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 8A)
We purchased a CPO 2019 Audi A8 with 32,000 miles. In the first 16 months of ownership our car has been in the Audi Dealership 82 days. Even after 82 days in the shop we have a return visit schedule to address outstanding items. We continue to have brake issues with no resolution from Audi. If you don't want a car with a lot of service issues this is not the car for you. This is also my … 4th Audi and far worse than any of my other A6's. Don't get be wrong the car is beautiful but is it worth all the hassle, probably not.
11/4/22 – 12/22/22 48 DAYS
8/18/22 - 8/29/22 13 DAYS
2/25/22 - 3/7/22 10 DAYS
1/14/22 – 1/20/22 6 DAYS
12/29/21 - 1/3/22 5 DAYS
Total 82 Days
Absolute lemon
1 out of 5 stars
RC, 12/18/2019
2019 Audi A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 8A)
My third A8 and seventh Audi, never any issues but this one has been over engineered electronically , buggy and dangerous ( the steering froze up mid-drive with family inside the car), even more painful is dealing with VW group to get it resolved been over 6 months
Love this car
5 out of 5 stars
RobertinCT, 12/14/2021
2019 Audi A8 L 3.0 TFSI quattro 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 8A)
This is my third Audi. It is by far the best. It is extremely quiet and smooth. Loaded with tech and safety features. Love the rear seat comfort package and 4-wheel steering. Car is quick and gets pretty good mpg. Took the car on a 7,200 mile cross country road trip. Car performed flawlessly and was extremely comfortable. Lane keep assist and radar cruise made the driving stress … free.
We have been piling on the miles and now have 44k miles on the car. We have had zero issues. MPG continues to impress. Approx. 30 MPG on highway at 75 MPH. We are getting 23-24 MPG around town.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Audi A8, so we've included reviews for other years of the A8 since its last redesign.
If you seek practicality in a large luxury sedan, the Lexus LS delivers. We rate the LS higher than the Audi A8 when it comes to comfort, trunk space, fuel economy and value. But the Audi is more satisfying to drive than the Lexus (despite the more powerful engine in the LS), and we like the A8's plush, high-tech cabin design better. Either of these flagship sedans represents a bargain in the segment, but especially the Lexus.
When Mercedes-Benz last redesigned the S-Class sedan for the 2021 model year, the price increased by about 10%. Yet nearly everything about the new S-Class set new standards for the segment, making it well worth the necessary cash outlay. Still, the S-Class costs almost $25,000 more than the Audi A8 L, and even in this lofty class, that's a substantial premium.
Similar to the S-Class, the Porsche Panamera is substantially more expensive than the Audi A8. The extra cash outlay buys sports car reflexes combined with styling that is the antithesis of staid. A Panamera is as close to a four-door Porsche 911 as you can get, and there's even an Executive version with more rear seat room. Plus, it offers more cargo space than the Audi, Lexus or Mercedes. But it all comes at a high cost.
The 2023 Audi A8 is the latest iteration of Audi's flagship luxury sedan. The fourth-generation A8 is coming off a refresh in 2022 that brought with it updated exterior styling and improved in-car tech, though it slimmed down the lineup by dropping both the turbocharged V8 engine and plug-in hybrid powertrain. That leaves the 335-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6 as the sole engine option. If you're looking for more performance, check out the sporty V8-powered Audi S8.
The Audi A8 is only sold in America as the long-wheelbase (read: extra rear legroom) A8 L and includes lots of standard features like all-wheel drive, dual touchscreen displays and a Bang & Olufsen audio system. Audi also includes a handful of driver aids like a 360-degree camera and lane departure warning, and even more can be added as optional equipment.
While many automakers have been dropping sedans from their lineups, just about every luxury automaker sells a full-size four-door flagship model in the same vein as the A8. Some of Edmunds' favorites include the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Porsche Panamera and Genesis G90. Those all offer many of the same features you'll find in the Audi wrapped in different packaging. They also feel a bit more special and refined than the A8. And while they don't offer as much space, you shouldn't overlook luxury EVs like the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Porsche Taycan and Audi's own e-tron GT if an electric vehicle works for your lifestyle.
Edmunds says
As it's just coming off a refresh in 2022, we don't expect any major changes for the 2023 Audi A8.
FAQ
Is the Audi A8 a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2023 A8 both on the road and at the track, giving it a 7.4 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2023 A8 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 18 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the A8 has 12.5 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Audi A8. Learn more
What's new in the 2023 Audi A8?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2023 Audi A8:
Comfort Plus package adds upgraded LED headlights
Executive package gains an automatic parking system
Part of the fourth A8 generation introduced for 2019
To determine whether the Audi A8 is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the A8. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the A8's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2023 Audi A8 a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2023 Audi A8 is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2023 A8 and gave it a 7.4 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2023 A8 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 18 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2023 A8 is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2023 Audi A8?
The least-expensive 2023 Audi A8 is the 2023 Audi A8 L 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $87,800.
Other versions include:
L 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A) which starts at $87,800
If you're interested in the Audi A8, the next question is, which A8 model is right for you? A8 variants include L 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 8A). For a full list of A8 models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more