2026 Audi A8

The A8 is Audi's biggest sedan, its flagship, its cruise missile, meant for firing across long distances at high speed in coddled comfort. It sits above the A6 in the lineup, soaking up the glory of being the four-ringed king. And it is gloriously well made. Stunningly assembled leather and wood complement a full array of (aging) tech. But for a king, it lacks a certain leadership quality that we expect.

If you want more than adequate in the powertrain department, both the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class do nicely with base engines delivering 40 and 107 (!) more horsepower, respectively. You'll pay more for those, obviously, but you may find it worth it for a newer, nicer and faster car. Less obvious but not-to-be-overlooked competitors include the Genesis G90, which costs less, and EVs such as the Lucid Air, which is far quicker.

Our beef with the A8 starts under the hood. Its boosted 3.0-liter V6 is decidedly adequate. In combination with all-wheel drive, it yanks the A8 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds in our testing. But it's not asking too much, especially in this segment, to look for more than adequate. And in an age when a Chevy Traverse comes standard with adaptive cruise control, paying extra for it on a $96,000 executive sedan feels absurd. Still, there's plenty to like: Walnut inlays adorn the interior, and leather is everywhere, including on the center console, door armrests, and the center of the steering wheel. And even seven years in, those materials and their design feel appropriately opulent.