2022 Audi S8 First Drive: 8 Things You Need to Know About Audi’s Flagship Sedan Refresh
4. S8 Back Seats Boast More Legroom Than Full-sized Trucks and SUVs
Unlike other parts of the world where there’s a long and short wheelbase, North American S8s are, from what I unstand, already the longer chassis. And, wow, is it roomy. Rear passenger room is voluminous with more legroom than almost any other class of vehicle available today. As an auto journalist, I spend a fair amount of time behind the wheel of full-sized American trucks and SUVs. In terms of passenger room and practicality, they’re massive inside and it’s easy to see why they’re so popular with families.
But the S8 and A8 are in another league.
Not quite as tall, of course, but wide and spacious with what feels like a football field worth of legroom. This is why you’d want the S8 instead of grabbing the RS6 or RS7 (which features the same V8 drivetrain).
3. Many Paths to One Feature
Interfacing with new Audis isn’t as intuitive as some brands. But much like learning the secret menus items at your favorite restaurant, learning shortcuts and easter eggs features allows one to appreciate the way Audi engineers build in multiple ways to access certain features.
For example, the front seats are heated, ventilated, and massaging. But the massaging function doesn’t have a tactile button in the console like the others. At first glance, it appears buried in the menu system. But, if you reach down onto the side of the seat, tapping the center of a small circle, the massaging seat menu pops up on the center console. Ditto if you touch the seat outlines on the display itself.
Or, let’s say you want to shift manually. While in Drive, push the shifter over to the right. This locks the vehicle into manual mode and will bounce you right off the redline. To shift, you can use the paddle shifters or click the shifter itself forward and backward.
2. The Amps Go to 11 and the Screens Feel like Buttons
While it’s no surprise that a mid-six-figure German flagship sedan is luxurious, I was still very impressed with all the materials. Fine leathers, polished surfaces, and inlaid carbon fiber abound. I also enjoyed my time getting to know Audi’s (not new) infotainment system. The stereo absolutely rocks, delivering as much fidelity as I’ve heard outside a calibrated home stereo.
The dual touchscreens (the top for entertainment, navigation, and settings; the bottom for HVAC controls) also impress. Again, not groundbreaking technology, but both screens offer (optional) haptic feedback. The goal is to make glossy high-resolution screens feel like buttons. And, for the most part, I think Audi succeeded.
Sometimes haptic feedback feels fake and unnatural, but Audi’s system is as close to physical buttons as I’ve encountered. And I don’t think I missed a button in my few short hours, something I can’t say for most infotainment systems.
1. The 2022 Audi S8 May Not Be All-New, But It’s Still (Almost) All Great
Sometimes it’s hard to get excited about a mid-cycle refresh. Yes, the 2022 Audi S8 looks terrific, arguably better than ever. But if you already own a D5-generation variant, I wouldn’t recommend trading yours in for a new set of lights. Unless, of course, your lease is up.
Regardless, the Audi S8 remains a terrific flagship sedan. Roomy. Luxurious. Refind. Sporty. Imagine the superlative and you can probably apply it to this special sedan. I don’t know how Audi does it, but they’ve perfected this suspension with its ability to simultaneously provide comfort and dynamics. It is sporty while remaining soft. Never harsh. Never wallowing and loose. A limousine with the heart of a sports car.
Are there a few things I’d change if Audi asked (they won’t)? Sure, I wish we could hear the V8 roar a little more (although I appreciate that it doesn’t drone). There’s also a touch of turbo and transmission lag at tip-in. And, of course, a 5,000-pound boat isn’t an ideal weight for a sports sedan.
But overall, the S8 does so many things well, that it’s hard to nitpick. Buy one before V8s go the way to the Dodo.
What do YOU think about the 2022 Audi S8?
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