2021 Audi A8 L

Overview

The Audi A8 is the kind of thing that happens when a German automaker builds a full-size sedan. Not only is this big four-door spacious and luxurious, it’s also quick and legitimately sporty.

What’s New/Key Changes From Last Year

For 2021, the news is limited to some additions to the A8’s standard features list. Base A8 55 TFSI and plug-in A8 60 TFSI e models gain lane departure warning and a chrome exterior package. The A8 60 TFSI also gets new black painted brake calipers.

Available Trims

The A8 55 TFSI comes with a six-cylinder mild-hybrid drivetrain, while the 60 TFSI gets a V8 mild-hybrid setup. The 60 TFSI e trades up to a plug-in hybrid powertrain. All three variants use an eight-speed transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive.

Standard Features

The 2021 Audi A8 55 TFSI’s exterior is done up with 19-inch wheels (upsized to 20s in the 60 TFSI model), all-LED lighting, adaptive air suspension, soft-close doors, four-wheel steering, rain-sensing wipers, passive keyless entry with power trunk, and heated/auto-dimming/power-folding side mirrors.

Inside, your comfort is assured through Valetta leather upholstery, ambient lighting, Nappa leather console and door armrest trim, 18-way power front seats with four-way lumbar, a heated steering wheel, front and rear heated seats, heated front surfaces, power rear and rear side sun shades, ventilated front seats, four-zone climate control, and power seat belt height adjusters.

You also get dark aluminum dash inlays, a smartphone interface, digital gauge cluster, panoramic sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, electric steering column adjustments, cruise control, navigation, a Bang & Olufsen stereo, and touch-sensitive buttons.

The standard safety kit comprises 360-degree camera views, tire pressure monitoring, forward and reverse collision avoidance, rear-end collision avoidance, exit assist, front and rear parking sensors, and lane departure warning.

A8 60 TFSI e deletes four-wheel steering, but adds cabin preconditioning.

Key Options

An executive package adds 22-way massaging front seats, a head-up display, upgraded ambient cabin lighting and touch-sensitive controls, and an air ionizer and fragrance dispenser.

A luxury pack brings comfort sport seats with diamond stitching, and extended leather.

The exterior lighting group gets matrix design LED headlights, organic LED taillights and leaving/welcome light animations.

A driver assistance option bundles an intersection assistant, active cruise assist, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, emergency assistance, predictive efficiency assist, and turn assist.

Finally, the rear-seat comfort package adds heated rear seats with power adjustments and lumbar, rear-seat USB ports, smart remote control, a power outlet, matrix rear reading lights, and rear-seat ventilation and massage.

Fuel Economy

As of this writing, Audi had not published fuel consumption estimates for the 2021 Audi A8. However, those figures should be similar to 2020’s, which are 13.5/8.9 L/100 km (city/highway) for the 55 TFSI and 15.4/10.4 in the 60 TFSI. We’ll update this article when Audi releases ratings for the 2021 model, including the PHEV 60 TFSI e.

Competition

The Audi A8 is one of the benchmark-setters in the full-size luxury sedan class, along with the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Other noteworthy contenders are the Lexus LS and the Genesis G90.