Auto Exprez

What is it: Audi’s flagship sedan, the A8L, receives a dimensional stretch over its predecessor to create the all-new 2019 model. Sold best in long-wheelbase shape here, a slight-hybrid gadget below the hood powers a forty-eight-volt electrical structure to enhance fuel economic system and send juice to all its generation.

Key Competitors: BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S-Class, Lexus LS

Base Price: $eighty four,795 As-Tested Price: $118,995

Full review: Audi A8L first power

Highlights: Completely redesigned for 2019, Audi’s long-wheelbase A8L promises an evolutionary take on the huge sedan. That’s now not a horrific factor — it’s a brawny, understated luxury automobile packed to the gills with pc processors digitizing the gauge cluster, infotainment system, and cabin controls in slick, easy-to-use screens.

Our Opinion: Audi’s latest redesigns, A8 blanketed, all seem like targeted on a singular purpose: Presenting the emblem as an excessive-tech luxury powerhouse. To wit, the indoors of the A8L is sort of all liquid crystal — from the gauges to the climate manage, touch displays and reconfigurable readouts shower the occupants in glowing statistics. It sounds vaguely sterile. However, it is not — Audi has accomplished a first-rate task of making matters comfortable in the A8, even as the myriad infotainment capabilities continue to be reachable and intuitive; any owner might advantage from a 30-minute crash direction in putting in place the diverse systems to be precise to their liking.

Since all U.S.-sure A8s are lengthy-wheelbase models (hence the L), rear-seat legroom is abundant. Surprisingly, no matter just a V6 under the hood, strength is equally plentiful. No, it would not have the Q-ship torque of an S8 or AMG Mercedes, but most customers will locate it extra than ok. Likewise, transmission shifts are seamless, and the chassis’ isolation of bumps is mind-blowing.

What I locate less attractive is Audi’s semi-self-reliant overall performance — particularly the lane preserving functions. I’ve pushed multiple motors from automakers as disparate as Cadillac and Hyundai, who manage lane monitoring some distance better than both the S8 I drove closing yr or this A8L. Audi’s gadget would tend to ping-pong among lane markers an excessive amount of for my flavor, even if I tried it in low-speed operation at some stage in a modest visitors jam. It’s an odd failure for a car. This is given many well-completed eras, and I suspect it will get ironed out in subsequent software revisions. Just note that in case you’re a fan of the modern-day self-driving gimmicks, you might be happier someplace else.

–Andrew Stoy, virtual editor

Options: Premium audio ($five,900); Full Leather Package ($four,500); Executive Package together with chrome outdoors package, 22-way front seats, front-seat ventilation and rubdown, dual-pane acoustic glass, heated steering wheel, a head-up display, Audi cellphone container w. Wi-fi charging, Audi side assist, Audi pre-feel rear, pinnacle view digital camera with digital 360 views ($4, one hundred fifty); First Edition Package inclusive of indoors lighting fixtures package plus, prolonged leather package deal, Alcantara headliner, balcony leather-based interior, premium air best with perfume and ionizer, black brake calipers, HD matrix headlights, OLED backlights ($3,900); Rear Seat Comfort Package with the front and rear seat ventilation and rub down, separate strength rear seat with electricity lumbar, heated rear surfaces, rear seat far off ($3,500); Rear Seat Connectivity Package ($3,250); Driver Assistance Package together with Audi adaptive cruise with traffic jam assist, Audi active lane assist with emergency assist, flip assist and intersection assist ($2,750); night vision assist ($2,300); dynamic all-wheel steering ($1,950); 20-inch wheel package ($1,2 hundred); Cold Weather Package with heated rear seats, the front heated surfaces, adaptive windshield wipers ($800).