Audi A8 L 60 TFSI e quattro 2022 first drive

It seems almost quaint to be driving a luxury limousine like the Audi A8 in 2022. The Audi , as with the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, is still its manufacturer’s flagship, but really all eyes are now on the EVs and SUVs.

That feeling is reinforced by the fact that this facelifted A8 introduces no new technologies. Nevertheless, driving this subtly improved version is a pleasant reminder that it’s one of the most relaxing ways to travel, whether as a driver or a passenger.

While there are no headline-grabbing, never-seen-before features, there is one significant upgrade for the 60 TFSIe plug-in hybrid Audi A8 model: its battery has been uprated to 17.9kWh (of which 14.4kWh is usable) for 36.6 miles of electric-only running, and it feeds a more powerful electric motor, boosting the system output by 20bhp to 455bhp.

If the PHEV isn’t for you, the A8 remains available with mild-hybrid 3.0-litre turbo V6 petrol and diesel engines and with a gloriously woofly 563bhp turbo petrol V8 in the Audi S8.

Design-wise, the grille has been tweaked (it hasn’t got any smaller) and the range-topping Vorsprung version gets digital matrix LED headlights, which supposedly have even more control over their beams so that they can, for example, highlight your lane.

In the A8 L, the long-wheelbase variant we tried, seeing at night is something for your chauffeur to worry about. In the back, you travel in supreme comfort, thanks to acres of leg room and massaging seats with seemingly endless scope for adjustment. If you order the Rear Seat Package, you even get screens mounted on the backs of the front seats so you can watch TV or Netflix.

And the A8 is about as peaceful a place to watch a film as any, thanks to its excellent refinement. You can hear a bit of road noise, but short of a Bentley or a Rolls-Royce, you will struggle to do better – and that includes the S-Class.

It’s a pity that a few elements discord with the generally opulent vibe of the A8, like the cheap plastic footrests, sharp edges on the interior door handles, a clunky rear storage bin and unresponsive haptic buttons. These are little things that are excusable on a £30,000 car but really count on a luxury limousine.

Another reservation is with the ride. When we road tested the old A8 PHEV, the standard air suspension transmitted too much bump-thump. On German roads and with modest 19in wheels, it’s still not 100% perfect but hardly jarring; and overall, it rides very serenely. It could be a different story on 21in wheels.