Doug DeMuro Drives the 2022 Audi S8, Says It’s Still Playing Catch-Up to the S-Class

Well, to be fair, Audi unveiled this latest, fourth-generation A8, in late 2017. Meanwhile, the S8 variant broke cover in late 2019 as a 2022 model, so it’s not really that old, once you factor everything in.

Still, while it may not be old on paper, it certainly looks a bit old compared to the competition. The styling is not exactly futuristic, although some buyers might prefer it that way. Then there’s the interior, great stuff mind you, but visually it’s not going to impact you on the same level as a Mercedes S-Class or EQS would.

Those of you who don’t necessarily care about looking as flashy as possible in your luxury sedans can buy into the 2022 Audi A8 range from $86,500. However, it’s the S8 variant that’s most appealing, because it’s not only more engaging to drive, but it also has more “road presence” – to go with a starting price of $116,900.

This 2022 model year version is a little more appealing than the outgoing 2020 model, according to Doug DeMuro, who sampled both cars. Of course, the difference between them is negligible, seen as how the 2022 S8 only offers a mild update. Still, newer is almost always better.

DeMuro definitely enjoyed his time with this latest S8, yet in the end, gave it the exact same score as he did the 2020 model year car. He then argued that while the Audi may be more fun to drive than something like a 2021 Mercedes S 580, the latter has newer features, better quality materials and is more comfortable overall.