Another full-size luxo sedan test drive. No Genesii/Geneses (?) within my price range nearby yet. This one popped up nearby so I thought I'd go take a look.
Grey 2011 Audi A8 with the premium package and seating package. ~69,000kms on it and listed for ~$36,600.
The sales guy got in the driver's seat first and drove us around for about 2 minutes to go over the features of the car. Normally, this would annoy me (like the "Mazda experience" Sir O and I had to endure back in Regina), but since this was quite short, and the car had quite a bit of tech in it, I appreciated the rundown.
First impressions after getting in the car, I was surprised by how small it felt. When I think of new flagship sedans they give me the impression of being huge. The Genesis felt more roomy and so did the Fusion sport for that matter. The A8 wasn't cramped by any means, but the design elements made it feel snug, maybe because of the centre console design, similar to the new Maxima. The pano sunroof also played a big part in making the Genesis feel roomier, I reckon.
When I got in the driver's seat, my reaction was "these are the worst seats I've ever been in". Then I realized you could adjust the driver's seat literally 22 different ways, and it had been adjusted for the 5'8" 170 lbs salesman. A few adjustments later, the seat were perfectly comfortable, and the massage wasn't bad either!
It is powered by a 4.2L V8, which was supremely smooth, but very responsive. It wasn't the driest of road conditions, and the car was on all seasons, but it didn't seem to have any trouble around town. Squeaky shocks though (which I mentioned upon return to the dealership). Out on the perimeter highway, this is one of those cars that is so quiet it is dangerous, going along at 120, the engine was at 1700 rpm and whisper quiet. I enjoyed the weighted feel of the steering wheel as well. Felt very responsive. I didn't really appreciate the dynamic drive modes before, but when my wife drove the vehicle, she hated the "heavy, sluggish" feel of the steering wheel. So I changed the modes all the way back to comfort, and she thought it made a world of difference.
We both also appreciated that you could completely hide the infotainment screen away in the dash if you so desired. The Audi MMI was seamless and intuitive. The Bose sound system was good, but you could tell the difference between it and the B&O system in the A4 I tested. I'd put the Bose system a shade below the Lexicon system in the Genesis. The interior build quality was flawless. Probably the best interior I've been in overall, although I do personally prefer the Lexus interior styling.
Not sure how useful the Night Vision thing is in real world driving, but as someone who hates driving at night on the highway, I'd appreciate all the help I can get. Being a 2011 model, the car doesn't have the usual driving nannies that are common place nowadays - blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist etc.
It was a thoroughly impressive vehicle. Purchased at Audi Winnipeg by someone who apparently gets a new A8 every few years, and doesn't drive much. He always serviced it at Audi, and just got a new 2017 A8. As it is a FGC, I would never get this car without a comprehensive warranty.
