2004 Audi A8L Emerges as Surprise Winner in Luxury Sedan Showdown
MotorTrend conducted a rigorous comparison test of six 2004 V-8 luxury sedans, evaluating them over hundreds of miles in Arizona. While the 2004 Audi A8L ultimately triumphed, the BMW 745i, despite its impressive objective performance, tied for fifth place due to its overly complex technology and frustrating user interface, notably the iDrive system.
MotorTrend’s 2004 comparison test brought together six V-8-powered luxury sedans with a combined value of about $450,245, each competing for supremacy in a segment where performance, comfort and technology were major selling points.
The lineup included the Audi A8L, BMW 745i, Jaguar XJ Vanden Plas, Lexus LS 430, Mercedes-Benz S430 and Volkswagen Phaeton V8, with prices ranging from just under $70,000 to more than $80,000.
After three days of testing across Arizona, including high-speed highways, tight switchbacks and demanding driving routes around Sedona, the six editors voted the Audi A8L the overall winner.
The A8L stood out among a field of established luxury contenders, while the BMW 745i offered perhaps the clearest example of how impressive specifications could fail to translate into an equally satisfying driving experience.
The BMW’s 325-horsepower V-8 delivered a 0-to-60-mph time of 6.1 seconds, while its optional Sport package helped it record the best handling figures in the group, including more than 66 mph through the slalom, 0.88 g on the skidpad and a 111-foot stop from 60 mph. Yet editors criticized its complicated controls, intrusive technology and ergonomics, particularly the iDrive system, unusual transmission selector and excessive number of buttons.
Despite its strong powertrain and chassis, the 745i was repeatedly criticized for making the driving experience unnecessarily complicated. Editors described its steering as vague and its traction control as overly intrusive, while the control layout was seen as an example of technology being prioritized at the expense of usability.
MotorTrend ultimately found the BMW’s engineering impressive but its execution less convincing, highlighting the importance of balancing technological sophistication with intuitive design in the luxury-sedan market.