Audi Q4 e-tron crossover, e-tron GT sedan and A3 sedan are new.
Mid-cycle refresh for the Audi A8.
Audi RS 3 and TT RS deleted from the Canadian lineup.
Like many other luxury brands, Audi is accelerating the expansion of its electrified product lineup, while introducing more crossover models to the market.
With a wide range of cars and utility vehicles already available, Audi is heading into the 2022 calendar year with some new concept vehicles that are announcing the brand’s upcoming design philosophy and autonomous vehicle technology. Here’s what to expect from Audi in 2022.
The fourth-generation Audi A3 was unveiled in Europe in late 2020, and it has finally arrived in North America. As with the previous gen, the A3 is offered in the United States and Canada in four-door sedan configuration only, while other markets get a five-door hatchback as well. Its mild hybrid, turbocharged 2.0L inline-four engine develops 201 horsepower, matched to a dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission, while the performance-infused Audi S3 gets a boosted 2.0L engine with 306 horsepower. The quattro all-wheel drivetrain is standard across the board in Canada, optional in the U.S. The all-new 2022 Audi RS 3 features a 401-hp, turbocharged 2.5L inline-five, but it’s not available in Canada for the time being.
After a mid-cycle refresh for the 2021 model year, the Audi A4 and Audi A5 lines enter 2022 with minor changes. A Black Optic appearance package is now available, while models equipped with the 261-horspower, 45 TFSI 2.0L engine receive the previously optional sport suspension as standard. The 40 TFSI engine with 201 horsepower is still available, as is the 349-hp turbo 3.0L V6 in the Audi S4 and S5 variants. The A4 is offered as a four-door sedan and A4 allroad jacked-up wagon, while the A5 is sold in coupe, five-door Sportback and convertible body styles. The RS 5 coupe and RS 5 Sportback are still available as well with their 444-hp, twin-turbo 2.9L V6. The quattro all-wheel drivetrain is standard on all trim levels in both countries.
The Audi A6 and Audi A7 lines get more standard features, and a Black Optic appearance package is now offered. The A6 allroad wagon gets a tire pressure monitoring system, while new 20- and 21-inch wheel designs are now available. The 45 TFSI turbo 2.0L engine produces 261 horsepower in the A6 and the A7, while the 55 TFSI turbo 3.0L V6 develops 335 hp and the 362-hp plug-in hybrid system is optional in the A7. The S6 and S7 are still equipped with the 444-hp, twin-turbo 2.9L V6 and the RS 6 Avant and RS 7 get 591 horsepower thanks to their twin-turbo 4.0L V8 engines. The A6 e-tron concept unveiled at the 2021 Shanghai auto show foreshadows a fully electric future for the midsize luxury car lines.
The flagship Audi A8 gets design tweaks and interior refinements for the 2022 model year, including new front and rear fascias, new paint colours and wheel choices as well as revised cabin upholsteries, trimming and colours. A fold-down panel on the front passenger seatback gives rear-seat occupants a foot warmer and massage feature, and those riding in back can enjoy two 10.1-inch full HD displays for watching streamed and HDMI content. The 335-horsepower, turbo 3.0L V6 and 453-hp, twin-turbo 4.0L V8 engines are carried over, as is the 443-hp plug-in hybrid system consisting of a 3.0L six, an electric motor and a 14.1 kWh battery pack. The Audi S8 keeps its 563-horsepower, twin-turbo 4.0L V8 as well. The long-rumoured ultra-luxurious Audi A8 Horch variant has finally been unveiled, but it’s reserved for the Chinese market for now.
The Audi e-tron GT was introduced for the 2022 model year in North America. It’s a five-door fully electric sedan that shares mechanical components with the Porsche Taycan, boasting an output of 469 horsepower, or 522 hp with an overboost function. Meanwhile, the RS e-tron GT gets 590 horsepower, or 637 horsepower with an overboost function, yielding 0-60 mph blasts of 3.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds) and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph or 250 km/h.
The Audi Q3 gets more standard equipment and new technologies for the 2022 model year, including Audi side assist with rear cross traffic alert and Audi parking system. A turbocharged 2.0L four is found in the Q3, producing 184 horsepower in 40 TFSI guise and 228 hp in 45 TFSI configuration.
The Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback are new subcompact-plus crossovers in the brand’s lineup. The U.S.-only 40 e-tron powertrain serves up 201 horsepower and a driving range of 218 to 222 miles, while the 50 e-tron system for both the U.S. and Canada boasts 295 horsepower and an 82-kWh battery pack for an estimated range of 241 miles or 388 km.
The brand’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and Canada, the Audi Q5 and Q5 Sportback received a mid-generation refresh for the 2021 model year, so changes for 2022 are minor. The S line package is now standard in the U.S. market, and a Black Optic appearance package is available as well. The Q5’s 45 TFSI powertrain produces 261 horsepower, while the SQ5’s turbo 3.0L V6 boasts 349 hp. Meanwhile, the 362-horsepower, TFSI e plug-in hybrid system is no longer offered in Canada, but remains an option in the U.S., and models equipped with this powertrain get standard sport seats along with a bigger, 17.9 kWh battery pack, upping its EV-only driving range from 19 to 23 miles.
The Audi e-tron crossover and coupe-like e-tron Sportback variant get some equipment package changes for 2022, including new 21- and 22-inch wheels, while the U.S.-market Prestige trim level is replaced by the Chronos Edition. The e-tron is equipped with a fully electric powertrain that produces 355 horsepower, or 402 hp with an overboost function, while the recently introduced e-tron S and e-tron S Sportback get up to 496 horsepower with the overboost function.
The Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 crossovers get a new Black Optic appearance package along with new advanced safety features such as Active lane assist. The Q7 gets a 248-hp turbo 2.0L four as standard and an optional 335-hp mild hybrid turbo 3.0L V6, while the latter is included in the Q8. The SQ7 and SQ8 are equipped with a 500-horsepower, twin-turbo 4.0L V8. There’s also the thunderous RS Q8 with its 591-horsepower variant of the eight-cylinder engine.
The Audi TT, which is reaching the end of its production cycle, gets no major changes for 2022. The base TT Coupé and Roadster are equipped with a 228-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0L inline-four engine along with standard quattro all-wheel drive. A Bronze package is available for the U.S.-market Audi TTS, which is equipped with a 288-horsepower version of the turbo 2.0L four. It’s the final model year for the TT RS in the U.S., which boasts a turbo 2.5L inline-five with 394 horsepower, while the range-topping variant has already been deleted from the Canadian-market lineup. There’s a Heritage Edition for the TT RS in the U.S., of which only 50 units will be available.
As for the Audi R8, it’s also reaching the end of production in its current form. It’s available with a 5.2L V10 engine in 562-horsepower (RWD) and 602-horsepower (quattro) outputs, in both Coupé and Spyder body styles. Audi has confirmed that the next-generation R8 will be a fully electric model.
