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2021 Audi Model Year Changes
  
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A3

2021 Audi A3 European

The smallest Audi is redesigned completely. It will come equipped with a mild hybrid 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with 201 horsepower, a 7-speed automated dual clutch transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive (possibly standard).

Length is increased by an inch-and-a-half, width is up almost an inch and height grows by almost half an inch.

Americans will only see the sedan variant, while Europeans can have this bite-sized 4-ring circus in wagon and convertible versions as well. We also won't get diesels or 6-speed manual transmissions.

A4

2021 Audi A4 stock photo

A new, mild hybrid version of the 2.0-turbo engine now powers the base A4 40 TSFI. Rated at 201 horsepower it gains 13 horsepower over the older engine. The A4 40 TFSI now comes standard with Quattro all-wheel drive, making it standard across the A4. The A4 45 TFSI also gets a mild hybrid version, adds 13 horsepower for a total of 261.

Wireless Apple CarPlay, lane departure warning, and an integrated toll module are all now standard.

A5

2021 Audi A5 Cabriolet stock photo

The A5 also gets a mild-hybrid engine, boosting its 2.0 turbo 45 TFSI power-plant to 261 horsepower. The A5 Sportback gets a new entry version 40 TFSI, taken from the A4, with 201 horsepower from a mild hybrid 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Heated steering wheel, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control and Top View Camera are now standard on Premium Plus. 

A6

2021 Audi A6

Early 45 TFSI models still get the 2.0-liter 248-horsepower 4-cylinder. Later models, called A6 Sport 45 TFSI will get the enhanced, hybrid version with 261 horsepower. Torque remains the same at 273 pound-feet.

Audi Advanced Key and an integrated toll module are now standard. Top View Cameras are now optional on A6 Premium and still standard on Premium Plus and Prestige. Adaptive Cruise Control is now standard on Premium Plus and rear and rear side window sunshades are now standard on Prestige.

Heated steering wheel is standard.

A6 Allroad

2021 Audi A6 Allroad stock photo
Air suspension is now standard. The Black Optic Package from the A6 sedan is now available on the Allroad.

A7

2021 Audi A7

A plug-in hybrid version, dubbed 55 TFSI e uses the same 2.0 turbo and dual electric motors of the Q5 55 TFSI e, with 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Power is rated through an automatic dual-clutch 7-speed and Quattro all-wheel drive. All-electric range is estimated at 24 miles, with the gasoline powertrain kicking in after that is exhausted.

A8

2021 Audi A8

Ventilated front seats, wireless phone box charger and Top View Camera system are now standard. Range on the plug-in hybrid A8 60 TFSI e is now 1 mile further: 18 miles on electricity alone.

e-tron

2021 Audi e-tron stock photo

After a one-year hiatus, the all-electric e-tron has returned, now with a lower priced entry-point by about $9000. This lower price point is courtesy of a new "Premium" base trim level, below the returning Premium Plus and Prestige. Equipment missing from e-tron Premium: Top View Camera System, Traffic Sign Recognition, Bang & Olufsen® 3D Sound System, wireless phone charger, front passenger power lumbar adjustment, ventilated front seats, Matrix-design LED headlights, LED interior illumination, front and rear illuminated door sills.

Overall range is now 222 miles, up from 204.

A heated steering wheel is now standard.

e-tron Sportback

2021 Audi e-tron Quattro Sportback stock photo

The same strategy as the e-tron applies to its swoopier cousin: a new e-tron Sportback Premium is new, with a price more than $8000 less than the 2020.

A heated steering wheel is now standard. Rear heated seats are now standard on Premium Plus.

Q3

2021 Audi Q3

A new entry-level 40 TFSI engine is still a 2.0-liter turbo, but with only 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. It still comes with an 8-speed automatic and Quattro all-wheel drive. Fuel mileage is higher than the still offered 45 TFSI model, at 22 city/30 highway. Rear brakes are downsized to match, but the front rotors are still a robust 13.4 inches.

The top-of-the-line Prestige trim is discontinued. Audi Lane Departure Warning, steering wheel shift paddles, progressive steering, S line exterior treatment and a power lumbar on the front passenger seat are now standard with the more powerful engine. Adaptive cruise control is now standard on Premium Plus.

Automated parking assist is now a stand-alone option.

Q5

2021 Audi Q5 Coupe

A new "Coupe" version has a sloped roofline.

The Q5 undergoes a refresh for 2021, with a lower, wider grille and larger front side air intakes. The taillights are now connected by a thin metallic strip. Full LED headlights are now standard.

The Q5 45 TFSI with it standard 2.0-liter turbo gets upgraded to a mild hybrid version with 13 more horsepower, 266 total.

Parking System Plus (front and rear parking sensors), Audi Side Assist (blind spot monitoring), and Rear Cross Traffic Assist are now standard. Top View Camera is now standard on Premium Plus. Rear side window sunshades, heated rear seats and ventilated front seats are now standard on Prestige.

Q7

2021 Audi Q7 stock photo

A blind spot monitoring system (Audi Side Assist), Rear Cross Traffic Assist, and Vehicle Exit warning (warns passengers of an approaching vehicle on their side) are now standard.

The Top View Cameras are now available as an option on Q7 Premium.

Q8

2021 Audi Q8

Audi Side Assist (blind spot monitoring), Rear Cross Traffic Assist, and Vehicle Exit warning are now standard. Top View Camera system is now optional on Premium. A heated steering wheel is now standard on Premium Plus.

EPA fuel mileage ratings are higher this year: 18 city/23 highway vs. 17 city/21 highway, with no obvious reason for the difference.

R8

2021 Audi R8 Coupe stock photo

A new, rear-wheel drive variant is offered in both Coupe and Spyder, bringing an almost $44,000 lower entry-point to Iron Man's favorite ride. Offered with a V10, though with 30 fewer horsepower and 8 foot-pounds less torque than the standard V10 Quattro (532 and 398), it will sting zing to 60 MPH in only 3.7 seconds according to Audi. The Performance model goes unchanged, still with 602 horsepower, but the standard Quattro model will disappear after a limited run of 30 units painted in exclusive colors.

RS 3

With a redesigned A3, the RS 3 disappears, as well as the lesser S3. One or both may reappear at a later date.

RS 5

2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback

New details in the headlights set the 2021 apart from the 2019 models (2019 pictured). Adjustable suspension is now an option on Sportback. Navigation, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are optional, not standard.

RS 6

2021 Audi RS 6 Avant at 2019 LA Auto Show.

We've been short on hotrod wagons since the Cadillac CTS-V Wagon and the Dodge Magnum SRT-8 have gone. Audi is filling in the void with the 591-horsepower, Quattro RS 6. Massive 16.5-inch front brakes, an adaptive air suspension and 275/35R21 tires round out the package. And if Fed-Ex gets hold of it, packages will be moving fast. On the practical side of the equation (hahaha! I said that aloud!) is the 30 cubit feet of cargo capacity behind the lush leather seats. Hopefully the rear passengers having their own air conditioning temperature control might keep them from hurling as you hurtle down the road in this haulin' hauler. Pass a state trooper doing 155? Just pull back into traffic; when he catches up who will suspect this conservative German mom wagon. Better to choose "Florett Silver metallic" and forgo the $500 red brake caliper option.

Carbon ceramic brakes bring gray calipers and a top speed increase to 190 MPH.

RS 7

2020 Audi RS 7 at 2019 LA Auto Show

The meanest A7 variant returns for 2021 with a 591-horsepower twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, ZF 8-speed automatic, Quattro all-wheel drive (of course) and 21 or 22-inch wheels. Brakes are an enormous 16.5 inch rotors in front and 14.6 in the rear. An adaptive air suspension is fitted front and rear.

RS Q8

2020 Audi RS Q8 @2019 LA Auto Show

This is the real hotrod Audi SUV. With 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque from its 4.0-liter twin turbocharged V8, Audi says it can get to 60 MPH in 3.7 seconds.m

S3

Gone for now due to the A3's redesign.

S4

2020 Audi S4 from Audi News

2021 S4 courtesy Audi Newsroom

Lane Departure Warning, wireless Apple CarPlay and an integrated toll module are now standard. Heated steering wheel, Adaptive Cruise Control with Traffic Jam Assist, Active Lane Assist and Top View Cameras are now standard on Premium Plus. Heated rear seats are standard on the S4 Prestige, but no longer offered on the Premium Plus.

S5

2021 Audi S5 Sportback stock photo

Headlight washers and Wireless Apple CarPlay are now standard. A heated steering wheel is now standard on Premium Plus and Prestige, optional on S5 Cabriolet Premium. Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Lane Assist and Top View Cameras are now standard on Premium Plus. Heated rear seats are standard on the S5 Sportback Prestige.

S6

2021 Audi S6 stock photo

Twenty-one inch wheels with 255/35R21 tires are now standard as the twenty-inch wheels are discontinued. Rear and rear side window sunshades are now standard on Prestige.

S7

2021 Audi S7 stock photo

 

Twenty-one inch wheels with 255/35R21 tires are also the new standard on the S7.

S8

2021 Audi S8 stock photo

Twenty-one-inch wheels and heated front armrests are standard.

SQ5

2021 Audi SQ5 via Audi USA

Power tilt-telescoping steering wheel with memory, Parking System Plus (front and rear parking sensors), Audi Connect Care (emergency response call), Lane Departure Warning, Audi Side Assist (blind spot monitoring), and Rear Cross Traffic Assist are now standard. Heated steering wheel, Adaptive Cruise Control, Audi Active Lane Assist and Top View Camera are now standard on Premium Plus and Prestige.

The SQ5 gets a similar refresh to the Q5: grille, lower side trim, headlights. Prestige models also get standard Matrix LED headlights with washers.

Heated steering wheel is now optional on Premium.

SQ7

2021 Audi SQ7

This new performance variant of the Q7 was to appear during the 2020 model year but circumstances delayed it. With 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque from a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 and 15.8-inch front brakes it will stop and go. Standard 285/40R21 tires, an adaptive air suspension with optional roll stabilization will also ensure the SQ7 will handle. It can also handle towing a 7700-pound trailer.

SQ8

Audi SQ8

In the alpha-numeric soup of Q's, SQ's, S' and RS' the SQ8 is the middle child of the Q8 line: 500 horsepower, 15.8-inch iron rotor brakes and 21-inch wheels. Below it are the Q8 45 TFSI and the 55 TFSI with turbocharged 4 and 6-cylinders; above it the 590-horsepower RS Q8. Audi reports zero to 60 MPH in 4.3 seconds.

TT

2021 Audi TT Roadster

Navigation, AudiConnect (emergency response telematics), Audi smartphone interface, blind spot warning, power-folding side mirrors, and a premium sound system are all standard, now. The standard tires are now all-season, with Summer performance tires available on larger wheels. Neck heating is now standard on the roadster. The interior of the TT Coupe, Roadster and TTS are treated to more standard leather surfaces, including the center console lid and door armrests, but the TT RS requires an option package to get the same treatment. TTS with the Optic Black package includes red brake calipers.

 
 

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