Item: Audi Q8
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

It’s a pricey car, the Audi Q8, but then it’s a large, sporty, luxurious coupé SUV. Any equivalent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/estate/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe/4x4/review/n17279">Mercedes&nbsp;GLE Coupé</a> will be just as expensive, but the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover-velar/estate/review/n17374">Range Rover Velar</a> is a relative bargain because it comes with smaller engines and a smaller list price as a result. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/coupe-suv">Coupé SUVs</a>&nbsp;are popular, with many people looking to pick one up second hand. As a result, the Q8’s resale values match the X6’s and GLE Coupé’s, although the Velar retains a slightly bigger chunk of its list price. 

Thanks to the Q8’s competitive resale values, its PCP finance costs are also in line with its rivals’. These do fluctuate with manufacturer incentives, though, so always check our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">New Car Deals service</a> for the latest prices. 

If you’re a company car driver, you should absolutely choose one of the plug-in hybrid TFSIe models. These will save you a bundle of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">benefit-in-kind tax</a> over any of the non-plug-in petrol and diesel models. You’ll need to keep the battery topped up if you want to get decent fuel economy, though. When it’s depleted, you’ll be getting high twenties (MPG) at best, so if you do lots of motorway miles and you’re a private buyer, our recommended 50 TDI could be the way to go. 

We’d stick with S line trim. It's the entry-point into the Audi Q8 range but look at what you get: 21in alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, privacy glass, power-folding door mirrors, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, Valcona leather seat trim and two-zone climate control. If that still doesn’t impress you, don’t forget the electric front seats, matrix LED headlights, air suspension, front and rear parking sensors and rear-view camera. 

Black Edition does very little to impress, other than adding some styling enhancements. Vorsprung is incredibly well kitted out, adding nappa leather, electric sun blinds, keyless entry and massaging seats, which is all fantastic, but it’s just too expensive. &nbsp;

The Q8 also comes with an impressive array of active safety features, including automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a> and lane-keeping assistance. The Vorsprung trim adds blind-spot monitoring and every version has a full five-star crash safety rating from <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a>. 

As for reliability, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a> finished a not-so-impressive 18th&nbsp;place out of 30 manufacturers in the 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>. To be fair, that was better than Mercedes (22nd) and Land Rover (30th), but BMW proved the most dependable of the lot in 13th place. Every Q8 comes with a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, which is&nbsp;pretty average.

Diesel has its detractors, but the&nbsp;50 TDI 286 is the best engine for the Audi Q8 when you factor in purchase&nbsp;price, performance and running costs. With 282bhp, this formidable 3.0-litre V6 diesel pulls&nbsp;effortlessly from low revs and always feels like it has some power in reserve. Put your foot down hard and it will dispatch the benchmark 0-62mph sprint in just 6.1sec.

The 55 TFSI 340 is a smidge&nbsp;quicker. That’s because its 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol makes more power (335bhp) that fires you from 0-62mph in 5.9sec, but&nbsp;you have to rev it harder in everyday use. Why? It doesn't have as much low&nbsp;and mid-range oomph as the diesel.

The plug-in models add more shove and start with the 55 TFSIe. This 3.0-litre petrol and electric motor combined summon up to 376bhp, so it’s a tenth quicker than the 55 TFSI when you gun it. 

Lastly, there’s the 60 TFSIe. It’s the same basic mechanical set up as the 55 TFSIe but producing a mighty 456bhp, which drops the 0-62mph time down to just 5.4sec. In the real world, it feels very racy and quick enough to beat most cars off the lights, if that's your thing. More importantly, both the TFSIe models will officially travel up to 28 miles on electric power. 

All the engines have a very skilful stop-start system that fires them up smoothly. The 50 TDI is the noisiest engine under load and delivers a few vibrations through the steering wheel at times, but once you’re up to speed it’s barely audible. The 55 TFSI is silkier, while the TFSIe plug-ins are eerily hushed when running in electric mode. 

In fact, the Q8 is generally very quiet. There’s not much to disturb your peace, with very little wind noise at 70mph, and road noise is better contained than it is in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe/4x4/review/n17279">Mercedes GLE Coupé</a>. Just avoid the massive wheel options to maximise the tranquillity. 

Our only significant complaint concerns the eight-speed automatic gearbox that all the engines are paired with.&nbsp;It can be painfully slow to kick down and, if you go to overtake, for example, it hesitates for a second or so before finally delivering some go. It's frustrating&nbsp;and, sadly, even selecting Sport mode does little to improve things. Manual mode, using the paddles behind the steering wheel, is more obedient, thankfully.

The Q8's handling is very reassuring. It suffers from minimal body lean through corners, while quattro four-wheel drive ensures there's no shortage of traction. The sharp steering has a reassuring heftiness to it, and on the Vorsprung trim you get all-wheel steering. That means the rear wheels turn a little to give you a tighter turning circle in town and greater stability at high speed.&nbsp;

As confidence-inspiring as it is, the Q8 doesn’t feel that much fun. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/4x4/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> is a bit livelier to drive, but if you’ve got the money, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/coupe/review/n19924">Porsche Cayenne Coupé</a> is the SUV to buy for handling thrills and spills. The smaller, cheaper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/macan/4x4/review/n52">Porsche Macan</a> is a hoot, too.

Adaptive air suspension is standard on the Q8 and the smallest wheels that are available are 21in. As a result, even in the slackest suspension setting, there's a firmer edge to the Q8’s low-speed ride than you get in an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> with smaller diameter alloys. That said, it’s still not uncomfortable by any means, and it's more cosseting than the X6 and GLE Coupe that thump harder over potholes.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

50 TDI Quattro

50-tdi-quattro

This 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol has 335bhp and can hit 0-62mph in just 5.9sec. Officially it averages just over 25mpg and comes with a smooth-shifting, eight-speed automatic gearbox. 

55 TFSI Quattro

55-tfsi-quattro

This 3.0-litre petrol combined with an electric motor has 376bhp and can hit 0-62mph in just 5.8sec. It comes with a smooth-shifting, eight-speed automatic gearbox and can drive on battery power alone for just under 30 miles officially.

55 TFSI e Quattro

55-tfsi-e-quattro

This wonderfully smooth and sonorous 500bhp 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine is capable of thrusting the near-two-and-half-tonne SQ8 from 0-62mph in just 4.1 seconds. It also has a number of efficiency-boosting features up its sleeve, such as the ‘cylinder on demand' system that can shut down half of the engine’s cylinders when possible to reduce fuel consumption. You're still unlikely to see much more than 20mpg, though.

SQ8 Quattro

sq8-tfsi-quattro-vorsprung

When it comes to car names, it's usually safe to assume that the bigger the number, the bigger the car. There are always exceptions to any rule, though, and the Audi Q8&nbsp;coupe SUV is the perfect example.

Eight might be the largest number in Audi’s model line-up, but the Q8 is actually a little smaller than the Q7 on which it’s based. The Q8’s less boxy silhouette equates to less interior space, so you have a trade to make for those fancy looks: no third row of seats –&nbsp;the Q8 is a five-seater only. 

There are several engine options. A petrol and diesel 3.0-litre V6, plus&nbsp;two plug-in hybrids for anyone looking to spend less on company car tax. You can also buy two sportier versions with turbocharged V8-petrol power. If they sound like your cup of 'weissbier', we have full separate reviews of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n19691">Audi SQ8</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs-q8/4x4/review/n20663">Audi RS Q8</a>.

Anyway, back to the Q8. As with its engine options, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a> doesn't offer you any cheap and cheerful trims: S Line is the entry point, Black Edition is the&nbsp;meaner-looking variant and Vorsprung has&nbsp;all bells and whistles.

What are the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/coupe-suv">coupé SUV</a>&nbsp;rivals to consider against the Audi Q8? Well, we’d suggest having a look at the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/estate/review/n17306">BMW X6</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe/4x4/review/n17279">Mercedes GLE Coupé</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover-velar/estate/review/n17374">Range Rover Velar</a>&nbsp;for starters.

This review will tell you&nbsp;how the Audi Q8 compares with those three, as well as what the performance is like, whether we like the interior quality, how much it will cost to run and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Before you buy any new make and model of car, you can check that&nbsp;you're getting it for the best price by searching on our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>. It has some&nbsp;hefty savings and good <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi/q8/4x4/deals">Audi Q8 deals</a>.

Every Audi Q8 comes with the latest MMI dual-touchscreen infotainment system. Unfortunately, this is a step back from the set-up in older Audis and most rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/4x4/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe/4x4/review/n17279">Mercedes GLE Coupé</a>, which have simple buttons and switches that are easier to use. The lower 8.6in touchscreen in the Q8 mostly operates the climate control functions and you have to look away from the road to change any of the settings.

Above that is the larger 10.1in infotainment touchscreen, which has mod-cons&nbsp;including sat-nav and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring. Again, it’s not as good as the arrangement in the X6, which has the&nbsp;touchscreen for the passenger to use and a rotary iDrive controller that lets the driver skim through lists and make selections with just a fleeting glance. Finding icons on the Q8’s infotainment touchscreen is just as frustratingly fiddly as finding them on the climate control screen when you’re bowling along a motorway at 70mph. 

More positively, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrument screen is&nbsp;great. This is fitted as standard and displays lots of information&nbsp;right in front of the driver. It's highly customisable,&nbsp;very easy to read and&nbsp;supplemented by a head-up display if you go for the&nbsp;Vorsprung trim. That's not a necessity, though.&nbsp;

Electrically adjustable front sports seats with adjustable lumbar support and an extendable seat base&nbsp;provide good long-distance comfort, while the steering wheel offers a huge range of movement to help you find the ideal driving position. The Vorsprung trim adds a massaging driver’s seat.&nbsp;

Visibility all around is excellent – even out of the back, despite the sloping roofline – and helped further by a rear-view camera (360-degree camera on Vorsprung) along with all-round parking sensors. Matrix LED headlights are standard throughout the range, and allow you to&nbsp;leave the main beams on without dazzling other road users.

The GLE Coupé and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover-velar/estate/review/n17374">Range Rover Velar</a> interiors look&nbsp;very jazzy next to the Q8’s, but in terms of&nbsp;construction integrity and material quality, the Q8 has the edge. All the surfaces are plush-feeling (there are some iffy plastics dotted around&nbsp;the Velar)&nbsp;and screwed together very well (there are&nbsp;some wobbly bits in the GLE). Indeed, it's right up there with the excellent interior of the X6.

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

Classy, spacious and refined, the Q8 is a tempting high-end coupé SUV

The Audi Q8 has masses of front-seat space –&nbsp;as much as any rival, from the BMW X6 to the&nbsp;Mercedes GLE Coupé. That goes for head and leg room as well as the width you get to enjoy. 

It’s just as good when it comes to storage space, with oodles of trays and cubbies, a large glovebox and sizeable door bins. You won’t struggle with your lattes&nbsp;because there are a couple of cup holders as well. &nbsp;

What about the rear seats? Well, normally a sloping roofline does wonders for a car’s looks but spells&nbsp;disaster&nbsp;for anyone tall sitting in the rear. Not here, though –&nbsp;the Q8’s rear bench has more head room than most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/coupe-suv">coupé SUV</a> rivals. You certainly won’t feel hemmed in and really the only compromise is that it’s not as spacious as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi&nbsp;Q7</a>. Rear leg room remains as generous as it is in the Q7, but as we mentioned in our intro, you have to do without the Q7’s two extra fold-out rear seats in the boot. 

The Q8’s boot is smaller than the Q7’s, but with 605 litres, there’s easily enough room for the&nbsp;family&nbsp;holiday clobber. In fact, you can increase it to 680 litres if you slide the rear seats forward, but even without doing that, we were able to fit eight carry-on suitcases below the Q8’s tonneau cover –&nbsp;more than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/estate/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> managed but slightly shy of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/gle-coupe/4x4/review/n17279">Mercedes&nbsp;GLE Coupé</a>. 

If you need more space, the rear backrests fold down in a very handy 40/20/40 arrangement using levers by the tailgate.

Diesel, Petrol, Petrol/Plug-In Elec Hybrid

We are yet to try out this variant

S Line

s-line

Petrol, Petrol/Plug-In Elec Hybrid, Diesel

The Black Edition adds grey 22in alloy wheels, black body detailing, four-zone climate control and oak interior inlays. That's on top of what you get with the Q8 S line.

Black Edition

black-edition

This is all you really need. It has 22in alloy wheels, air suspension, rear-wheel steering, a limited-slip differential, Matrix LED headlights, privacy glass, a powered tailgate, power-folding door mirrors, leather trim, electrically operated and heated front seats, two-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, cruise control, a 10-speaker stereo with 180 watts, a 12.3in digital instrument screen, a 10.1in infotainment screen, sat-nav and Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto.

Stepping up to Vorsprung gets you a 360-degree parking camera, rear-wheel steering, a 17-speaker/ 730-watt Bang & Olufsen premium stereo, power-closing doors, keyless entry, a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a head-up display, electric rear sun blinds, an Alcantara roof lining, extended leather trim, massaging and ventilated front seats, an electrically adjustable steering column, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

Vorsprung

vorsprung

The SQ8 Black Edition adds grey 22in alloy wheels, black body detailing, four-zone climate control and oak interior inlays. That's on top of what you get with the standard SQ8.

SQ8 Black Edition

sq8-black-edition

SQ8 Vorsprung comes with pretty much everything, so you'll want for nothing. This includes active anti-roll bars, a 360-degree parking camera, a sport differential, a 17-speaker/ 730-watt Bang & Olufsen premium stereo, power-closing doors, keyless entry, a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a head-up display, electric rear sun blinds, an Alcantara roof lining, extended leather trim, massaging and ventilated front seats, an electrically adjustable steering column, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. 

sq8-vorsprung

If you have a healthy budget and you're in the market for large coupé SUV, then the Audi Q8 is definitely worth of your consideration. Inside it's classy and spacious and on the road it handles capably and cruises quietly. The 50 TDI diesel is super strong and economical or, for company car drivers, choose the tax-beating TFSIe plug-in hybrids.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Logical and beautifully built interior, with great infotainment</li> <li>More than enough space for five passengers or, even better, seven</li> <li>Strong performance along with impressive efficiency</li> <li>Composed handling that limits any feeling of unwieldiness</li></ul>

We class a luxury SUV as being anything where our pick of the range costs more than £45,000 – and at this price point, buyers' expectations are high. So, as well as all of the qualities that make regular SUVs such well-rounded choices –&nbsp;such as decent space for passengers and luggage, a classy interior and robust materials – we also want a cosseting ride, the latest driver assistance technology and enough space to really stretch out.

The Land Rover Discovery proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a luxurious SUV, but if you've got a bit more to spend, the Audi Q7 is perennially popular among buyers, and with good reason. Or, at the very top of this market, there are newer additions such as the BMW X7 to consider.

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Read review covering Audi Q8 boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

The Audi Q8 has masses of front-seat space – as much as any rival, from the BMW X6 to the Mercedes GLE Coupé. That goes for head and leg room as well as the width you get to enjoy. ,It’s just as good when it comes to storage space, with oodles of trays and cubbies, a large glovebox and sizeable door bins. You won’t struggle with your lattes because there are a couple of cup holders as well.  ,What about the rear seats? Well, normally a sloping roofline does wonders for a car’s looks but spells disaster for anyone tall sitting in the rear. Not here, though – the Q8’s rear bench has more head room than most coupé SUV rivals. You certainly won’t feel hemmed in and really the only compromise is that it’s not as spacious as the Audi Q7. Rear leg room remains as generous as it is in the Q7, but as we mentioned in our intro, you have to do without the Q7’s two extra fold-out rear seats in the boot. The Q8’s boot is smaller than the Q7’s, but with 605 litres, there’s easily enough room for the family holiday clobber. In fact, you can increase it to 680 litres if you slide the rear seats forward, but even without doing that, we were able to fit eight carry-on suitcases below the Q8’s tonneau cover – more than the BMW X6 managed but slightly shy of the Mercedes GLE Coupé. ,,If you need more space, the rear backrests fold down in a very handy 40/20/40 arrangement using levers by the tailgate. 

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