Audi SQ8 review

If you’re really wealthy, the chances are that your life is somewhat different from the norm. Rather than taking a holiday, you might take a chartered flight to a summer home. You don’t go to a book club, but to a watch club instead. Rather than renting a jetski, you prefer to participate in the obscure sport of yacht jousting. But what do you do when it comes to picking a performance SUV? Could the Audi SQ8 be the answer?

Well, we’re here to answer that very question. You see, currently at least, this is the most expensive and most powerful Audi SUV you can buy. The SQ8 is the performance-orientated version of the Audi Q8, which itself is a sleeker version of the Audi Q7.

The extra-large alloy wheels required to house a massive set of brakes are the first hint that this big SUV is capable of impressive performance. Hidden behind its gaping grille is a 4.0-litre V8 diesel with no fewer than three performance enhancers: two regular turbochargers and one electric compressor, but we’ll get to the clever engine tech in the performance section. If you thought the impressive technology would end with the engine, though, you’d be wrong: the suspension is equally tech-laden in order to keep the massive weight of the car in check. 

But is this enough to make the SQ8 the performance SUV to beat? Read on for our full rundown on how it drives, what it's like inside and what it’ll be like to own. Plus, we’ll tell you how it stacks up against rivals such as the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE Coupe.

And if you decide to buy a new Audi SQ8, or indeed any other SUV, don't forget to check out our New Car Buying pages to find out how much you could save.