Audi Q8 review

Audi’s Q-brand range-topper. At least until the incoming Q9 muscles its way in as the alpha of the pack. Key rivals include the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe in the premium SUV market, as well as the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and to a lesser extent, the Range Rover.

Launched in 2018, it most obviously apes the A8 saloon’s slick, chunky and mega-mouthed design language, while being stuffed full of various strains of tech and looking expensive. It’s also a four-door, five-seater ‘with coupe styling’ – which just means the rear slopes more than a Q7 – though the frameless doors are actually really very neat, and unique in the segment.

There are big arches, fantastical feature lines, funky LED lighting and some bulging wheel arches. Boring it is not. Whether it’s to our taste is running at 50:50 though, and has been since it went on sale.

The Q8 was very lightly facelifted a couple of years ago, with just enough minor updates to fill a press release but not an iota more. The range also expanded, with the lairier SQ8 joined by the even more brutally quick RSQ8 – if you've never seen one before, it's that thing approaching from behind at warp speed in the outside lane. Engage evasive action protocols!

It looks big.

Feels it, too, especially around town, measuring over two metres wide with the mirrors. Once you’re out of the city, however, it shows its true colours as a rapid, comfy cruiser with a surprising ability to go around corners – full details on the Driving tab.

All Q8s feature quattro AWD (with a standard locking centre diff) plus adaptive air suspension as standard, while dynamic all-wheel steer – which can turn the rear wheels by up to five degrees – is a top-spec feature. You also get an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

What's it like inside?

It looks really smart in here, with the dash set-up refreshingly clean and simple. You get Audi’s really rather lovely Virtual Cockpit as standard plus a dual screen infotainment cluster, while there’s quite a bit of progressive thinking and a clever materials mix.

Oh, and then there’s dozens of driver assistance systems available depending on spec. And very few buttons to push, owning to an ever-increasing reliance on the central screens. Not all progress is progress.

What's under the bonnet?

There are two internal combustion engines: a 282bhp, 3.0-litre V6 diesel and a 335bhp, 3.0-litre V6 petrol. There used to be a plug-in hybrid option, but Audi's long since taken that off the roster.

The TDI and TFSI get 48-volt mild hybrid tech, which is basically a little lithium-ion battery in the boot that feeds a water-cooled starter motor up front, a system that allows for engine coasting off-throttle, extended and improved (as well as smoother) stop-start functionality and reduced turbo lag.

The petrol's meant to be good for 27.4mpg and the diesel 34.9... yeah, if you own a solar panel company or are on the board at Greenpeace, this isn't the car for you.

I bet it's expensive.

What gave it away? The diesel-powered S line is the entry car at £82,120, with the petrol costing another £1,400 or so. Black Edition is the middle trim from £86,670, and the Vorsprung – which is pretty much bingo on the ticking of the options boxes – a £105,320 proposition. Hope you've got a good mortgage broker.

That makes the Q8 less expensive than the Cayenne Coupe and about on par with the BMW X6, although for our money it's better looking than both. You may feel differently.

The Audi Q8 is a complex car. What feels initially like yet another thinly sliced niche actually resolves into a very capable SUV that’s a good deal more practical than the looks would suggest.

It’s polarising in terms of styling, but it certainly isn’t dull, and you can change the entire aesthetic with a choice of exterior colour. The interior is superb despite the sparsity of switchgear, the technology's on point, and it’s all executed in a way that makes you feel like this is a class-leader in terms of gadgets and quality.

It’s not a driver’s car by any means, but neither is it embarrassed by anything. Let it flex its muscles and turn arduous slogs into pleasant endeavours.