Audi Q8 e-tron Review 2023

The beauty of the Audi Q8 e-tron is, it doesn't feel all space age and futuristic. If you're reluctantly trading in your petrol or diesel SUV, it's not going to feel weird for the sake of feeling weird (there are no falcon wing doors like you'd find in a Tesla Model X). You do get all the advantages of electric motoring, though, namely low running costs and impressive refinement.

With its big boot and spacious cabin, the Audi Q8 e-tron is ideally suited to family life. If you're not as fussed about practicality, the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback is a more stylish choice, while the flagship Audi SQ8 will appeal to those in the market for something a bit flashier (with the performance to match).

There isn't really an Audi Q8 e-tron to avoid - it's up to you how much you're willing to spend more desirable (but not essential) equipment and a bit of extra power. In terms of powertrain, the Audi Q8 55 e-tron will have more than enough power for most buyers - not to mention the bigger 114kWh battery pack, providing a more useable electric range.

As far as trim levels go, Sport trim ticks all the boxes, although the Audi Q8 e-tron S Line adds some nice-to-have features such as the bigger 21-inch alloy wheels, adaptive sport suspension and privacy glass.

The new Audi Q8 e-tron’s newfound boldness aims to see it challenge rivals such as the distinctive BMW iX and upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Other rivals include the Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X and the new Volvo EX90.

You just can't fault the Audi Q8 e-tron for interior quality. It feels impeccably well made with soft-touch materials and satisfying thunks when you shut the doors. You don't need to pay top money for an Audi Q8 e-tron that feels well finished, either: even the Q8 e-tron Sport comes with twin leather seats, Graphite Grey interior inlays and Lunar Silver cloth headlining.

There's no shortage of screens in the new Audi Q8 e-tron. We'll start with Audi's excellent Virtual Cockpit: a 12.3-inch digital display which sits behind the steering wheel and can be configured to show whatever you'd like, pretty much, from sat-nav directions to conventional dials.

A central 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display provides access to things like navigation (as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), while there's another 8.6-inch display below which takes care of the climate control. The twin-screen setup looks smart and is easy to use, with ultra rapid responses and high-resolution displays. As ever, though, physical buttons (including a rotary controller for the main infotainment) would be easier to use on the move. You can get around this, to an extent, by using the 'hey Audi' voice-activated personal assistant.

For the ultimate in in-car tech, look for an Audi Q8 e-tron with the Technology Pack. This adds a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system (a must for audiophiles) as well as multi-colour interior ambient lighting, a head-up display and extra parking assistance technology. The Technology Pack Pro takes things a step further with exterior ambient lighting, rear USB-C sockets, four-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof and heated rear seats.

The new Audi Q8 e-tron is a large car, measuring 4915mm long and 1937mm wide. This serves up a good amount of room for up to five people inside. That's two less than the Tesla Model X manages, but it manages to feel more spacious than, say, the Jaguar I-Pace.

As the Audi Q8 e-tron has been designed from scratch as a pure EV (there isn't actually any crossover with the combustion-engined Audi Q8), there's little in the way of compromise inside. The front feels very spacious, while even the tallest of adults will be comfortable in the back. If you're looking for a luxurious executive chauffeur car, the Audi Q8 e-tron could be a very strong choice.

The Audi Q8 e-tron has a pretty big boot, too, capable of carrying up to 569 litres of luggage along with an additional 62 litres in the front stowage area (under the bonnet). This drops to 528 litres in the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron.

There are three core flavours of Audi Q8 e-tron: the Q8 50 e-tron, Q8 55 e-tron and the SQ8 e-tron.

The entry-level Audi Q8 50 e-tron has a 95kWh battery powering an electric motor on each axle producing a total of 340PS and 664Nm of torque. It'll accelerate to 62mph in 6.0 seconds flat while top speed is 124mph.

The Audi Q8 55 e-tron uses a bigger 114kWh battery pack, combined with a punchier pair of electric motors. As a result, it produces 408PS and 664Nm of torque, taking it to 62mph in 5.6 seconds. Top speed remains at 124mph.

The Audi SQ8 e-tron combines the bigger battery with three electric motors (one on the front axle, and one for each of the rear wheels). Producing a hefty 503PS and 973Nm of torque, it certainly feels pretty rapid - 0-62mph takes just 4.5 seconds, while top speed is 130mph.

Audi says it's responded to criticism that the old e-tron couldn't travel far enough between charges. That's why its engineers were tasked with making the batteries in the new Q8 e-tron more efficient, packing more cells (and higher energy density) into the same size of battery pack.

That's why even the entry-level Audi Q8 50 e-tron now comes with a 95kWh battery pack, while the more powerful models now have a battery capacity of 114kWh.

According to official WLTP tests, the Audi Q8 50 e-tron can now travel up to 281 miles between charges, while the sleeker Sportback model manages 290 miles. The Audi Q8 55 e-tron, meanwhile, manages up to 330 miles as an SUV or 343 miles as the Sportback variant. The sporty Audi SQ8 e-tron has a range of 284 miles, while the Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron manages 295 miles.

The Audi Q8 e-tron is generally exceptionally refined, aside from a slight whine from the electric motors which had us turning up the radio during our test drive. It's not really a deal breaker (and only really obvious because the Q8 e-tron does an otherwise brilliant job of disguising outside noise), but it is a little irritating in a premium SUV of this price.

You won't notice any real wind noise, which is impressive for an SUV as big as the Q8 e-tron, while even the biggest alloy wheels don't generate much in the way of hum.

Just like the Audi e-tron, the Q8 e-tron is a very safe family SUV. The old model was awarded five stars for safety by Euro NCAP when it was crash-tested in 2019 - a rating that will remain valid for the new car, despite the name change.

There are no fewer than five cameras, five radar sensors and 12 ultrasonic sensors powering as many as 40 driver-assistance systems, meaning it should be pretty difficult for things to go particularly wrong in the Q8 e-tron (not that we'd recommend trying).

For the full suite of assistance tech, you'll want to look for an example with one of the desirable option packs - the Tour Pack, for example, brings with it adaptive cruise assist with lane assist, emergency assist (which will take control of the car and bring it safely to a standstill if the driver is inactive), turn assist (which uses the sensors and front camera to monitor for other vehicles when turning) and swerve assist (which can help you steer around an obstacle).

As its name suggests, the City Assist Pack adds some useful tech for around-town driving - things like the Pre-sense rear (which prepares the car for a crash if it detects an impending collision from the rear), Cross-traffic assist front and rear (which warns of approaching traffic when you're pulling out of a parking space) and Lane change assistant (which warns you of approaching traffic when changing lanes).

The pre-facelift Audi e-tron proved itself to a be a relatively reliable electric SUV. The main issue we received reports of were around the camera-based door mirrors - there were a few gremlins with the screens flickering and occasionally going entirely blank. These issues should have been ironed out but, if you're concerned, look for a Q8 e-tron without the virtual door mirrors.

If you're a young or inexperienced driver look away now, as the Audi Q8 e-tron is unlikely to be cheap to insure. Insurance groups are yet to be confirmed but it's an expensive, desirable electric SUV that has the potential to cause a lot of damage in a crash. More experienced drivers shouldn't be too concerned but, as ever, it's worth seeking out a few insurance quotes before parting with any cash.

Buy an Audi Q8 e-tron before 2025 and you won’t pay anything in VED. That’s because electric cars are currently exempt from car tax - which is quite a significant saving, especially when you consider most petrol or diesel cars with a list price of more than £40,000 are hit with a premium car tax of an extra £355 a year.

Standard equipment on the Audi Q8 e-tron Sport includes 20-inch alloy wheels, quattro all-wheel-drive, adaptive air suspension, Audi drive select, matrix LED headlights and dynamic front/rear indicators, LED rear lights, a power-operated tailgate, windscreen with acoustic glazing, keyless go, electrically adjustable and heated front seats with driver memory function, leather seats, two-zone automatic climate control with comfort remote preconditioning, a four-spoke multifunction leather steering wheel, MMI Navigation plus with MMI Touch (including a 10.1-inch touchscreen display and a seperate 8.6-inch display to control in-car features), Audi Virtual Cockpit, Audi Sound System (with a six-channel amplifier and 10 loudspeakers), Audi Smartphone interface with wireless functionality, DAB digital radio, Audi Phone Box with wireless charging, cruise control, lane departure warning, Audi pre-sent front, rear-view camera, parking system plus with 360-degree sensors and camera traffic sign recognition.

The Audi Q8 e-tron S Line builds on this with 21-inch alloy wheels, adaptive sport air suspension, S line front and rear bumpers and rear diffuser, rear privacy glass, front sport seats with S embossed logo in valcona leather upholstery, dark matt brushed aluminium inlays and a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel in perforated leather with S logo.

The Audi Q8 e-tron Black Edition features 21-inch gloss black alloy wheels, the Audi beam with e-tron logo, black exterior highlights, a mesh anthracite inlay and a three-spoke flat bottom multifunction leather steering wheel.

The Audi Q8 e-tron Vorsprung features 22-inch alloy wheels, digital matrix lights, virtual door mirrors, power door closure, adaptive windscreen wipers, front super sports seats with S embossed logo in Valcona leather, carbon inlay, heated leather multi-function steering wheel, electric steering column adjustment, extended leather pack, Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, Technology Pack Pro, Tour Pack, City Assist Pack and Parking Assist Pack.