Louth Motoring: New Audi Q8 e-Tron - new name, same car, better range

Audi have added the Q8 name to the old standalone e-tron name of the previous model.
Helps I suppose when e-tron is finding its way onto more and more Audis, differentiating them.

It feels like it is a new car with a new name, but the reality is that this is the midlife facelift of what was the old e-tron which we first got back in 2019.

The Q8 e-tron has two body shapes, this normal liftback as well as a sleeker Sportback version.
Regardless of how it has been named, or renamed, it is a luxury sporty 5-seater SUV.

Its competitors are the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and the BMW iX both of which came after the Q8 e-tron and whilst they went for out and out “look-at-me-I’m-an-EV” the Audi looks just like a normal car – just that it is electric.

I prefer the latter design approach and just because it’s an electric car doesn’t mean you have to go full metal jacket on the design.

The e-tron’s other great competitor is Tesla, formerly with the Model X, who are somewhere in between normal and look-at-me-I’m-electric in their design approach.

The changes from the previous e-tron are mainly at the front with a different grille and logo design with a headlight-to-headlight, full width light bar.

Try as I might, the rear difference are negligible. Side profile is the same and I suppose it’s a testament to the original design that looks so good, that they didn’t mess with it.

What they seem to have concentrated on was giving you a bigger battery with the knock-on effect of additional range.
That all important rear legroom and headroom is there in spades in the back of the Q8 e-tron and gives those passengers a very comfortable and stable ride.

In the front the seats are simply superb and again provide enough space to allow the proper definition of the cabin to be airy.
The inside of the cabin is at the extreme end of plush and it is probably the first test any Audi has to pass before it can be signed off for release.

How the sense of quality it transmitted to your brain from all the hand engagements that you use when using & driving an Audi is something Audi are masters at.

I reckon I could be blindfolded and ask to identify if it was an Audi or not and get it right based solely on feel.

The layout is tremendous, giving the driver the information needed without overload.

There’s the now familiar split central digital screens with the lower one handling the air ventilation system with that lovely tactile feedback system.

That makes using touchscreens that bit easier and I believe safer allowing you to keep your eyes on the road and not focussing on where you have to touch.

Electric cars seem to be the place where the engineers get to experiment with how to select drive mode. The Q8 e-tron’s drive selector would not be out of place on a jetliner and is one of my faves.

The Q8 e-tron I drove was powered by 250kW motor producing 340HP. It had a 95kWh battery that promises 453km of range.
My consumption suggested a range for me of 410kms.

Top speed is 200km/h and 0-100km/h in 6.0s. For an SUV tipping the scales at 2,585kg that’s quite remarkable.

That performance is delivered calmly and at no stage do you feel you have to reign in its exuberance.

It is progressive allowing you to take progressive as far as you feel comfortable taking it.

I’d stop short of calling it anyway sporty especially as it doesn’t give much sporty feedback through the steering wheel which just may be what Q8 e-tron buyers just want.

The SQ8 e-tron may satisfy the sportier orientated. Progression is all done in deserted church silence with little road or wind noise getting in.

I fell into my normal electric driving style once I had the short and obligatory blast because that’s the rewarding part of electric driving – seeing how many kms of range you achieve between charges.

Recharging rates are always a bit of a lottery depending on the level of charge and battery temperature, but the car is rated for 150kW using a fast DC or 20% to 80% in 30 mins.

There is also an option to add an onboard 22kW AC charger which is something I believe will be more and more important when more chargers are rolled out.

This is an area where Renault have an advantage over their rivals and Audi are seeing this as something buyers will want, albeit as a €2,135 option.

Prices start at €91,215 rising to €125,000 for the SQ8 version. There are three trim levels to choose from Advance, Sport and S-Line and being an Audi there is every conceivable option available to add on.

You can get digital wing mirrors but my experience with digital rear-view mirrors would lead me to leave this as an option not to tick.

The standard packages are quite thorough though so you may well be able to go easy on the options.

The Q8 e-tron is a refined and beautifully crafted electric SUV that will fit seamlessly into your life.
It’s expensive, but high-end SUV’s are and especially so if they are from a German manufacturer and made in Europe.