2024 (24) Audi Q8 300kW 55 Quattro 114kWh Sport 5dr Auto

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Back in 2022, Audi's Q8 e-tron large luxury full-electric SUV got offered with a smarter look in the form of this Q8 Sportback e-tron model. Like the standard SUV version, this Coupe-SUV derivative offered the choice of two battery sizes and two or three-motor drive options. Back then, the Q8 e-tron was the only model in the class offering two body style options and this, the sleeker variant, made more sense than its Sportback e-tron predecessor thanks to its more class-competitive EV driving range figures. Plus, as with that previous model, it was difficult to better in terms of practicality and refinement. How does it stack up as a used buy?

History

Audi's very first EV back in 2019 was the big e-tron SUV, subsequently also made available in a sleeker Sportback form in 2020. By 2022 though, the segment competition was very different, but this design still had years to run, Audi re-engineered, reworked and revitalised this design - so much that it gave this car a new name: the Q8 e-tron. Or, as in this case, the Q8 Sportback e-tron. The name was confusing given that at the time of this car's launch in late 2022, Audi already had a completely different model badged 'Q8' - a conventionally petrol-powered large coupe-SUV almost completely unrelated to the model we're looking at here. That combustion model had become rather out of step with the brand's then-current Q-series naming convention, which was supposed to see even numbers designating EV-powered crossovers and odd model numbers designating combustion-powered ones. What the ordinary combustion Q8 did share with the old e-tron (and also shared with this Q8 e-tron) was the VW Group MLB chassis it sat upon. It's never really a good idea to base an EV on a platform originally designed to work with fossil fuel - Audi's never done so since and won't do again. The original e-tron, in both its forms, struggled particularly with the weighty downsides of that approach, which manifested themselves in clunky kerb weight, which in turn led to stodgy handling and, more seriously, to an increasingly feeble-looking level of EV driving range. Hence the original model's relatively modest 150,000 sales in its first four years of production at its advanced carbon-neutral Brussels plant. Really, a completely new approach was needed but with this Q8-branded update, Audi had to do what it could to make this luxury EV Crossover a more competitive proposition. Primarily with larger, longer-ranging battery options. And a minor sharpening up of handling and styling. A tri-motor SQ8 e-tron model joined the line-up in 2023. It was all a worthy effort to try and save this design but ultimately, it didn't pay off and production ended in 2024, when the car was not replaced.

What You Get

Two Q8 e-tron body styles were offered, the Sportback (or focus here) or the standard SUV. It's surprising just how much you can change the look of a car with a relatively minor facelift. Really all Audi's did here to update the old model was to reprofile the bumpers, smarten the grille and redesign the wheels, but the effect was a small but satisfying move up-market. The Q8 Sportback e-tron is certainly a substantial piece of Ingolstadt real estate, over 4.9-metres long and sitting over 1.6-metres high, though there's plenty of panelwork sculpting to disguise the bulk, including a mid-level crease that flows through the door handles and a prominent upper rear swage line that emphasises the powerful rear haunches. The key difference over the brand's ordinary Q8 e-tron SUV is obvious from a profile perspective, a coupe-like rear roofline cut from the A7 Sportback, which sweeps back 14mm lower than on the SUV version, via steeply-raked D-pillars, into a liftback-style tailgate. A bit more effort was made with this update at the front, where the aforementioned reprofiled bumper emphasised more prominent triangular corner cut-outs on each side. The huge octagonal Singleframe grille with 'e-tron' branding along its lower frame came grey-trimmed on lesser models and black-finished on more expensive ones. Either way, it got a smarter look and a new self-sealing system which together with electric shutters, made it more aerodynamic. Plus the grille could be fully illuminated as an option. At the rear, as is usual with Audi's large models from this period, a light strip connects the LED tail lamps to one another, emphasising the substantial 1,937mm body width. Behind the wheel, not much changed here as part of the Q8 e-tron update. Which means this cabin probably won't feel as futuristic as in a rival BMW iX, Mercedes EQE SUV or even Audi's own e-tron GT quattro; but then it wouldn't do because all those cars were clean-sheet designs based on bespoke EV platforms. This one, as we've been saying, was rather less EV-unique underneath, so perhaps it's not surprising that, at first glance, it feels just like any other large Audi to sit in up-front; mainly because of the familiar three-screen format, with upper and lower ones on the centre stack, respectively 10.1 and 8.6-inches in size; and Audi's usual 12.3-inch 'Virtual Cockpit' display facing you through the three-spoke steering wheel. But once you get comfortable and start to look around, key differences become apparent. A wrap-around trimming arc envelops the outer perimeter of the e-tron-branded dash, the fascia designed with the different architecture it needed to be able to sweep out and incorporate the optional virtual mirror screens. Also rather different is the wide, open centre console between the seats, which of course on an electric car like this doesn't have to accommodate a bulky transmission tunnel. So the brand instead created this multi-faceted compartment to fill the space, a storage area which looks like it should be lidded but isn't and which rests on open sidewalls, intended to lend to it the feel of a light, sleek sculpture. An acquired taste is the unusual gear selector, operated by a hand rest which appears to 'float' above the console and is activated by a one-touch action conducted with either thumb or index finger. But the leather-stitched seats are superbly comfortable and position you fairly loftily. In the rear, this Sportback body style's 14mm reduction in ceiling height might bother you if you're a 6-footer - your head will be brushing the immaculately crafted roof liner - but otherwise, it feels pretty spacious in the back. Inevitably you'll be much less comfortable if there are three of you and you're stuck in the middle: shoulder room with a trio of adults wouldn't actually be too bad, but the middle seat is narrow and has a stiff backrest. We'll finish by considering cargo space. There's a compartment under the bonnet, but since that's only 60-litres in size, we'll ignore it and tell you about the boot area. You get a powered tailgate of course, which rises to reveal a 528-litre luggage bay for this Sportback body shape - which is 39-litres less than the ordinary boxier Q8 e-tron SUV body shape can offer. There's also a useful under-floor storage area. Fold down the rear bench (which folds conveniently in a 40:20:40-split) and 1,567-litres of capacity is freed up. That's 70-litres less than an ordinary Q8 e-tron SUV body shape.

What to Look For

You're going to need to be aware of a number of issues if you commit to an Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron, these mainly centring around charging, software, suspension, braking and efficiency. Let's start with the battery stuff. Some owners have reported issues with the charging system stopping the car from charging correctly. We also heard of over-heating charging cables - and there was a recall from Audi related to the 220V/240V compact charging cable potentially over-heating when used in concert with an incorrectly sized or overloaded plug outlet. They have also been reports of water entering the high voltage battery in a few cases. On to infotainment. Some buyers have experienced problems with the infotainment system freezing or becoming unresponsive and there have also been connectivity glitches and software update errors. As for driving stuff, well we've heard of suspension creaking caused by worn bushings or dry joints. And a few owners have experienced brake regeneration lag, affecting driving smoothness and running cost efficiency. Some owners have complained that this car's real-world driving range is significantly lower than the official figures, particularly on motorways and in colder weather. We've heard of issues with the electrical warning lights, problems with the 12V battery, issues with the steering rack and shaft connection and, in a few cases, there have been leaks from the sunroof. You might want to steer clear of models fitted with the virtual side mirrors, but if you're tempted, try before you buy.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a Q8 e-tron 50 quattro 2022) - Ex Vat - autopartspro.co.uk) A pollen filter costs in the £19-£42 bracket. Front brake pads sit in the £30-£98 bracket for a set; for a rear set, it's around £28-£81. Front brake discs sit in the £50-£151 bracket. Rear brake discs sit in the £60-£145 bracket. A wiper blade is in the £7-£13 bracket. A set of shock absorbers can sit in the £98-£290 bracket depending on the brand you choose.

On the Road

Job one for Ingolstadt's e-tron engineers with this Q8 e-tron-branded facelift was to fit bigger, longer-ranging batteries. And, sure enough, that's what we got. The base '50 e-tron' model's battery rose in usable size to 89kWh, delivering up to 292 miles of range. And the mid-level '55 e-tron' model most chose got a 106kWh battery size, with up to 344 miles of range. There was more power for both the mainstream models too - up to 340PS in the base '50 e-tron' version and up to 408PS in the '55 e-tron' variant. Either way, as with the old Sportback e-tron versions of those two models, your battery of choice powers two electronically linked asynchronous motors, one on each axle. This in turn creates an electrified interpretation of Audi's quattro all drive system, though in low demand situations the car will be rear-driven thanks to a decoupling system that disconnects the front drive motor when it isn't needed. If you want more power, you'll need to look at the top tri-motor SQ8 Sportback model, which gets you an extra motor at the back. With that, there's 503PS and an enormous 973Nm of torque, powering the car to a top speed of 130mph. Drive your SQ8 Sportback e-tron more sensibly and a claimed range of up to 278 miles is supposed to be possible, up from 236 miles before thanks to that bigger battery. Across the range, sprightly performance depends on selection of a 'Dynamic' drive mode that rather decimates the quoted range figures; to get closer to those, you'll need to keep more regularly in the drive select system's 'Auto', 'Comfort' or 'Efficiency' settings. Air suspension was standard with all Q8 Sportback e-tron variants and the ride height can be adjusted, with the 'Efficiency' mode lowering it by 27mm and 'Off-road' mode (yes, there is one) raising the car by up to 72mm. The steering's still Q5-derived, while much of the suspension uses Q7 bits. As with other electric cars, the low centre of gravity should help in reducing body roll. Charging speeds were improved as part of the battery update. The base '50 e-tron' version's 89kWh battery charges at up to 150kW and will charge from 10-80% at a rapid charger in 28 minutes; or 9 hours and 15 minutes using an 11kW garage wallbox. The larger 106kWh battery of this '55 e-tron' and SQ8 e-tron versions charges at up to 170kW and will charge from 10-80% at a rapid charger in 31 minutes; or 11 hours and 30 minutes using an 11kW garage wallbox.

Overall

The 'Q8 e-tron' change of name here might lead you to expect more from this Audi than this mid-term update was capable of delivering. In this updated guise, the brand's flagship all-electric SUV still had a weight problem and in its mainstream forms, it still didn't handle as sharply as it should have done. The battery updates were welcome with this model update, but from new it was a pity that you had to stretch to the pricier '55 e-tron' model to get a really decent operating range. And the same applies on the used market. There's plenty on the plus side though. Air suspension is a welcome standard fitment, refinement's class-leading from this period and Audi's decision to offer a choice of body shapes was unusual in this class. As was the tri-motor drive system of the top SQ8 e-tron model that created what in our view was the most under-rated high performance large SUV on the market from this time. As for this Sportback body style, well we could see why you'd choose it in preference to the standard SUV body shape. There aren't many practical compromises and you get a useful dose of extra pavement presence. Ultimately though, you'll still have to really like the Audi brand to really want one of these. But if you appreciate Ingolstadt's cool, understated, considered approach to luxury motoring, then perhaps a luxury EV that's very Vorsprung durch Elektrisch beckons.