Audi Q8 e-tron

Back in 2019, the first-ever Audi e-tron crossover signaled a new start for Audi's electrification mission and it sets the template for Audi's electrified models. Despite its success, the e-tron didn't survive long enough and it was therefore removed from the lineup. Thankfully, it was reborn with a new name, which sounds confusing to some.

2024 Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback

2024 Audi Q8 e-tron

Welcome to the Audi Q8 e-tron and no, this new model has nothing in common with the ICE-powered Audi Q8 coupe utility vehicle because, despite the naming, it's basically a minor change version of the used-to-be-called Audi e-tron electric crossover.

Prices start at 74,400 Euros plus additional costs, a drastic price bump compared to the old e-tron crossover, so with the price hike, what do you get from this so-called improved version of the e-tron crossover, which is available in normal and Sportback models?

Beginning with the styling, the Q8 e-tron looks similar to the old e-tron crossover but with refreshed looks and aerodynamics to make a statement. It's the same goes for the sporty SQ8 e-tron variants.

2024 Audi Q8 e-tron interior

2024 Audi Q8 e-tron interior

The interior feels pretty much the same as the old model but there are signs of added use of recycled materials involved in the making. On the driver's side, you still have familiar features such as the 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit, a 10.1-inch MMI touchscreen with smartphone connectivity and noticeable apps such as Apple Music and (oh no) Amazon Alexa, and an 8.6-inch secondary touchscreen that takes charge of the climate control features. 

Of course, the spacing is just like the old e-tron. It fits up to five people and it's got more room than its main rival, the Mercedes-Benz EQC, and for added fun, Audi teams up with holoride to deliver VR excitement inside. Sit in the back, put on your VR glasses, and enjoy the ride. This is a gimmick even kids might enjoy.

2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron Sportback

2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron

Checking out the electric propulsion system, the Q8 e-tron features a choice of either a 95kWh or a 114kWh battery pack with the latter producing 408PS of power, 664Nm of torque, a 0-100kph time of 5.6 seconds, 200kph of top speed, and 582km of driving range.

The SQ8 e-tron uses the same 114kWh battery pack as the normal one but it has improved performance, delivering 503PS of power, 973Nm of torque, a 0-100kph time of 4.5 seconds, 210kph of top speed, and up to 494km of driving range.

The dynamics were slightly revised compared to the old e-tron courtesy of its improved performance, air suspension, revised air springs, and updated steering ratio. Still, it possesses a mild driving feel but it feels a bit okay to get going from the beginning to the end of the day.

The SQ8 e-tron comes with an electric torque vectoring system that allows drivers to fully enjoy these crossovers to their fullest extent. Easier said than done.

The Q8 e-tron may be more of a facelifted e-tron crossover but it continues the electric crossover's success story even in this unstable world we live in. 

Why call it the Q8 e-tron even though it has nothing in common with the normal Q8 coupe crossover? It's complicated.

Photo: Audi AG

Audi RS Q8

The Audi RS Q8 may have been part of the long line of crossovers on steroids like its German compatriots such as the GLE 63 and the X6 M, but deep down, there's something special about Audi's Nurburgring-honed high performance crossovers that's got the whole world questioning.

What Audi did to the highly questionable Q8 coupe crossover is they sent it to their own personal gym at the Nurburgring, inject it with steroids, give it a dark interior that smells like Axe, firming up the undersides, and voila, you got yourself a coupe crossover on steroids that costs under 130 grand.

The RS Q8, a Q8 on steroids of course, features a muscled up exterior design that makes it easily distinguished from the entire Q8 range, especially its less powerful cousin, the SQ8. Come inside, it still operates like a normal Q8, especially the questionable touch screens that made dirty-fingered speedo boys running scared. It still seats up to five speedo boys, has decent boot space good enough for tailgating parties with the other speedo boys at the parking lot in the middle of a car meet, it's practicality well fit for the Nurburgring-honed coupe crossover that subverts the cliches.

In order to subvert the cliches regarding this crossover, Audi took it to the Nurburgring and lapped it in 7 minutes and 42 seconds. That's faster than the Range Rover Sport and this is how Audi subverted the cliches with the RS Q8.

The secret? The 4.0L TFSi engine with 48-volt main electrical system that produces 600PS of power and 800Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed tiptronic transmission and launch control, it goes from 0-100kph in under four seconds and up to 305kph with the optional extra installed on it. Performance aside, the RS Q8 has variable ground clearance, short overhangs, quattro permanent all-wheel drive,  hill descent control, all-wheel steering, the new RS MODE, air suspension, electronic chassis platform, electromechanical active roll stabilization, and the RS-ceramic brake system, among many others.

With such secrets, you can easily think of the RS Q8 as a cut-price Lamborghini Urus in every tangible way because like the Urus, the Audi RS Q8 is a near-enjoyable crossover that isn't afraid to go fast and dirty at the same time. Of course, while the performance is not meant to engage dogfights with proper sportscars, especially the Audi R8, the RS Q8 is proof that thanks to its Nurburgring credentials, they have created the fastest off-roader (whatever that means) ever made and whether you like it or not, the RS Q8 is proof that there are fast SUVs that love subverting cliches by all means necessary.

Photo: Audi AG

Audi SQ8 TDi

Audi has slapped the S letter on the Q8 crossover coupe and with it, this slightly pumped-up crossover coupe promises to be more agile than your basic Q8 except for the engine that is not welcomed to today's Europeans. Let's investigate more on Audi's first ever SQ8 crossover coupe.

2020 Audi SQ8

With prices starting at a very expensive 102,900 Euros, not to mention the additional costs added, the first-ever Audi SQ8 promises to be more fun to drive than the basic Q8, although it's hard to sure if this slightly pumped-up coupe utility is somewhere between a rock and a hard place because judging by the weight it possess, it's going to be as hard as a hard place and as comfy as a rock, in dynamics term at least.

While it features unique styling that adds some sporty character to this coupe utility as well as a specially made dark interior that smells like aftershave when you first get in, which is good for a semi-hot coupe utility in the beginning, the SQ8 is powered by a 4.0L V8 TDi diesel engine, which is deemed irrelevant in today's diesel-sceptic Europe, even when this engine comes with a 48-volt primary electrical system. This engine produces 435PS of power and 900Nm of torque, which sounds aplenty for a V8 diesel, and when mated to an 8-speed tiptronic gearbox, it does 0-100kph in less than five seconds and electronically limited at 250kph. Not Urus quick but this diesel engine really means brute force for the SQ8 and you can really pull some dynamic punches with this one.

Apart from the dynamic punches its V8 diesel engine delivers, the SQ8 features Audi drive select dynamic handling system, adaptive air suspension, and the electromechanical active roll stabilization, allowing the SQ8 to exploit its sports-inspired suspension setup to its fullest and with the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, it's capable of handling through all kinds of weather. Not bad but such stuff made it slightly better to drive than the normal Q8 but not quite as good as a Cayenne Coupe per se in terms of sportiness.

Hands up if you want a Q8 with a beefy V8 diesel, sporty suspension, and that's about it. Anyone? Oh well...

Photo: Audi AG

Audi Q3 (F3) and Audi Q8

The Audi Q3 is now on its second generation and with its all new look, all new powertrain, all new packaging, and so on, the Q3 is now fully prepared to take on the luxury compact midsize crossovers in a way it has never done before, although this new model feels right at home on the road rather than on the outdoors but see if I can do with it.

2019 Audi Q3

Starting at 33,700 Euros, the all-new Audi Q3 is all about being a proper all-rounder by Audi standards and with its new form and packaging, this crossover tries so hard to be like one of the good boys rather than being one of the proud boys like the ones from BMW and Mercedes. Beginning on the exterior design, the all-new Q3 looks sharper and sportier than the first-generation and with expensive versions get Matrix LED headlights, this crossover really puts a shine into it.

2019 Audi Q3 interior

The interior retains the futuristic elements that today's Audi models possess such as the Audi Virtual Cockpit that puts the sat-nav into the speedo as well as smartphone connectivity, MMI, and so on and while the cockpit is basically driver-focused, this five-seater is surprisingly comfortable for luxury car standards and because it runs on today's platform, it's surprisingly more spacious than the old Q3 it replaces in terms of legroom and boot space, which carries 530 or 675 liters with seats present. 1,525 liters when the back seats folded, of course. With that amount of space, this crossover does a lot of things for drivers to do in their free time.

At launch, the new Q3 is offered with a wide range of 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines mated with either a six-speed manual transmission or a fast-shifting seven-speed S tronic. Since this is Europe today, best to ignore the diesel engines all thanks to the issues about the government banning diesel engines on the road in the near future because of the D-word.

For now, the highest of the range goes to the Q3 45 with the 230PS TFSi 2.0L petrol engine and when mated with the S tronic, it does 0-100kph in 6.3 seconds and onwards to 233kph while delivering CO2 emissions of 167 g/km and combined WLTP fuel economy of 8,7 l/100km. Not bad, but the most fuel efficient goes to (no, not the Q3 35 TDi S tronic because Europeans are ruling out diesels) the 35 TFSi S tronic with 130g/km of CO2 emissions. That's it.

Running on the new platform, and with quattro all-wheel drive system, the new Q3 feels alright on and off the road, but in terms of exciting, since this is an Audi alright, it's about as buzzkill as Buzz Killington and it's just being too behaved for its own good. Couple that with a wide array of safety features and this nice guy next door is all about slow and steady winning the race but this is no turtle and hare story. It's the real world and in the real world, the new Audi Q3 is all grown up to do what's right not just for itself but for the drivers and passengers around it.

At this rate, I wanted to complete my analysis about the second-generation Audi Q3 but then, there's another new Audi crossover in the mix and looks like there's something about this Audi equivalent of BMW's sport activity coupes such as the X6.

2019 Audi Q8

2019 Audi Q8 interior

This is Audi's answer to BMW's sport activity coupes such as the X6. It's called the Q8 and with prices start at 76,300 Euros, it's very expensive to own especially when the fact that it offers only with the 3.0 TDI engine mated to a tiptronic gearbox but before ignoring this engine because it's diesel, this engine is equipped with mild hybrid technology like the one from the new Audi A8. This mild hybrid technology uses a 48-volt main electrical system that connects to the li-ion battery and a belt alternator starter. It's capable of long coasting phases with the engine deactivated and a start-stop range that begins at 22 km/h, resulting to 172g/km of CO2 emissions and combined WLTP fuel economy of 8,2 l/100km.

Word of caution, however, that because this is shaped like a BMW X6 and despite having quattro permanent all-wheel drive, the new Audi Q8 is going to behave like what the old BMW X6 does when taken to the streets of Spain, the Swiss Alps, Sydney, Hong Kong, even offroad where the Range Rover excels. Rings a bell, hmmm?

As for styling, yes coupes are sexy but coupe utility vehicles are in a different story and this Audi Q8 is pretty much like what happened with the BMW X6 and when taken on the road, how people react when they see one is everyone's guess.

Think about this; because the Q8 is priced at 76,300 Euros, you can buy two Q3s with that allowance and some spare change for some optional extras. Now there's your piece of consumer advice for you but I wouldn't care about it even though the Q8 packs a lot of technological features as seen in more expensive Audis like the A8 and so on.

So, how can I conclude this analysis? Well, because they're both Audis, it's hard to sum up these two because frankly, these Audi crossovers are always be Audis. Nothing more, nothing less.

Photo: Audi AG