A small tip: it’s easiest to take the Audi SQ8 e-tron Sportback on face value and view it for what it is: a big, brutish, swoopy, luxury SUV coupe, that’s also electric.
It’s easy to get lost in history and naming and badges, especially with Audi’s range of EV e-trons over recent years. So, let’s just not, because we’d spend a few paragraphs detailing it: so, in short, Audi’s new “even” numbers will signify an EV; its odd numbers (such as SQ7) will identify internal combustion engines (ICE). At least they will be, as we're in the early stages of the new naming convention, and there will still be even-numbered ICE Audis for a while, yet.
Therefore, this SQ8 e-tron Sportback’s designation marks it as the Sporty Spice version of the Q8, and a fully electric BEV… the e-tron somewhat redundantly reinforcing its EV aspect.
This is a big, muscly bulldog of an SUV, with pumped-up wheelarches, massive $3500 optional 22-inch (over 21) deep-dish wheels and wide tyres and a stance that’s angry and get-outta-my-way, while still being restrained just enough to fall short of a full-house RS model.
As the German brand’s flagship electric SUV, along with the revised name, the SQ8 scores styling updates such as the lighting strip between the headlights and the new front air curtains and chin lip spoiler, all designed to emphasise add presence, and width.
There’s also a new 2D grille badge, which looks a little like a radar panel.
The rear badging info relocated to the B-pillar with laser etchings. Only the rear SQ8 badge remains.
Other rear end updates include a similar strip of light spanning the rear to emphasise its width.
The key numbers with the SQ8 are the EV’s battery size (106kWh), power – 370kW and a huge 973Nm - and range: Audi claims 438km.
It’s an Audi S model so there’s a focus on fast, and onboard there are three motors to launch the big SUV to very sporting numbers: 0-100km/h claims to be 4.5 seconds, but there’s an interesting fun fact in that.
In normal Drive mode, the SQ8 does 0-100km/h in 5.0 seconds, as tested. Thinking the battery was low (50% charged) and reducing power, we topped it up to 100% and went for another run, and it produced another 5.0 seconds. After a moment of confusion, we tried the Sport mode: somewhat famous in cars for doing very little aside from making the throttle more aggressive, the steering more reactive and/or the suspension firmer.
A discrete “Boost” bar graph appears in the upper part of the dash display, an indicator of what’s to come, the Boost bar rising and falling in line with its ability to provide. Pulling up and flooring the throttle is basically the same as just lifting from brake to gas pedal, and the matching wallop of pure, torque-laden, rollercoaster-like acceleration rockets it to 100km/h in 4.19 seconds; call it 4.2.
That was a huge surprise, and while it feels faster, it’s remarkable that Sport mode does make it extra Sporty, rolling off numbers that our RaceBox timer revealed to be 0.3 faster than the factory claim. Having that extra performance at the touch of a button is the great part that performance EVs offer, and ups the ante from just fast to holy heck!
In either mode, it’s just as driveable, but there’s something involving about flicking a button to Sport and secretly knowing there’s a Batman-style booster on tap… at least without the flames or noise.
Yes, the noise: it’s all rather refined and quiet in the SQ8, a few beeps and warning sounds at low speed, and a slightly modern-electric whir at speed, but it’s mostly premium class without any of those crass artificial noise makers.
It does feel big and heavy to drive, with some extra heft to the steering feel, thanks in part to those wide 285mm tyres. And size wise, at 4915mm total length, that’s a fraction shorter than both a Mercedes-AMG EQE and BMW iX, but longer than both the Highlander and Sante Fe seven-seaters. And with the SQ8 seating five, there’s copious space.
The dash is conventional and modern inside, with touchscreen this, smartphone that, and a luxury feel to the fit and finish that you’d expect from the Audi EV SUV hero.
The seats are fantastic, comfortable and gorgeous with their cross-hatch pattern that carries through to the rear seats, equipped with a functional fold-down arm-rest/cupholder, plus its own climate zone.
Even the boot is rather massive, at 528 litres with the rear seats up, and 1567 litres with them dropped.
There’s no overt EV badging, just solid practicality and functionality that Audi is known for, with the oddball shifter being the only thing needing a bit of familiarisation. Even the EV battery gauge is a bar graph, like a petrol gauge, rather than a percentage – though even that can be activated if so desired. And the slippery Sportback body also claims to add another 20km to the range.
Ah yes, the range: in our driving, it was a little higher than claimed, and we were seeing around 330km in normal driving, and over 30kWh/100km, a bit higher than the claim of 28.8kWh - that alone still rather high. A max charge rate of 170kW helps manage that.
Nighttime running is improved as well with new Digital Matrix headlights, a newer, more advanced way of lighting the night, whereby the auto lights high-beam everywhere but where other people are: it’s easy to see the headlights are they constantly reshape and reduce their illumination with the changing scape and traffic.
But the biggest number of all is the price: $207,990 - interestingly a few thou cheaper than the petrol SQ8 at $211,990, a few kilowatts less and a few tenths slower to 100km/h. It’s also comparable to the Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 at $201,900, which is faster and more powerful, but a smaller battery with slightly less range. The BMW iX 50 comes in at $207,800, has 15kW more power, a 3kWh larger battery and more claimed range.
The three big Germans offer similar but different spec, range and models, but for the SQ8, it’s a very good case and offering for the ultimate EV SUV for Audi aficionados.
BREAK IT DOWN
Audi SQ8 e-tron Sportback
BATTERY: 106kWh with three electric motors
POWER: 370kW/973Nm
GEARBOX: Single-speed, AWD
0-100KM/H: 4.5sec (claim), 4.2sec (tested)
RANGE: 438km (3P-WLTP), max charge rate 170kW
PRICE: $207,990
