Audi Q8 review – refreshed BMW X6 rival feels slightly out-of-date

The Audi Q8 arrived late to the coupe SUV party in 2018, but it established itself as a credible BMW X6 alternative straight away, with excellent build quality and effortless, refined driving dynamics. That was then, though, and for 2024, Audi has updated the Q8 to keep up with an ever evolving market that includes the latest Porsche Cayenne Coupe, BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe. 

The update is by no means as comprehensive as those applied to the related Cayenne or X6 recently, but the Q8 has received a new face, new tech and improved connectivity. Rather than radically reinventing the formula, Audi is leaning on the Q8’s qualities as an SUV with sound fundamentals and typical Audi DNA in the way it’s built, and the way it drives. Has this resulted in a more cohesive end product, or has playing it safe left the Q8 lacking star quality? 

Audi Q8 in detail

• Engine, gearbox and technical highlights > Underneath you’ll find the same platform as the Cayenne, with the option of diesel, petrol or plug-in power
• Performance and 0-60 time > The Q8 has a decent turn of pace in all its forms, with even the diesel reaching 62mph in 6.1sec
• Ride and handling > Refined and comfortable but forgettable. Higher-spec Cayennes are more involving 
• Interior and tech > Fit and finish is first-rate, but compared to the latest from BMW, the tech is no longer cutting edge
• MPG and running costs > Economy is so-so, even in the plug-in hybrid. That’s the price for shifting the Q8’s bulk 
• Design > The shape is broadly the same as the original, but the facelift has softened off the Q8’s angular nose and introduced new lights

Price and rivals

The Q8 range is split into three models – S Line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. The S Line starts from £73,825, with the higher-spec models starting at £78,375 and £97,025 respectively. The base car gets 21-inch alloys, LED matrix headlights and Audi’s MMI Navigation Plus system as standard, with the Black Edition adding 22-inch wheels and black styling elements (no surprises there). The Vorsprung, meanwhile, comes with a different 22-inch alloy wheel design and HD LED matrix headlights with Audi’s Laser Light tech, plus OLED rear lights, a panoramic sunroof and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. 

The closely related Porsche Cayenne starts from £76,000, and puts driving dynamics closer to the front of its priorities than the Audi. BMW’s X6, meanwhile, starts from £76,925, with Mercedes offering its GLE Coupe for £80,360. For a blend of luxury, utility and off-road ability in a more conventional SUV shape, the Range Rover Sport is king and costs from £75,255.