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In-depth reviews

Audi Q8 – MPG and running costs

Economy is so-so, even in the plug-in hybrid. That’s the price for shifting the Q8’s bulk

Evo rating
Price
from £73,825
  • Well built; refined; painless to drive
  • Forgettable dynamics; cabin is no longer cutting edge

We’ve only sampled the plug-in hybrid Q8 so far, which Audi claims can achieve 217mpg. Unsurprisingly, we got absolutely nowhere near that figure on a long run. Depending on the state of battery charge somewhere around 35mpg is more realistic, dropping down to 30mpg if you haven’t topped it up. With that said, the e TFSI’s 50-mile claimed electric range means that short journeys can be extremely cost-effective if you have access to home charging. 

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Claimed figures for the 50 TDI and 55 TFSI are much more realistic. The diesel is said to achieve up to 35mpg on the WLTP cycle (we got a similar figure from the pre-facelift model), with the petrol dropping to 27mpg.

The Q8’s large wheels mean that tyre bills will sting when it’s time to replace. Expect to pay around £1000 or more for a full set of 21-inch items, with the bigger 22s costing a little extra.

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