Audi SUV king of the coupes
The Audi SQ8 is fast, luxurious and high-tech, but does it have a point? Damien O’Carroll road tests it to find out.
The ‘sporty’ S version of Audi Q8 was as inevitable as ‘coupe’ version of the Q7 itself was in the first place. But while Audi jamming its muscular 4.0-litre twin turbo diesel V8 under the bonnet of the Q8 was inevitable, that doesn’t make the results any less convincing.
So what is the point of the SQ8?
Well, there isn’t really a point to any of these fastback-esque SUV ‘‘coupes’’ – they really are the vehicular equivalent of a wearing a scarf in Auckland.
It literally never gets cold enough to seriously justify wearing a scarf in Auckland for any other reason than fashion – if you are wearing one, it’s largely because you like the way it looks. And you don’t mind if someone from a place where it actually gets cold thinks you look a bit stupid for doing it.
But looks are subjective, so for every Southlander who thinks an Aucklander looks like an idiot for wrapping up in a scarf when it drops below 16 degrees, there’s another person who thinks an SUV with a swoopy roofline is just the thing for them. And that’s fine, because that’s how personal taste works.
But speaking as someone who doesn’t see the point (of neither scarves nor SUV coupes), I do have to say that to my eyes the Q8 is by far and away the best looking of this odd genre, avoiding the curvier lines of the opposition for Audi’s traditionally sharper, straighter and more angular look. In fact, it looks fantastic.
And that the SQ8 takes it to the next level again, with its more aggressive front end that is somewhat intimidating in your rear view mirror, is just the icing on the cake.
So does it have the grunt and attitude to back up those aggressive looks?
Well, yes and no.
Yes, in that with 320kW of power and 900Nm of torque, it certainly has the raw muscle to back the looks up, but it is the delivery of that muscle that surprises in a couple of ways.
While you might imagine a SQ8 to be something of a muscle car on stilts with the addition of a V8, the reality couldn’t actually be further removed from that if it tried.
The SQ8 is not the roaring, snorting fire-breather you might imagine – that’s where the RSQ8 comes in – rather it is all about refined, effortless power all presented in a luxurious and super hitech cocoon.
The power doesn’t overwhelm in any way, rather pours on smoothly and insistently, with a muted and civilised, but deeply satisfying V8 rumble filling the cabin under acceleration.
It is also somewhat deceptive – you know on some distant theoretical level it is quick, but the refinement masks the reality of just how quick until you pop a quick glance at the speedo and are mildly shocked by the numbers there.
So is it a corner carver or a wallowy luxo barge on a winding road?
Without approaching either extreme of that loaded question, the SQ8 manages to pull off a decent impression of both, depending on your mood.
The air suspension (something I am not usually a fan of) does a remarkably good job of picking that mood in auto mode, while it smooths out road imperfections superbly in comfort mode.
Stick it in sport and the SQ8 hunkers down onto its lowest setting and firms up noticeably, but never becomes harsh or intrusive.
Sure, the steering is typically Audi in that it keeps a distinct distance from anything too involving or engaging, but it is sharp and accurate, while the entire car never feels like it it is anywhere near as massive as it actually is when you chuck it into a corner with enthusiasm.
You are aware of its 2,340kg weight, however, but it never feels anywhere near as big or heavy as its most obvious competitor, the (actually lighter) BMW X6, which doesn’t handle it’s bulk anywhere near as well.
And now you rave on about how special the ‘‘typically Audi’’ interior is, right?
Well, it would be rude not to, particularly given that, even by Audi’s high interior standards, the SQ8 is pretty special.
The design and layout, as usual are spot on, with those two gorgeous high-res touchscreens dominating the centre console. Both screens feature haptic feedback that simulates the feel of pressing a button, which perfectly removes the biggest nagging doubt of operating a touchscreen in a vehicle – the ‘‘did I touch that properly?’’ question.
Quality is, of course, top-notch, with the diamond-stitched leather seats being both visually attractive and deeply comfortable.
There are a few gripes, however, with the most obvious (and most common) one being the extensive use of screens and piano black highlights makes the SQ8’s interior visual symphony of fingerprints after a while, so be prepared to be wiping that sucker down a lot.
The other is the lack of easily accessible phone storage – the SQ8 gets a wireless charing pad inside the centre console armrest, and while the car will warn you when your phone is in there and you stop the car, it is still very easy to forget. At least, it was for me...
Any other cars I should consider?
There is no shortage... all the obvious German competitors offer options – the BMW X6, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and even the Porsche Cayenne Coupe is now a thing.
Then there are also the wagon variants of all of those, like the SQ8’s inhouse sibling/competitor the SQ7, which at $184,900 is close to $10K cheaper. And while the SQ8 does look fantastically fashionable, $10K could buy you a lot of scarves...