Subtle name change irrelevant for electric SUV
Audi Q8 e-tron delivers luxury, performance.
Audi, Volkswagen’s luxury brand, made a subtle change to its flagship all-electric
SUV. It used to be called e-tron. That’s a cool-sounding name and certainly lets you know it’s an electrified vehicle. But for the 2024 model year, the automaker renamed it the Q8 e-tron. Shakespeare quipped, what’s in a name?
Not much when it comes this luxury electric SUV. The Q8 merely shows it’s a bigger SUV. Afterall, it has a curb weight of 5,798 pounds.
This five-passenger electric SUV competes against the Tesla Model Y and the BMW ix. Those are big names to compete against, so maybe the name change was necessary.
As for looks, the Q8 e-tron has plenty of distinctive styling from front to back. The grille has a busy look with tremendous amounts of styling nearly taking over the entire front end. It doesn’t mean it’s garish, just that there’s a lot going on. On profile the A-pillar has a sharp angle toward the roofline while near the wheel wells, there’s a jutted-out indentation that really pops. So many vehicles lack distinction from the side, but that’s not the case with the Q8 e-tron. If the front is too busy, the back side is more minimalist. This may not seem to flow well together, but the back side could use a little more styling and distinction.
I appreciate the looks of the Q8 e-tron for not trying to make it look too futuristic — or obviously an EV like so many other electric vehicles on the road. It’s just a nice-looking SUV that happens to be all electric.
With dual electric motors with a 114-kwh battery, this SUV has 355 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque. It does get Audi’s Quattro, allwheel drive system to add extra confidence. The single-speed automatic transmission is standard for most EVS. There’s a “boost” that jumps the total horsepower up (temporarily) to 402 hp and 490 pound-feet. Engaging that feature is oh-so-fun. Think “Star Trek” and warp speed. It’s an instant launch and noticeably quicker.
Inside, the Q8 e-tron has all the high-quality touchpoints you expect from a German luxury brand. My tester came with an all-black interior that really popped against the Glacier White exterior. The contrast is stark but really attractive. Leather seats are found throughout. Natural wood inlays are an attractive element. The panoramic sunroof comes with electric sunshade to control the light coming in.
The cargo room in the standard Q8 e-tron (as opposed to the sportback version) is 28.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats. That area can expand to 56.5 cubic feet, which is a healthy amount of room for an EV.
The Q8 e-tron is loaded with technology thanks to a MMI touch response operating system. While there’s a bit of a learning curve to master all the features, this system is impressive. There are two large, high-resolution displays — an upper 10.1-inch and lower 8.6inch display with haptic touch technology.
When it comes to EVS, the first thing everyone wants to know is the range and charge times. The Q8 e-tron has a range of 285 miles. According to Audi, “under ideal Level-2 charging conditions, the Audi Q8 e-tron can recharge in
around 13 hours at 9.6 kw (240V/40A), or in around 6.5 hours at 19.2kw (240V/80A).” Through Volkswagen’s partnership with Electrify America, a fast-charging Level 3 station could bring the vehicle to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes. Base price for my tester was $74,400. With several options including the Prestige Package, my tester had a final MSRP of $88,990, which includes a destination fee.
The minor name change is nearly irrelevant for Audi’s flagship electric SUV. What matters is all you get with this vehicle. And hitting that boost, and you get a fun-to-drive, refined, luxury SUV. Nearly 300 miles without gasoline is just a perk. With noticeable looks and attention to detail inside, the Q8 e-tron lives up to its reputation.
Jimmy Dinsmore is a freelance automotive journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore73@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside.