2023 Audi Q8 e-tron | First Drive

Описание: For the latest Audi Q8 e-tron pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/audi/q8-e-tron/

Two body styles are still available in the Audi Q8 e-tron and the e-tron Sportback.
They both get a redesigned grille, I’m not sure I like it, but it’s got new aero elements like wheel spoilers and these intakes and curtains all designed to redirect air away from the tires all of which decreases the drag coefficient by 6%. You let me know what you think.

Some other newbies include refreshed lighting elements, and updated wheel options but most importantly is a larger 106-kWh battery, which engineers have miraculously crammed into the same packaging. Clever.

Yes, now the Q8 e-tron gets up to 285 miles per charge, which feels very in line with the luxury EV SUV segment. And if for some reason that isn’t enough for your road trip to Montana, then as an Audi owner or lessee, you can use the Audi on Demand program and get any car you want for a longer trip at no charge. Uh, RS3 for me, sil vous please.

You can fast charge your e-tron with a max 170 kW fast charging capability. And that’s 170 all the way to 80% where some max charging capacities drop after hitting around 20%.

The Q8 e-tron either the regular body style or the Sportback gets two motors, one on the front axle and the second on the rear. Combined those are good for 355 horses and 414-pound foot of torque. Not bad.

But if you shift into Sport mode you can get a goose of power to 402 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque.

But don’t be disappointed because this car does not feel underpowered at all. Do not forget, this is an Audi with its Quattro. So, you’ve got stability at four corners when you need it.

The cabin feels quiet and luxurious as you’d expect. And visibility? As this is a utility vehicle you can tow up to 4000 pounds. That’s almost as much as it weighs. Yes, the Q8 e-tron weighs in at 5600 pounds.

When it comes to the interior, Audi does not pull any punches as usual and delivered a complete knock out. Materials, design, color palate, none of this disappoints. And when it comes to comfort and roominess, the Q8 hits.

Even in the second row there’s plenty of leg room and space for your gear And yes, there’s a frunk here for your storage pleasure but manage your expectations because it’s tiny.

Dual touchscreens run the user experience in here. With a 10.1-inch screen up top, which displays your Smartphone interface and the audio system functions. The lower screen does climate duty. You also get wireless charging, but that’s only as an option. Not standard. That’s kind of a bummer.

Audi’s MMI system uses haptic touch without sound. It’s easy to use, intuitive and not incredibly layered. The buttons are large enough that your fingers won’t miss. It’s quick and graphics are excellent. And of course, there’s the Audi digital gauge cluster, which, yes, I know other folks are doing it now, but I can remember when Audi was a ground breaker in this arena, so I still think they get extra kudos. It’s super customizable and graphics are also crystal clear.

Audi offers up a lot of standard safety equipment for the drive on both body styles which now includes adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist. That’s a great feature to have on an entry level luxury car. Audi’s system feels?

You can expect to pay about $74,400 for the base Premium Q8 with the regular body style and about $77,800 for the Sportback option. But even on that base trim you’ll get some great standard features, like 20-inch wheel, that air suspension I mentioned earlier, heated leather power front seats, heated steering wheel, LED headlights, and four-zone climate control, that’s a lot of zones.

If you feel the need to hit the Premium Plus level on either body type (graphic: Premium Plus $78,800/Sportback Premium Plus $82,200) Added features include wood trim inlays, ventilated front seats, a top view surround camera system and an upgraded Bang & Olfsen audio system. You can also opt for a package that gets you charge ports on both sides of the car.

The Prestige and the Sportback Prestige both go up after that with the Sportback hitting around $88,200.

There’s also a launch edition of both styles available that tops out at $91,950 and gets 22-inch wheels, black trim including mirror caps and the grille comes in body color. Those things might all be nice, but truthfully, they might be diminishing returns and the Premium could get you going just fine. But if you’ve got the duckets spend away, because it’s quite beautiful.


00:00 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron
0:24 Exterior
1:16 Range & Charging
2:34 Competitors
2:44 Powertrain
3:05 Driving Impressions
7:13 Interior