2021 Audi Q8

Audi’s crossover and SUV catalogue has grown in recent years, offering buyers a span of luxury and sporty options. The pinnacle of the lineup is the Q8, which debuted for the 2019 model year and showcases the German brand’s ability to connect the two characteristics for the fairly nascent SUV coupe micro-segment. Essentially a sportified Q7 with rakish backlight and minus that SUV’s third row, it also combines SUV capabilities with sport sedan handling.

There are three pieces to the Q8 puzzle: the standard Q8, the sporty SQ8 and the crazy RS Q8. The Q8 has mild updates for the 2021 model year in the form of new standard features and a shuffling of options packages. Nothing mechanical or stylistic is changed; it retains its sleek looks and performance. The SQ8 carriers over for the 2021 model year but for a new built-in toll road payment feature. The RS Q8 is completely unchanged.

The Audi Q7 competes with the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X6 and the Porsche Cayenne, which also is built by Volkswagen Group. Performance-wise, the RS Q8 has a close competitor in the Lamborghini Urus (also from Volkswagen Group), which shares the same engine but delivers more power, more glitz and more money (think a more than $200,000 price tag).

Every 2021 Q8 is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that produces 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Audi also equips the Q8 with a 48-volt hybrid assist system. In motion, the Q8’s drivetrain delivers effortless highway cruising and helps the crossover pass with ease. Its demeanor changes a bit around town, leaning into slower speeds and sometimes questioning the need for quick acceleration. Sometimes in takes a strong stab of the throttle to get going.

While the Q8 isn’t in the same performance-meets-utility league as the RS6 Avant uber-wagon, the RS Q8 is 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 that delivers 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It shares a host of mechanical pieces with the Lamborghini Urus, including the V8 (though the Urus increases output by 50 horsepower). An RS spoiler adds to a striking finish at the top and provides downforce on the rear axle for improved balance at high speeds, offering  more engaged driver experience.

In between the two is the SQ8, which uses the same V8, but tuned down to deliver 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. The SQ8 elevate the sportiness of the regular Q8 and enhances the performance on the highway or on open roads. With the kids in the car, the comfort mode with make the ride feel cruisier like the Q8. It gets an exclusive grille, wheels and quad tailpipes as well as diamond-stitched leather and carbon-fiber detailing on the interior. 

On the road, the Q8’s suspension proficiently irons out the worst potholes and broken pavement and remains comfortable even with the large 22-inch optional wheels. The available Adaptive Chassis Package brings adjustable ride heights, which compensates for different driving situations and road conditions. 

The regular Q8’s handling can be sporty and responsive when it needs to be, but for drivers that want more than a boulevard cruiser, the SQ8 or the RS Q8 are the better (and much more pricier) choices.

The standard Q8 comes in three trims: Premium ($70,391, including a $1,095 delivery fee), Premium Plus ($74,240, including delivery) and Prestige ($80,040). Every Q8 comes with navigation, leather seating, heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof and power liftgate. Some packages are available, including the Black Optic ($750), which adds 21-inch wheels (20-inch wheels are standard) and black exterior detailing. A Convenience package ($1,150) adds a 360-degree camera, wireless charging and a heated wheel. A Towing package ($750) also increases the pulling power to 7,700 pounds. 

The Premium Plus adds adaptive cruise control with stop and go capability (traffic jam assist) and the 360-degree camera, ambient interior lighting and four-zone climate control. It also gets access to the S Line ($750) and S Line Plus ($2,000) appearance packages and the Executive package ($2,850), which adds heater rear seats, sunshades and leather armrests. The top Prestige gets a head-up display, comfort air adaptive suspension, a leather dash and HD Matrix LEX headlights.

The SQ8 is offered in two trims: Premium Plus ($93,595) and Prestige ($99,795). Both have distinct S styling cues inside and out as well as Audi’s adaptive air suspension. The Prestige adds front-seat ventilation, a head-up display and ambient lighting.

There is only one trim option for the RS Q8 and it costs $116,690. It gets a RS-specific grille and gloss black trim bits. Also standard is adaptive air suspension, 22-inch wheels, heated and ventilated front seats and a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system.

Inside, the crossover is every bit the premium European vehicle. Every panel and line is deliberately placed, and build quality is superb. The range-topping Prestige adds massaging front seats and Cadillac-level noise insulation. The cabin is busy, but in a tech-forward and approachable way. The seats are deep, supportive, and well-padded, and provide lateral support when the Q8 hustles around corners.

The back seats are more than spacious enough for adults to ride comfortable, which translates into an equally comfortable ride for kids in car seats. The Q8’s sloped roof doesn’t completely kill headroom, which equates to decent space to load and unload kids in the back seat. The vehicle’s low ride height and large doors makes things even easier.

The Q8’s center stack is dominated by a dual-screen infotainment system. Here, there’s no rotary dial or funky touchpad. It’s all touchscreen, all the time. The screens also offer haptic feedback to touches, which helps the driver understand when and where they’ve interacted with the system when the vehicle is in motion. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also big pluses for the Q8, and upgrading to the optional Bang and Olufsen audio system brings rich, more-than-loud-enough audio to the entire cabin.

The 2021 Q8 picked up a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Those ratings come thanks to generous standard safety gear, which includes forward collision warnings with automatic emergency braking (Pre-Sense Front), blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts as well as automatic high beams and pre-sense front and rear, which tightens the seat belts, closes the side mirrors and sunroof if potential impact is detected. Lane departure warnings and lane keep assistance are available. The Premium Plus and Prestige get adaptive cruise control with “traffic jam assist” which is stop and go capability and lane centering. Also included is a 360-degree camera that’s only available via package on the base Premium.