Audi Q8 e-tron 2,000Km Long Term Review

Audi was kind enough to let us have the Q8 e-tron for a month. And we made the most of it. 

It wasn't too long ago when Audi updated the e-tron and made it the Q8 e-tron. While this update was a mild one, it finetuned some very crucial aspects of the flagship SUV to make it more likable like more features, better looks and better performance. We lived with the Q8 e-tron for a couple weeks to see how it all came together. 

Pros

Understated Appeal

The Audi Q8 e-tron is a fairly large SUV. However, I barely noticed it turning heads anywhere. And that is because you will barely notice its size. In typical Audi fashion, the design is largely understated. Especially in this pale blue shade, you will barely notice it parked on the side. 

However, to the people who know that this is the Q8 e-tron, the SUV holds a gaze. The new 2D logo, the lightbar up front and the new bumpers all make it look more stylish. No matter whether you are driving to a mall, a food court or a 5-star hotel’s lobby, the Q8 e-tron never shouts for attention but rather commands it with presence. It will always make me feel special. 

Light It Up!

One party trick that impressed all my friends and family are the lights. Firstly - the headlamps. They have a whole animation and a projection when you first start up the car which grabs everyone's attention when parked in a crowded spot. Then comes the e-tron logo projected from the doors onto the ground in place of a puddle lamp. Even the tail lamp is animated when you switch on and off the car. All of this made me feel special every time I walked up, or away from the car. 

Comfort is Key

The Q8 e-tron has been tuned to almost perfection when it comes to dealing with the variety of roads that India has to offer. Roads around my home and especially on my daily commute are bad. They are filled with potholes and uneven speedbreakers. To my surprise, the Audi’s cabin remained stable over even the rough and bad patches, with the occupants not realizing how bad the surface really is. The suspension is also very quiet - and that along with the excellent cabin insulation, makes for a very comfortable cabin experience. 

On-Demand Performance

The Q8 e-tron is an SUV which is very friendly to drive, but that also felt a bit dull in traffic. Despite packing 407PS and 664 Nm of torque, the e-tron has a very calm accelerator pedal. To get performance out of it, I had to use over 50 percent throttle. However, it then starts to take off. The instant electric acceleration can be felt only when you want it and there is no deficit of performance for overtakes or letting you passengers experience what an EV is capable of. It is not the best EV performance that Rs 1.5 crores can buy with a 0-100kmph time of 5.6s, but that balance is one of the best I have seen in an EVs so far. 

Cabin Quality

What genuinely impressed me was the quality of the Q8 e-tron. It packs a very premium cabin. It has an old-money charm where even the very simple design makes you feel like money well spent. Every touchpoint is either soft touch plastic, leather or soft carpet. The fit and finish is excellent and you feel home inside this cabin. And then comes the subtle touches like lit seatbelt buckles, tonnes of storage spaces and haptic feedback from the touchscreen which makes everything feel even more premium. 

Cons

Missing Wow-Factor

The Q8 e-tron is a very sophisticated car. In today's age where cars are an obvious blend of tech and mechanics, the Q8 still feels it belongs in the previous decade. While you will enjoy driving it - any relatives or friends that are part of your journey will fail to understand how this is the flagship of the Audi brand. Rival German luxury brands make mid-spec EVs feel like they are from the future which make you feel as special inside the cabin, if not more than the Q8. This is a big miss for the Q8 e-tron. 

Reverse Throttle Calibration

In every car you drive, the throttle pedal behaves in the same way while reversing as going forward. Meaning: the amount of throttle required to get acceleration in the front is the same as going back. However, in the Q8 e-tron, this is not the case. The throttle response is massively dialed down when you are in reverse. Hence, you always need to think about how much throttle to give while reversing. This becomes especially tricky while reversing on a slope or going over a small bump on the road. You have to sometimes dial in 70-80 percent throttle to get going and that makes you feel nervous. 

Parking Sensor Delay

Roads in our country can get very crowded and when two wheelers start passing you from all directions, most luxury cars will activate sensors. However, in the Q8 e-tron, the feel from these censors is massively delayed. A scooter passing you slowly on the side will fully pass you before the rear sensors even start alarming you of a potential hazard. This delayed feed often leaves you confused as to where the potential danger is, as the hazard might have already had you in its rear view mirrors. 

Where are the features?

When it first sat in the Q8, I thought it came fairly packed with features. You have Matrix LED headlamps, Powered front seats with memory, digital driver;s display and two touchscreens, 16 speaker sound system, panoramic sunroof, 4-zone climate control, 360-degree camera, soft close doors and air suspension. However, I later read the fine print that mentioned that the massage and even ventilation function of the seats are option extras. There is no wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay either. Even the cool looking self leveling hub caps on the wheels are optional extras. This is a flagship SUV of a luxury brand. None of these should be excluded from the standard feature list. 

Range

The Audi Q8 e-tron comes with a massive battery capacity of 114kWh. However, because of the weight of the SUV itself, the real world range is just shy of 400kms. That is a little disappointing. Especially when you start going fast, this estimated range falls rapidly and you can end up getting close to just 320km on a full charge. Cars costing a quarter of the Q8 e-tron offer better range. 

Conclusion

The Audi Q8 e-tron is a perfect everyday driver for someone who doesn't drive very often. The safe performance, excellent quality of the cabin, and the sophisticated looks makes it a statement about picking class over convention. It will appeal to someone who appreciates the subtleness of luxury and not the noise it makes. However, from a market standpoint, the Q8 e-tron feels really old. You can get a lot more car and features for your money than what the Q8 e-tron is offering. 

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