New Audi Q8 and SQ8 price and specs revealed: on sale October 10
September 22, 2023 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
Audi has given its Q8 SUV a mid-life update, and the sporty SQ8 has been tweaked as well. Read on for all you need to know.
- New Audi Q8 and SQ8 on sale October 10
- Prices start from £75,500
- Subtle facelift for SUVs
- Upgraded infotainment system
- Same range of engines
- SQ8 retains 4.0-litre V8
This is the updated Audi Q8. The alternative to cars such as the Mercedes GLC Coupe and BMW X6 gets some minor styling tweaks, as well as updated infotainment.
The sporty SQ8 has also been given a facelift, although it retains the same 507hp V8 engine as the current car.
New Audi Q8 and SQ8 price and specs
The new Audi Q8 will go on sale in the UK on 10 October, with prices starting from £75,500 for the standard car and £97,245 if you want the V8-powered SQ8. That’s a slight rise over the outgoing car of around £2,000. The first cars will be delivered at the beginning of next year.
The standard Q8 range kicks off with the S-Line, and this version gets LED Matrix headlights heated leather seats, a digital driver’s display and a 360-degree parking camera. S-Line cars start from £75,500.
Next up you have the Black Edition version, starting from £80,050. Splashing the extra cash gets you 22-inch alloy wheels, polished oak dashboard inlays, a flat-bottomed steering wheels and gloss black trim on the exterior.
Sitting at the top of the range is the Vorsprung, getting a panoramic glass roof, rear-wheel steering, a premium sound system and massaging seats. These added features bring the price up to £99,300.
The sporty SQ8 is only available in Black Edition or Vorsprung trims. The former starts from £97,245, with range-topping cars costing £116,795. As standard the SQ8 comes with adaptive air suspension, S-specific sports seats, 23-inch alloy wheels and four-zone climate control.
New Audi Q8 and SQ8 design
This is just a mid-life update for the Audi Q8, so the basic design hasn’t changed much. That said, there are a few subtle tweaks to keep the car looking fresh.
The big difference up front is the new grille. It retains the same basic shape as the outgoing car’s, however you now get a different pattern with much wider slats. The LED headlights have also been tweaked, and you can change the daytime running light design from the infotainment system.
Changes down the side are pretty undramatic. The Q8 retains its sporty coupe-esque roofline and muscular proportions, although you do now have new alloy wheel designs to choose from starting at 21 inches and going up to 23 inches.
At the back you now have the option of OLED tail lights which can be customised in the same way as the headlights. They also have a proximity sensor which will turn them on if another car comes within two metres of you while stationary. Other changes include a tweaked rear bumper and some new tailpipes.
The sporty Audi SQ8 gets a similar design treatment, with the same lights and grille, although it has more aggressive-looking bumpers and some silver trim around the grilles. The SQ8 also has unique alloy wheels and quad tailpipes at the rear.
New Audi Q8 and SQ8 interior and infotainment
You’ll find it hard to tell the difference between this new Audi Q8 and the outgoing car based on the cabin, because they look almost identical inside.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because the Q8’s cabin is a nice place to spend time. You still have two screens in the centre console, one for the climate control and driving modes and one for the infotainment system. Speaking of infotainment, you now have apps like Spotify and Amazon Music built in for the first time.
New Audi Q8 and SQ8 engines and performance
The standard Audi Q8 has the same range of engines as you get in the outgoing car. That means you can choose between two 3.0-litre diesels or a 3.0-litre V6 petrol.
Check out Mat’s in-depth review of the outgoing Audi Q8…
The entry-level diesel model has 213hp and does 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds, or you can have that same engine with 286hp. That model will do 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds.
Go for the 3.0-litre V6 petrol and you get the same 340hp as the current car, and it’ll do 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds. That’s slightly quicker than the outgoing Q8, that car will complete the same sprint in 5.9 seconds.
If it’s a V8 engine you’re after, don’t worry. The SQ8 is here to scratch that itch. It uses the same 4.0-litre V8 engine as the outgoing car, making the same 507hp. 0-60mph is dealt with in 4.1 seconds.
How much will the new Audi Q8 and SQ8 cost?
The new Audi Q8 and Sq8 are both available to order now in Europe, but we’ll have to wait a few months or so before seeing it on the road in the UK.
The standard Q8 starts from 87,500 euros on the continent which is around £74,000. UK pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet, but don’t expect it to stray too far from this figure. You’re likely to have to part with more than £100,000 for the sporty SQ8.
Can’t wait for the new Audi Q8 to go on sale? Check out deals on the current car through carwow, or tap the button below to get help selling your car the easy way.