The Audi Q8 is my least favourite type of car, but has a week with one changed my mind? 

I’ve always been a fan of small, fizzy cars rather than massive luxury barges. I’ve owned a Ford Fiesta ST, a Mazda MX-5, and I recently bought an Abarth 595, and I love all of them because they’re easy to park, fun to drive and cheap to buy and run.

Of course, I understand that at some point I may need something larger and more practical, at which point I’ll buy an estate car or a larger hatchback. I get the appeal of large SUVs like the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 as well if you’re after something spacious and higher off the ground.

The class of car I’ve never really got is large coupe SUVs. I don’t really like the way they look, and they rarely offer as much interior space as their enormous dimensions would suggest. I’ve always seen them as being about showing off, something I’ve never really been interested in.

But I was still curious to find out if these cars serve a useful purpose beyond looking imposing, so I took delivery of an Audi Q8 TDI for a week. I used it for commuting to the office and going to the shops, before going on a long weekend from Hampshire down to Cornwall. Here’s everything I liked about this car, as well as the things I didn’t.

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Living with an Audi Q8: the things I liked

I decided to set my prejudices aside for this week and try to focus on the good things about this car, and the first thing I’ll say is that I reckon it’s the best-looking of all the big coupe SUVs.

Compared to the BMW X6 I think the Q8 is quite a handsome beast, even if it is an enormous one (just look at it next to my little Fiat). It may have been around since 2018, but the design has aged really nicely and this blueish silver paint scheme adds a touch of class.

Then there’s the interior, which is beautifully built. You can say the same of a BMW X6 or a Mercedes GLE Coupe, but in terms of build quality I reckon the Audi comes out on top. Everything feels so solid and premium, and all the switchgear operates with a satisfying click.

Getting four adults in the car was a breeze, as you’d hope in a car which is similar in size to a small container ship. Headroom isn’t too badly affected by that sloping roofline, and my rear passengers were impressed with the amount of space they had to stretch out.

As for the driving experience, you can tell the Q8 is built for motorway mile munching. Once you’re out on the open road the car’s size isn’t so noticeable, and I did like the feeling of having so much car around me on the motorway. It makes you feel nice and safe, and at a cruise the Q8 is whisper quiet and smooth over bumps thanks to the air suspension.

A big, beefy diesel engine is a rarity as well. This car has a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 with 286hp, and while it doesn’t feel hot-hatch quick it does deliver its power effortlessly. You simply plant your right foot, and without any fuss you’re up to motorway speed limits. I managed to get around 40mpg out of this big bruiser as well, which isn’t bad going.

Living with an Audi Q8: Things I didn’t like

I did end up enjoying my time with the Q8, but there were still a few things which annoyed me.

I’m going to go back to the size thing again, because the Q8 is just far too wide for UK towns and country roads. Being cocooned in the Audi with the end of the bonnet in a different postcode makes threading the car through a tight residential estate feel like you’re trying to wire a plug while wearing boxing gloves, and you end up wincing through every width restriction.

Being almost 2.2 metres wide (which is not far off the width of a bus), I was also quite surprised when, with three people in the back, I looked in my rear-view mirror to see them all fighting for shoulder space. The Q8 is great for four people, but five is a squeeze.

A niggle I had which is specific to the Q8 rather than coupe SUVs in general was the screens. This car still uses Audi’s old twin-screen setup, which has a display below the infotainment system to operate the climate control which I found fiddly and confusing.

Finally, there’s the price. This car, as tested, costs almost exactly £90,000, and at that price there were a few features missing which I’d like to have. There was no adaptive cruise control, no blind spot monitoring and a heated steering wheel would’ve been nice as well. These are all things my Volvo EX30 daily driver has, and that car costs less than half of this.

Living with an Audi Q8: my final thoughts

So, has the Audi Q8 changed my mind on coupe SUVs? Yes and no.

The Q8 is a great long-distance cruiser, provided you spec it with the adaptive cruise control, and it’s more than practical enough for a family of four. If you’re after something which looks imposing, has a luxurious cabin and is super-comfortable to drive, I can see why the Audi Q8 would appeal.

For me though, the Q8’s biggest problem comes from within its own family: the Audi Q7.

The Q7 is basically the same car under the skin. You get the same well-made interior and excellent range of engines, but it has seven seats, a roomier cabin and a bigger boot. All for pretty much the same price as the Q8.

After spending a week with it, I can see the appeal of the Audi Q8 – but with your sensible head on the Q7 is a no-brainer. That’s where my money would go if I was after a large, posh family car.

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