The Q8 is one of Audi's best products. It fits perfectly into the current car market. People love SUVs, and nobody can blame those willing to scoop up some more money to obtain all the advantages of such a vehicle. That may be why the German automaker decided to put the model through a comprehensive refresh that adds many goodies. Here's what you need to know.
Straight off the bat, the headlights are the first thing that almost anyone will identify as being different about the 2024 Audi Q8. They now boast a slightly reinterpreted version of the lighting signature found on the e-tron GT.
The Q8 is a generously proportioned vehicle with a large grille and a sloping roofline. As such, slim headlamps wouldn't have looked very nice. Instead, the Ingolstadt-based brand updated the previous housing design and carefully separated the beams. The top part includes the daytime-running lights (DRLs) and the low beam, while the bottom area is reserved for the high beam.
But the Q8 goes beyond a simple redesign. It debuts an interesting lighting technology. Depending on the spec, customers can get basic LEDs, matrix LEDs, and HD matrix LEDs with laser light. The latter was popularized by BMW a couple of years ago. It essentially enables the driver to illuminate more of the road at night without blinding oncoming traffic participants.
Like BMW, Audi will differentiate the top-spec Q8s (Vorsprung models) equipped with this option through some blue ambient inserts in the headlight housing. The laser-emitting diode only activates at speeds over 43.5 mph for obvious safety reasons. It's a simple way to ensure that flashing your high beams in the city won't temporarily disable other drivers' vision.
Photo: Autogefuhl on YouTube
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Audi used OLED technology for the taillights, which can change their design when the driver wants a new look. Some elements can be turned off, or they can change shape, as shown in the photo gallery.
Moreover, they can turn on all the segments automatically when the driver-assistance systems detect that another vehicle approaches from the rear and gets closer than 6.5 feet. It serves as a great visual cue that the Q8 is stationary and not moving.
We can't wait to see how much a replacement for one of these light assemblies will cost. BMW used this technology on the M4 GTS and M4 CS but without the impressive software that Audi has now. Still, replacing one taillight housing used to cost at least $4,000 before installation.
The shape of the DRLs can be adjusted via the infotainment, too, but the difference isn't as noticeable or important as for the stop lights.
Photo: Autogefuhl on YouTube
Since the US is still grappling with approving matrix headlights on public roads, it could be a while before we see this technology working stateside.
Some more changes
Between the headlamps, there's a new grille that now has vertical inlays, and the front fascia now includes more prominent air intakes that enhance the sporty character of this SUV.
This upgrade being a facelift, the Q8's length remains at 196 inches. But new metallic colors are available - Sakhir Gold, Ascari Blue, and Chili Red. At the same time, fresh wheel designs that start from a size of 21 inches and go up to the 23-inch mark have been introduced. For those worried about potholes, 20-inch wheels will be available as well.
Audi thought of what its customers might like to have in the cabin apart from a posh interior and updated the infotainment system. It now includes popular apps like Spotify or Amazon Music. There will also be an app store, which we expect to debut some clever new ways to further upgrade the Q8. It's not yet confirmed that subscription-based services or functions will debut, but we'll keep an eye on Audi and report back to you.
Photo: Audi
The facelifted Q8 will better display on the driver's screen what the advanced driver-assistance system sees, including distance warning, intersection assist, and traffic light information in high definition.
The coupe SUV also gets a revised air suspension system with adaptive dampers as standard. All-wheel steering is standard on Vorsprung and SQ8 models, while for the lesser units, it remains an option.
Since the Q8 facelift was just introduced in Europe before being allowed to visit other markets, the entry-level powertrain is a three-liter six-cylinder diesel powerplant with an output of 282 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. It "sprints" from naught to 62 mph in 6.1 seconds and keeps going until it reaches 150 mph.
Don't worry, though! There's also a turbocharged gas-hungry three-liter six-cylinder engine available. It produces 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to propel the new Q8 from zero to 62 mph in 5.6 seconds. It will stop accelerating once it reaches 155 mph.
Photo: Audi
Efficiency matters
Both mechanical beating hearts are slightly electrified and paired with an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, and power is sent to all wheels via Audi's quattro four-wheel-drive system.
The king of the castle is the Audi SQ8, which hides a four-liter V8 under its hood. Picking this model gets the buyer a powertrain that puts out 500 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. It needs just 4.1 seconds to reach 62 mph from a standstill. It's also efficient and smart. When it's not being put to work, the V8 turns into a four-cylinder to save gas.
The Audi Q8 is available in the UK in three versions: S line, Black Edition, and Vorsprung. The four-ring brand added a Launch Edition featuring all the goodies to mark the facelifted unit's launch.
Finally, the British can order the new Q8 starting October 10. It's unclear when the refreshed SUV will arrive in the US at the time of writing. Maybe the SQ8 e-tron will be enough until the new Q8 comes along.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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