2024 Audi Q8 facelift review, first drive - the most sensible luxury coupe-SUV?

Tuhin Guha Published: September 27, 2024, 10:46 AM IST

The Audi Q8 has often been thought of as the Q7's more fun alternative. It also places higher in the Audi SUV hierarchy given its coupe form factor so there is a more premium sense to it. But every time we've driven it, and given that it has been quite popular for Audi India, it seems like its appeal goes a bit further than this. There is a mid-life facelift out now so does that sense continue?

2024 Audi Q8 facelift styling, boot space

This is a fairly minor visual update to the Audi Q8 but as with most Audis, the Q8 has aged well. It looks as contemporary as any of its peers and the small changes made do enough to freshen up this SUV's look.

This comes in the form of the new laser lighting which now gives the face a sharper look and a wider sense. A gimmick here is the configurable light signatures, they are a simple way to stand out and a great party trick. Some of the gloss black around the grille and lighting has also been done away with to create a cleaner look. The grille itself has been updated with a touch more chrome and a more open look that draws more attention than before. Finally, the bumpers have been reworked to go with the new look.

Other than this, things have remained quite similar with the earlier Q8. It still has the square stance and the taut proportions that make it quite the bruiser to look at. The bodywork continues to be simple but with just enough lines and surfacing to bring out this sense further. The red calipers and the new design for the 21-inch wheels add to this sense.

In keeping with the functional but still aggressive sense, the Q8 doesn't do a heavily raked roofline like most other coupe-styled SUVs. The roof is quite flat but then ends in a slight step under the windscreen bringing good benefits on the inside. The rear light cluster has new details now that further reduce bulk and the new 2D white Audi logo has a neat retro sense to it.

The 605L boot is quite usable. There's no spare wheel but the flat square surface and wide opening make for a good deal of space for a road trip's worth of luggage.

2024 Audi Q8 facelift interiors, space, practicality

Stepping into the 2024 Audi Q8, the frameless doors with their soft-close function create a sense of occasion. But once inside, there's not much that has changed. But again, like the outside, this is not necessarily a bad thing. This space feels contemporary and built to a standard you expect at this price.

So that crisp, angular look with a technical theme continues with the full-width vents, the discreet ambient lighting and the quattro badge that sits on the dash face. There's quite a bit of gloss black here but not in places where they might get smudgy. The metallic finish that accompanies this has a solid, cold feel to it that heightens the sense of quality. That being said, some of the plastics and finishes in the lower sections of the dash could have been of a higher standard. For instance, felt lining in the door bins is expected from a VW Group car priced as such.

The screen set-up hasn't changed either. So the 10.1-inch screen with the haptic feedback continues to be logically laid out and crisp enough to use. It doesn't have the smart, vibrant graphics of the most modern systems but gets the job done without fuss. The lack of wireless phone pairing is a miss though.

In this age of full-screen panels and touch-only setups, the second 8.6-inch screen that handles the climate functions feels like a good middle ground between these and the fully physical controls that Audi is reintroducing in some of its models. We think that could have been done here too with this update, since using this screen is still a challenge on the move.

Many of the other major functions do have hefty, tactile controls that are a joy. The indicator stalks, steering functions and volume controls stand out. But it's surprising that the Q8 is a bit short on cabin storage. The door bins aren't as large as you would expect them to be and the centre bin is taken up by the wireless charger.

With a 2,995mm wheelbase, just 4mm short of the Q7, the Q8 makes for a rear seat experience that is one of the more generous ones we've seen in a coupe-SUV. There is enough legroom and knee room for tall adults to stretch out and the flat roof doesn't intrude into headroom, much help coming from the scoop above the seats. As an added bonus, the rear bench also slides and reclines but this is more to maximise boot space. Either way, there is some wiggle room for you to get into a comfortable position.

The seats too have good support and firm cushioning that won't tire you out easily. The contours hold you in place well and there's good thigh support too. While a middle passenger will fit here, the shape of the seat and the transmission tunnel won't make it the most comfortable.

You have a reasonable set of amenities here. There is four-zone climate control as well as powered sunshades and a large panoramic sunroof that adds to the bright sense of the cabin, despite the dark trim in this example. You even get some old-school rear sunblinds and ashtrays here. But a stark miss is that there are no chargers here and Audi could have provided a rear-seat entertainment package as standard.

2024 Audi Q8 facelift driving impressions

Driving the Audi Q8 is a pleasant experience right from the start. The big SUV seemingly shrinks around you with its boxy dimensions and good visibility. You also sit reasonably high up which further helps to not make driving this car in traffic a task. In keeping with the theme of not penalising you for the coupe shape, rear visibility is good and there's a wiper as well.

The motor continues to be the 3.0-litre turbo V6 with its 340PS and 500 Nm. This is not the most highly-strung engine in the modern scheme of things but it is especially linear and refined. Impressively, it makes all its torque from under 1,400 rpm so you never feel bogged down. It almost feels like a twin-turbo motor with the smooth progress you make in most situations. There is a wide and linear powerband and although it isn't especially rewarding as you rev it out, it responds to small throttle inputs consistently. Our tested 0 to 100 kmph time of 6.1s goes with this, as do the brisk in-gear times.

The drive modes also do their bit. These notably change engine response that helps in various situations. Sport mode amps things up without feeling peaky, efficiency isn't too restrictive but maximises consumption.

The eight-speed ZF gearbox is as usual great, especially in clamer driving. It always keeps the engine on the boil, shifts are seamless more or less and in brisk driving it seems up to the job of matching the engine's energy. Only in some seriously heavy driving does it start to hesitate a bit to drop gears which it doesn't seem to in its other applications. But this is not much of a problem in the larger scheme of things.

Here, you also realize that Audi has moved to a conventional suspension set-up with adjustable damping. In the sportier modes, it does firm up but the bodyroll and dive are still evident which if the car lowered itself, as it would with air springs, would be better contained. But despite this, the great chassis balance and generally taut set-up means that it doesn't feel too soft or wallowy. As always, the quattro system gives you loads of grip, there is a rear-biased sense to the power delivery that improves the experience and the steering is just right.

But this trade-off seems logical with the good ride Audi has managed with these large 21-inch wheels. There's only a slight firm edge but even this isn't intrusive. It handles bad patches well. You don't get thrown around in the cabin, it remains quiet and you don't have to tip-toe over these patches either. On highways, there's great stability and the Q8 handles undulations well. There is a proper flowing luxury car demeanour.

2024 Audi Q8 facelift features, safety

You get features like the screens, laser lighting, a panoramic sunroof, powered seats with lumbar support, wireless charging, in-built navigation, 17-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio and four-zone climate control. Some misses include a lack of ventilated seats and powered steering adjustment.

We also think ADAS should have been offered but you get 360-degree cameras with useful feeds, a parking sensor-based self-braking function and TPMS.

2024 Audi Q8 facelift price, verdict

Priced at Rs 1.17 crore, the Audi Q8 now comes in a single variant that has brought more value. It undercuts the competition and while you do lose out on some tech and amenities, this is an honest all-round luxury SUV that has appeal. It drives well for most needs, has a comfortable cabin and carries the presence it needs to.