Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron (2023-)

Introduction

It has been a little while since Audi rebranded its ‘e-tron’ model as the Q8 e-tron, but the German company did more than just give the car a new name. New external design cues were introduced, as well as bigger battery packs for greater range between charges. All of those changes sound good, and the Q8 e-tron is unquestionably a more rounded car than its predecessor, but is the fastback-styled (and slightly confusingly named) Q8 Sportback e-tron just as compelling?

Like the standard SUV, it has a new face and bigger batteries than before, but it packs all that into a more rakishly designed package, with a sloping rear window. Naturally, the penalty for such a design feature is practicality – the Sportback doesn’t have the boot space of the conventional Q8 e-tron – but is that a price worth paying?

At a Glance

As the Audi e-tron became the Q8 e-tron, the e-tron Sportback has become the Q8 Sportback e-tron, offering a more stylish design than the standard car, at the cost of some practicality. The design is thoroughly modern, up to and including the optional camera-based door mirror system, and design will certainly be a key driver for most customers leasing a Q8 Sportback e-tron.

Inside, the design is chunky and modern, with a two-screen infotainment system and a digital instrument display, as well as lots of leather and metal. The screens look sharp and modern, and though the haptic feedback system is a bit odd, they work well together and with the brilliant Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster.

And although the Sportback isn’t as spacious as the more conventionally shaped Q8 e-tron SUV, it’s still a spacious car. Sure, the boot is less usable, but it isn’t that much smaller than that of the standard vehicle, and the cabin space is ample, too.

Power is, as you’d expect from a big Audi electric car, more than sufficient, and even the entry-level Q8 Sportback e-tron has more than enough get-up-and-go. But those that want to can upgrade to the ridiculously powerful SQ8 Sportback e-tron, which provides ballistic performance.

In truth, the mid-range ‘55’ is the one to go for, offering the best mixture of range (more than 300 miles, officially) and power. And it’s a very comfortable car to waft about in, with a supple ride and refined cabin, which makes it feel like a proper luxury vehicle.

Key Features

For the most part, two things will draw customers to the Q8 Sportback e-tron: the looks and the electric powertrain. In fairness, both are pretty appealing, with the electric motor offering range and tax advantages for company car drivers, while the body shape not only makes the car look distinctive, but also gives it better aerodynamic efficiency. For those who regularly drive long distances, but need an electric car, the Sportback version of the Q8 e-tron might be the best bet.

But while those might be the headlines, arguably the Q8 Sportback e-tron’s best attribute is one of its details – and one that’s common to a vast number of Audi products: its digital instrument cluster. Dubbed the Virtual Cockpit, it’s a configurable and sharp display that allows the driver to see all the information they need to hand, including a navigation system that puts the map front and centre. That means whatever passengers do with the two touchscreens in the middle, the driver can still see the map and where to turn. It’s highly integrated, too, which means information can be replicated on the instrument display, giving drivers much of the same access as they’d find on the touchscreen.

Battery

Under the Q8 Sportback e-tron’s floor is a lithium-ion battery pack that varies in size depending on which model you choose. Opt for the ‘basic’ ‘50’ model and you get a 95kWh power pack, although just 89kWh of that is usable. Nevertheless, it’s enough to provide a range of between 272 and 292 miles on a single charge. Choose the more powerful ‘55’ or the even more potent SQ8 Sportback e-tron, however, and you get a 114kWh battery, of which 106kWh is usable. That means despite the extra power, the official range improves to well over 300 miles. Admittedly, real-world implications of weather and driver over-exuberance mean you probably won’t achieve the official range figures with any regularity, but if you only drive around town, you might get somewhere close. And on longer drives, the ‘55’ should manage more than 200 miles on a single charge without too much trouble.

Performance & Drive

For the time being, the Q8 Sportback e-tron is available with a choice of three different powertrains. The basic ‘50’ version comes with a pair of electric motors producing a combined total of 340hp and providing all-wheel-drive traction. That’s more than enough to be getting on with, and the six-second sprint from 0-62mph is plenty for most customers’ needs. However, with a slightly smaller battery than other versions, it isn’t expected to be the most popular model.

That honour is predicted for the ‘55’ model, which comes with the slightly larger battery and more powerful motors, giving it a total output of 408hp. That means 0-62mph can be completed a little faster – in just 5.6 seconds – and you get faster charging, as well as greater range.

But those who want the fastest Q8 Sportback e-tron currently available will have to go for the SQ8 version, which has the same battery as the ‘55’, but has even more power, with 503hp at the instant disposal of the driver’s right foot. That cuts the 0-62mph time to 4.5 seconds, should you wish to achieve such a feat, but it does so at the cost of range.

In truth, straight-line speed isn’t really this car’s forte. Yes, it is pretty brisk, but it’s really all about range and comfort. We’ve already covered the first base, but it would be remiss of us not to mention the way this car rides with suppleness and maturity that belies its power. It’s a big, wafty, quiet and comfortable thing, and though the big alloys can make it a little firm around town at times, it’s very cossetting on the motorway.

The catch with that is the handling suffers slightly, but with the heavy battery positioned low in the car, it doesn’t wallow around too much in corners. But the steering is a bit light and lacking in feel, which prevents the Q8 Sportback e-tron from feeling as tactile as some of Audi’s sportier products. That said, it isn’t a massively sporty car, so customers will likely be happy to make that trade-off.

Charging

Choosing between the 50, 55 and S versions of the Q8 Sportback e-tron is about more than just picking a power output and a battery size. While the 50 comes with 150kW DC charging capacity the 55 and the SQ8 models’ bigger battery packs can cope with 170kW charging, allowing them to charge from 10% to 80% in just over half an hour, assuming you can find a charging point powerful enough. Weirdly, the 50 actually charges more rapidly – it’ll manage the same feat a couple of minutes faster – but that’s because the battery is smaller. And it’ll charge more rapidly on a home charger overnight, too, but remember the larger battery provides greater range from that time – at least in the case of the 55.

Running Costs & Emissions

The Q8 Sportback e-tron’s running costs will rather depend on how and when you charge it. Assuming you can fill the big battery up at home and overnight, and you have comparatively cheap off-peak electricity, it shouldn’t be too ruinous. And the long range means you shouldn’t have to charge up that regularly. But if you do lots of long distances and can’t charge at home very often, you’ll find yourself using public chargers, and that can get expensive. Especially if you use chargers powerful enough to fill the Q8 Sportback e-tron’s battery at full speed. Nevertheless, charging the Audi is likely to be cheaper than running an equivalent petrol-powered SUV overall. That’s particularly true for company car drivers, who will get to take advantage of the low company car tax rates for electric vehicles. Whereas a standard Q8 powered by petrol or diesel might incur Benefit-in-Kind tax of 37%, the Q8 Sportback e-tron cuts that to a mere 2%.

Interior & Technology

The transition from e-tron Sportback to Q8 Sportback e-tron has seen little change to the car’s interior, with much the same chunky design and high-quality materials. The gear selector takes a bit of getting used to, but everything is largely very ergonomic, as you’d expect from Audi.

The only small exception to this rule is the twin-touchscreen infotainment system, which looks simple and easy to use, but harbours a bit of a secret. While it’s easy enough to navigate, it has a strange haptic feedback system that makes it a little clunkier than it otherwise would be, and though the decision to put climate control features on the lower screen makes some sense, it isn’t as intuitive as conventional switchgear would be.

And there are the optional digital door mirrors, which are best avoided. Using cameras and little screens in the door panels, the system tries to offer an aerodynamic alternative to conventional door mirrors, but it fails hopelessly. There’s no sense of depth perception, they’re difficult to adjust and you can’t move your head to change the view – you have to adjust the camera, and as we’ve already said, that isn’t easy. With minimal impact on range, you’re better off just using normal mirrors.

All that said, there are some upsides to the Q8 Sportback e-tron’s tech, including the Virtual Cockpit digital instrument display, which is by far the best in the business. Yes, it’s much the same system found in the old e-tron and in countless other Audi products, but it’s clear, easy to configure and it gives you all the information you need without fuss, but in an attractive and helpful way. Combine that with the sharp head-up display, and it puts all the information you need exactly where you need it.

But for most passengers, the great advantage of the Q8 Sportback e-tron will be its cabin, which is beautifully made. Every piece fits so snugly it looks as though it’s hewn from a single lump, and every part feels really robust. The buttons are all well damped, the dash is well engineered and the door handles feel strong. Yes, the glossy black trim attracts fingerprints, but that’s really the only issue we can find with the fantastic materials in what is an exemplary cabin.

Practicality & Boot Space

Although the Sportback version of the Q8 e-tron is more style-orientated and more aerodynamic than the conventionally shaped SUV, it does lose a little practicality. But even so, the shortfall isn’t catastrophic and the Sportback remains a very useful family vehicle.

Take, for example, the rear seats, which are still more than spacious enough to seat two adults in comfort. Legroom is ample and headroom is perfectly acceptable, if not quite as generous as it would be in a conventional Q8 e-tron thanks to that sloping roof. Nevertheless, there’s enough space in the Q8 Sportback e-tron’s cabin for four adults to make a long journey without anyone feeling too hard done by.

Then there’s the boot, which naturally loses some space thanks to its new shape, but the figures suggest the difference isn’t too great. Whereas a Q8 e-tron gets a 569-litre boot, the Sportback has 528 litres of cargo capacity – a 41-litre drop – and both cars get the same 62-litre ‘frunk’ for stowing cables and the like. But while the practicality penalty appears small with the Sportback, there’s more to it than the numbers would have you believe. Because of the shape of the rear window, you can’t fit bulky items in there, which limits the practicality somewhat, and makes the car less useful for the odd trip to the recycling centre or family holidays.

Safety

Because the Sportback version of the Q8 e-tron is a bit of a niche offering, and because the Q8 e-tron’s basic structure is more or less the same as that of the old e-tron, Euro NCAP hasn’t bothered crash-testing the new fastback model. But the organisation says the Q8 e-tron family of cars has inherited the old e-tron’s impressive maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash test score. Admittedly, the test has moved on a bit since the e-tron was tested in 2019, but the impressive 91% score for adult occupant protection will likely stand the test of time. The Audi is as safe as houses.

That’s partly because Audi has fitted so many safety features to make sure you don’t need to try out the airbags and seat belts. All the usual features – autonomous emergency braking that can stop the car automatically and lane departure warning – are all fitted as standard, and you get parking sensors and a reversing camera to help you avoid those low-speed parking prangs.

Options

As well as choosing whether to go for the Sportback version of the Q8 e-tron, customers must also wade through the not-inconsiderable selection of different versions available. Should you choose either the ‘50’ or ‘55’ models, you get a choice of four trim levels, with the Sport being the entry-level option. But even at the foot of the range, there’s plenty of standard equipment.

Every Q8 Sportback e-tron comes with alloy wheels, wafty air suspension and all-wheel drive, as well as LED headlights, a power-operated boot and push-button engine start. Heated front seats, two-zone climate control and the Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster are all standard, too. And that’s before you get to the infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, or the reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and Isofix child seat mounting points in the front passenger and outer rear passenger seats.

In short, the Sport has everything you really need, but S Line models add larger 21-inch ally wheels and S Line styling tweaks, as well as sports seats with valcona leather upholstery. Stainless steel pedals are fitted, too, as well as black cloth headlining. If you want yet more, you can have the Black Edition, which is a mid-range option for the ‘50’ and ‘55’ models but a basic trim for the SQ8 variants. As the name suggests, that adds black wheels, black exterior trim and clever headlights with the e-tron logo, but that’s about it.

Perhaps it’s better, then, to go for the range-topping Vorsprung, which gets the Black Edition styling but adds 22-inch alloys, even more upmarket lights and a panoramic roof, although you will get the virtual door mirrors, which aren’t recommended, as standard. You can swap them for conventional mirrors if you want, though.

In truth, most customers will be quite happy with the Sport or S Line versions of the Q8 Sportback e-tron, so we’d choose a ‘55’ Sport with a few choice options. Plasma Blue is a great colour, and there’s always the more expensive Camouflage Green for those that want it, while there’s a choice of leather upholstery finishes and a few other choice options. The Technology Pack is well worth it, providing a Bang & Olufsen sound system and a 360-degree manoeuvring camera, as well as a head-up display.

Rival Cars

The market for electric coupe-SUVs is unsurprisingly small, so the Q8 Sportback e-tron isn’t especially flush for direct rivals. Sure, there’s the more practical, but much less well-built Tesla Model X, but now you can only have that car in left-hand-drive form, it’s much less appealing than it once was. Or you could have a plug-in hybrid version of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, if you want something a bit more capable over long distances and more fun in corners, but that isn’t subject to the same tax advantages as the Audi.

But there are plenty of electric luxury SUVs on the market against which you could compare the Q8 Sportback e-tron. The BMW iX (above), for example, is an equally modern and luxurious car with plenty of premium appeal, although the looks won’t be to everyone’s taste. And the same goes for the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, which is big and luxurious, but not quite as pleasant to drive as the Q8 e-tron. And there’s a new, all-electric Range Rover on the way, which is set to offer bags of off-road capability, as well as style and luxury.

Verdict & Next Steps

Although the Q8 Sportback e-tron may not look as useful as the standard Q8 e-tron on paper, there’s more to it than just style. It’s still an enormously practical SUV, and it has all the same quality, comfort and technology as its more conventionally shaped sibling. And because it’s comparatively streamlined, the Sportback model has marginally more official range than the equivalent Q8 e-tron SUV model. So it isn’t just a case of form over function, and that means the slightly higher list price can at least be justified. But the fact remains that those who prioritise looks over boot space will be the most likely customers for the Q8 Sportback e-tron.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron.

**Correct as of 08/04/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £7,128.00 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.