This is the latest edition of the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback, which I’ve been keen to drive after testing past e-tron variants. Now, I’m normally a fan of small and nimble EVs and the Q8 is far from being compact. However, if you’re in the market for a sizable and beefy all-electric SUV, and the BMW iX or Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV edition aren’t tempting, Audi’s latest is worth considering.

It’s also worth remembering that Audi offers the Q8 e-tron in two different flavors. I like the slightly more sloping and therefore more slinky Sportback, but if prefer a more upright ride, I’d go after the standard model. Either way, this is a big car, with a lot of room inside for passengers and a trunk that can easily carry a lot. Admittedly, compared to some of the best electric cars, the Q8 e-tron is not visually stunning, but it’s also hard to miss on the highway.

Being an Audi, it’s also safe to say that the performance matches the purposeful looks. There’s luxury too, which is hardly surprising given that this is a premium car. Add to that plenty of technology and a build quality that is everything I’d expect from this automaker. Let’s dig deeper and see how it fares, shall we?

Specs, pricing and availability

The Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback seen here is a full-on premium package. As a result, it comes with an expensive price tag, which for the UK is £95,130 (just over $120,000). Just five grand shy of the £100,000 mark makes it seem expensive, but for cars of this size and ilk, this is no longer as crazy as it might sound. My test car is dubbed the Black Edition, but it was actually finished in a color Audi calls Magnet Gray. I should also point out that the asking price includes the cost of a Technology Pack Pro option, which comes in at a whopping £5,995 (around $7,500).

Design and Build

Not really a headturner but it works

If I’m spending nearly £100k, I like to think I’m getting a vehicle that makes a statement. I’m not into flashy cars as such, preferring something more low key. So in that respect, the 2024 Q8 e-tron Sportback does the trick as it’s certainly not brash. Sure, it’s big and bold, but there’s nothing about the exterior that makes it a headturner. In that respect, if you love an SUV and crave attention, then this Audi is probably not for you. It’s not that much of a style statement.

The sober looks are exacerbated by the gray paint finish, which is very of the moment, but it does tend to make this big Audi fade into the background a bit. I found this to definitely be the case when I returned from a flight and had trouble locating the car among a sea of other gray tin in the parking lot of an airport. Maybe a more sizzling shade would bring the car to life a little, but in this guise, I think it’s a little bit pedestrian in the looks department.

I was thankful for the big 265/45 tires on 21-inch glossy back Audi Sport alloys, however. In fact, squeezing the car through a ticket barrier at the airport didn’t afford much space between curb and wheels. Thankfully though, lots of rubber sidewall meant there was no worry about scuffing those shiny alloys. The four chunks of rubber at each corner also means the car sits on the road purposefully and handles lumps and bumps with aplomb too. Anything lower profile would probably provide the opposite effect.

The interior lowdown

Comfort and quality in equal measure

I think the interior of the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback is one of its highpoints, and it certainly commands more attention than the exterior. If you’re lucky enough to be the driver, then the setup offers a commanding view of both the road ahead as well as the controls in the cockpit area. This being a top-of-the-range model, I didn’t feel like there was anything missing, and the comfort levels were as premium as expected.

I can’t really fault the comfort levels in any of the seating areas either, and the Q8 e-tron Sportback is just as nice to be in if you’re in the back as it is in the front. Of course, there’s a little more control over seat settings at the front, with an all-electric selection on offer that allowed me to tweak and fine-tune the driving position to my requirements.

The only thing that I did find mildly irritating was the piano black plastic finishes that dominate across the dash area and down below the infotainment section. The reason is that I found these surfaces to be really reflective in strong sunlight and frequently got glare back from the pristine finishes. It looks great but, just like most other shiny plastic surfaces, there is also the tendency to show up dust and fingermarks much more easily than other less glossy materials. Nevertheless, Audi has done a fine job at balancing out the blend of interior finishes and, overall, I think it works well.

The technology breakdown

An infotainment system that fits the bill

As I mentioned earlier, this the Q8 e-tron Sportback Black Edition car turned up fitted with nearly six grand worth of extra tech. This is called the Technology Pack Pro bundle, and it gives me everything I need behind the wheel and more besides. I’m not so sure that the current Audi infotainment system and its control interface is quite as good as the latest setup found in Mercedes-Benz EVs, but equally, everything works as it should.

That said, I didn’t find the voice controls as good as those in the current range of Mercs either, but otherwise, Audi has a good thing going on, and it’ll be familiar to anyone who’s been behind the wheel of other models in the range. I haven’t driven this car without the Technology Pack Pro option and would be keen to know how different the car seems minus all the bells and whistles. Like anything, this option has to be explored at leisure in order to get the best from it, although I’m still not sure it’s worth nearly six thousand. I am a cheapskate though.

Battery, range, and performance

Good range but could be more efficient

Out on the open road, the Q8 e-tron Sportback makes total sense. It’ll get on down the highway quickly enough, although not that efficiently, with around 3 miles per kWh showing on my dash most of the time. This is a big and heavy SUV though, so it’s not surprising. I’m glad I had the back-up of a decent-sized 114kW battery pack, which managed to get me both to and from the airport without needing to stop for a charge.

That was an over 200-mile round trip and I did get to my home charger with just six miles left, but still, this is great for those times when I just want to get home. Plugging in the beast at home, the Audi informed me it was going to take 16 hours to get to a full charge on a 7kW unit. Plug it into a commercial charger up to 170kW though, and it’s possible to expect a rather better 10% to 80% charge in just a tad over 30 minutes.

Verdict

The Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback in its Black Edition variant is a monster of a machine that looks a little sleeker than its more upright variant. I love a lot about it. There’s plenty of great performance on tap, although whenever I drove it enthusiastically it did make me a little nervous about range on longer runs, even though it’s got a beefy 114kW battery pack. It’s not the most efficient of cars, but it would certainly be on my list if I needed a premium all-electric SUV for regular highway treks. Anyone who craves comfort, a little bit of luxury and high levels of tech will find it similarly appealing.