New Audi SQ8 review: Better Than EVER?!

Meet the new Audi SQ8 e-tron!
It was previously known as just the Audi e-tron, but Audi has rebranded its largest electric SUV to now call it the Audi Q8 e-tron! The question is, although the name has evolved, has much else changed?
Well when it comes to the design… It all looks pretty much the same! There are no notable differences around the back, while along the side it all pretty much mirrors the original e-tron, bar some new alloy designs. Up top it’s a little different, with an all-new grille slapped across the front. But otherwise, it looks almost identical! Audi say that the headlight design has evolved, but to be honest, we think they look pretty much the same.
Step inside and it’s more of the same story! Bar some new trims, it’s all pretty much identical to the last car. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, mind. The SQ8 we have here comes equipped with super comfortable sports seats, and you’ll find soft touch, high quality materials throughout the entire cabin. Annoyingly though, a lot of functions are controlled through a touch screen, so they’re hard to work while driving.
There are three editions of the Q8 e-tron to buy. The entry-level is the 50, which comes with two motors that can produce 340hp along with an 89kWh battery pack. The top-of-the-range cars is the SQ8 we have here. It’s packing three electric motors that combine to put down 503hp. It’s also equipped with a 106kWh battery.
All-in-all, not much has changed compared to the previous car. So the question is, is it really worth the £69,000 starting price? And should you really splash out £97,000 for this SQ8 edition?! You’ll need to stick with Mat to see for yourself!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:50 Design
02:00 Price
02:47 Interior
04:50 Back Seats
07:02 Boot
08:59 5 Annoying Things
10:19 5 Good Things
11:55 Batteries & Motors
12:46 Town Driving
15:38 Motorway Driving
17:50 Country Road Driving
19:21 0-60mph
21:15 Verdict
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[@MotorTorq_ZA]

I do miss Buy, Sell ,Carwow though

[@Notes123]

Same,it was iconic

[@1topman]

Before that it was carbuyer

[@jaybeemhardscrote7466]

Dat "WOOOOOW" tho

[@MotorTorq_ZA]

I mean, change the logo all you want but at least keep the Buy, Sell, Carwow

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@MotorTorq_ZAtrue. Without the iconic "Buy, Sell, Carwow" Slogan, it isnt Carwow anymore mathematically. 😑

[@jamesnicolson6833]

Should make sure you say SQ8 E-Tron! Help tell it apart in the title from the V8 model that’s been recently resfreshed

[@AmadeusBrown]

Cheeky clickbait. I wouldn't have clicked if i knew it was the e-tron version.

[@wilbeugre]

Exactly what got me confused before starting the video 😅

[@Pseedholm]

@@AmadeusBrownsame here

[@andyatkinson9156]

Me too 😂, i was expecting a engine in this video@@AmadeusBrown

[@reggieowen7525]

@@AmadeusBrown just look at the plate the green part in the uk means it’s electric

[@coldfeet1337]

I like carwow before the rebrand. As much as it was annoying, the old carwow definitely had more powerful marketing

[@sssssneaker]

nah it was just annoying

[@purwantiallan5089]

Why Carwow Rebranded btw? That could be interesting.

[@theairaccumulator7144]

What changed? Can't tell with sponsorblock.

[@PaulsTechSpace]

I like the sound that was used in June 2020

[@isaacdies]

Well turn it off and look @@theairaccumulator7144

[@ZaidRS5]

I like the old logo. The old colour was better

[@InnoVal1703]

It is probably a bias towards things that are familiar to you. You will get used to it and like it as much as the former logo.

[@Smokey-A]

@@InnoVal1703 its poorly designed

[@yeahitskimmel]

​@@InnoVal1703I'm sure you're right but that doesn't mean I won't miss the old blue lol

[@LaurinKramer]

I think the cupholders in the rear armrest are an optional extra in some Audi models.

[@cooperajcpr]

Definitely are in the A7

[@konradkorzeniowski7561]

Both USB ports and cupholders at the back are optiinal and you need to pay extra...

[@osamakheireddine9493]

Considering the price of the car you’d think it’d come standard…

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@cooperajcprbut why it isnt on Audi A8?

[@adilmehmood1199s]

Mine has that option. It should be standard though

[@Ben-oy1td]

£96,000 and no electric seats , no rear usb’s and cup holders. That’s a pisstake

[@unlucky5442]

well my e-tron have electric seats, usb c back and front and cup holders back and front. This car is just shitty specced then.

[@Sto79Be]

@@unlucky5442Yes, that’s what they are saying.

[@skippy5311]

Easily the most entertaining car reviewer. Always get me to chuckle, even though you seemed a bit under the weather here. The Q8/SQ8 e-tron is the only non-truck EV in the states that comes with a spare tire standard. Here the acoustic glass comes in the mid "Premium Plus" trim.

[@adityabhoir2913]

"Buy, sell, carWOW" is better than new intro

[@bondhuship8941]

No it ain’t

[@Archive06000]

@@bondhuship8941 it is

[@saadkhan9797]

I miss the old BLUE 💙🔵 CARWOW...!!😢

[@TWISM1337]

I've had my Q4 for about a year now, and I've driven the Q8s predecessor quite a few times, and I have to give cred to Audi for the throttle mapping and maneuverability of their cars! They really are AWESOME for city driving (with the caveat that I really don't like the brake mapping of the previous Q8). I have a really great picture of a parking job I did with a loaner "Q8", with literally 1-2cm of space between it and a pillar - the steering, visibility and throttle mapping really gives you confidence! I really hope that the Q4 gets this drivetrain in the future, since it really would be the ultimate daily driver for me with just a bit more power.

[@06075345]

We appreciate what Car wow does in terms of introducing new cars but car prices are simply out of this world. Way way too much!

[@purwantiallan5089]

Yep. At France and in majority of Germany, the Audi SQ8 E-TRON now costed around $96.000 to $125.000!

[@drmarcosmegda6466]

In Brasil it would cost about 600.000 reais, that is our currency. 1 dollar is about 5 reais

[@shivneetsingh8592]

Previous logo was better tho

[@TheLinKuei]

This thang got some Hips!!! Seen one in person the other day. I could t stop staring lol

[@sluuuudge]

I love carwow, but the video title is a little misleading given that the normal Q8, SQ8 and RSQ8 have just had facelifts...

[@purwantiallan5089]

Why a normal Q8 and not the RSQ8?😅

[@ian6356]

I believe that Audi is going to use the even numbers (Q2-Q4-Q6-Q8) for electric models and odd numbered (Q3-Q5-Q7) for ICE. I think this will also apply to the A* models. Hence the confusion during transition from old to new models.

[@theairaccumulator7144]

​@@ian6356they should really stop taking the engine out of good cars and throwing in 1 ton of batteries, turning them into fridges on wheels that are objectively worse in every metric except torque off the line.

[@woncho1]

Love the colour! Definitely the best looking of all the Q models.

[@lufu10]

ngl paying that much for this is the worst decision a person can make.

[@RocketBadger]

Trade-in value for these will be £30-40K in 3 years. Depreciation is crazy on these types of cars

[@theairaccumulator7144]

​@@RocketBadgerthat's because they're like phones, the batteries turn to dust in 2-3 years.

[@Wulf44445]

​@@theairaccumulator7144 no they dont. EV batteries dont decreasy majorly in the first 2-3 years.

[@hsvr]

The new youtube banner on your channel looks so clean 👌🏻🔥

[@AlcatrazCrylake]

For me Audi makes the best looking EVs right now. It looks like a modern Audi should look like. Not like BMW does or Porsche with the new panamera. But thats my taste...

[@HAGGRIG]

Just sold my e-Tron and went back to a Q5e and I much prefer it. Even if the interior is getting dated, the physical buttons and no more range anxiety mean it’s the right choice for me. As soon as this car goes out in the cold, expect that range to drop drastically, especially if you dare turn the heating on. Then comes the depreciation, my £70k was worth £24k after two years and was dropping in price WEEKLY. I dare say this will fair just as badly

[@user-sn9wt5jd3r]

The blue color on the Q8 like the carwow logo🔵

[@marcinekpomaranski]

Amazing video Matt. As always kurewsko funny thing. Although audi looks the same as model 80diesel from the 80s :)

[@Ryyyzzor]

Just ordered one of these and it comes with a “interior ambient lighting pack”. Only after ordering I realised you need to pay again to change the colours of the lights. In a £85k car. Madness

[@kanibtw1064]

Literally saw this right next to my house today and was wondering when did this come out, never know anything until carwow uploads

[@ViezePoeperd]

Been in our showroom for at least 2 months now

[@sssssneaker]

Wow it has USB-C now, just like the new Duster :))

[@paulhawley7885]

😂

[@ThomasT1976]

It had before too.

[@dnzry2218]

The Drive Select is still on the left side with left drive hand cars, which makes it a lot easier

[@ryanfrisby7389]

Great video Matt!😸

[@soiggeofficial]

I'm pretty sure the "auto" drive select mode does not mean "automatic". It is in fact just a balanced, middle option between Dynamic and Comfort. @15:45

[@davidmcadam5346]

It’s the mode that adapts to your driving, so if you’re driving sportier it will adapt to that and then adapt to more efficient if you’re driving that way.

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@davidmcadam5346very interesting in fact.

[@soiggeofficial]

Yet it still can't go "full Comfort" or "full Dynamic" when in Auto in my experience (not talking about Q8 etron btw, just in general about all Audis I have driven over the past 10-15 years). If there is any adaptation happening in Auto mode, in my experience it is then very limited,or unnoticeable, especially in steering or magnetic ride.

[@firefighter43]

Another great vid. Any chance we can see a RSQ8 vs XB7?

[@alexgt308]

The new Dacia Duster has arrived!!

[@303Braptor]

Please do a video on the T-ROC R you have as the camera car! I’m so curious about those! I finally made it to Europe recently and drove a T-ROC R-line with a 1.0L rental and didn’t know they had an actual R. As the T-ROC is forbidden fruit for us Americans. Also love this review, that color of the SQ8 E tron is 🔥

[@PalpatinesPlumber]

The design is definitely different

[@maximilianratlmoser3711]

Drove one of the first ones of these as a 55 quattro and I became seasick driving it - worst suspension ever - glad they figured that out. Quick note: while 150kW/170kW charging power does not seem overly impressive, looking at the curve it is impressive that they can keep up roughly that power until 70% SOC whereas my former Tesla M3 Long Range for example made 252kW for 2 seconds and then it fell rapidly. The Audi is optimized for charging, the Tesla made to put an impressive sticker on it.

[@voltagecraftz4185]

were you driving the 55 quattro on the sea?

[@adilmehmood1199s]

I'm super happy about never listening to the old intro again "buy, sell, car WOWWW"

[@jaybeemhardscrote7466]

I miss it already

[@osamakheireddine9493]

@@jaybeemhardscrote7466imagine how we felt when they changed from the speech in the intros to the “buy, sell, carWOW”. It hurt my soul to hear it for the first time 😂

[@auditclient3631]

Can't wait for Matt's review of the cyber truck

[@ericquinn8578]

That color is… absolutely and deliciously beautiful. I love it.

[@oonwing]

Nice AC/DC refrence!!!

[@adrianhjordan1981]

The USB-C in the centre console were USB-C in the original e-tron as well.

[@purwantiallan5089]

Is USB-C in the centre console also fit on Audi LeMans Quattro?

[@CobusDerrenberg]

Prefer the OLD carwow & Q8 😭😭😭....😉😁 The new Q8 here looks SUPER CHEAP from the front O BOY 🙄🤢 Keel up the GREAT work 👍✨

[@steinarhelgesen]

Cars with camera mirrors. Wouldent they turn off when you turn your engine off? If so it will be hard to see backwards when opening doors?

[@carlosavila4590]

Is the new logo M W from Mat Watson?

[@draigygoch]

Well you made sure I'll never buy one! absolutely hate everything going into touch screens, you're absolutely right...its dangerous!

[@Ssimonnes]

The Etron I tried had cupholders and 2xusb in the back, and buttons to fold down the rear seats in the trunk, guess its just optional extras.

[@myinterests3286]

The rear seat cup holders are optional extra as part of the storage pack. Does not matter the trim level.

[@TheM6]

That's stupid

[@yeahitskimmel]

Absurd lol

[@peoplehear]

@@yeahitskimmel agreed. That should be standard no matter the trim level. Like nobody ever drinks fluids in the rear of the car. Sq8=sequential thirst not ate lol

[@venurm1286]

I'm fairly sure that's also the case with the rear seat USB charging ports, Audi being as stingy as ever when it comes to standard equipment in Europe/UK

[@nayr8506]

In America that’s standard.

[@DaveNZQueenstown]

Just had this car yesterday on an German highway and the range is just 250km in winter, with some sprints to 210km/h.

[@Havanu81]

All EV's have a reduced range once you go beyond 120km/h. Nature of the beast. But ICE cars have similarly terrible range once you start ramping up speed and accelerating a lot. You just notice it less because you can top it up quickly.

[@PeterDavison-wt4pv]

I find the figures that Audi say are just lies !!!

[@fug33]

@@Havanu81 no, ICE cars don't have "similarly terrible range once you accelerate a lot" - drive an EV at 150km/h and it will have a range of under 200KM (most EVs on the market will, considering they all come with smaller battery packs) this Audi weighing in at colossal 2.6 tonnes doesn't help it either with range.. pay 70.000eur (starting price) for a vehicle with that terrible of a range - guess its OK if you live in a city, but for travels outside of the city EVs still blow and can't compare to ICE cars you would have to search wide and far to find an ICE car that won't reach at least 200KM at highway speeds

[@oncorpse2987]

Oh man he is so funny

[@Havanu81]

Sorry to burst your bubble but a BMW 740i consumes 8.7 liters per 100km at 120km/h but 13,1 at 160km/h and over 18liters at 200km/h. A Golf TSI onsumes 6.4 liters at 120km/h but over 9.8 liters at 160km/h and 15 liters at 200km/h. Meaning they are just as inefficient at high speeds. The only difference being you can fill up a car much faster than you can recharge an EV. @@oncorpse2987

[@matt6201]

Thought I would like light bars in general but now not so much especially the front ones.

[@MyHandleIsVeryCool]

New logo @carwow ? Looks cool

[@Bucknasfri70]

When will the urus version of this car be out?

[@sviatoslav0309]

Buy, sell, car, wow! Is going to be missed...

[@andrewjohn7800]

Side profile reminds me of a mk2 Ford Focus ST...just missing the white stripes

[@hurztwaldmeister7560]

Please Range Test with BMW IX and the new 120kwh EQS SUV

[@oderfliwoalidgap2850]

Can you do a your car collection video

[@guruprasadanandharao8331]

need to change the logo on the right side below in the screen

[@aseelhaque]

2:03 nice!

[@_jg00]

The rebrand was definitely the right move! The man yelling "WOW" at me when I'm watching with my headphones in was miserable. 😂

[@EH1942]

Does anybody know why they removed drive select from the configurable button? Recently replaced my 8v s3 for the latest one... and this is genuinely highly annoying

[@MARK-THE-MUFFIN-MAN]

I thought this was the Q8 face lift hope it gets a review 🥲

[@Presto_001]

Fact; this is Carwow's 2,420th video.

[@dalejones3862]

Nice work mat your MADNESS is always fun to watch

[@Papzishhh1]

That car is a nightmare at the back WOW!

[@RAZVANJUSTIN1]

Where is the new Dacia Duster review?

[@nxghthift1972]

I prefer the old logo, tbh it was classic and mature if I may say.

[@SUBMISSIVEANDBREEDABLE_]

I like the sport back design

[@erikoliveira1314]

não tem na carwow Brasil... Why ???

[@autolords_gh2254]

I had to click on the video to make sure it's actually carwow. 😂 Nice rebrand tho

[@wegbamavin6630]

This audi looks sick

[@keanumunteanu]

I agree. It looks like it has covid

[@Magnusfication]

​@@keanumunteanulool

[@rcampbell4391]

@@keanumunteanu and all its boosters 😂

[@Rcv2a]

The colour is legendary

[@bikeautoview788]

Nice Car

[@nasseembrown3261]

Matt I think the blue on the first logo looks better

[@ericchen3129]

I think carwow should support more currencies than just the pound (i.e. USD, RMB, etc.) That way more people can actually use the site to its full potential rather than feeling like they have to switch to the British pound in order to buy/sell/change their cars.

[@roarbahamut9866]

That doesnt work. Just converting the price to € for example, wouldnt actually show you what the car costs in Germany. Prices depend on the country itself aswell, no just the currency. Especially comparing USD and the american market to europe.

[@YasserAder]

what does it mean your new logo ?

[@user-tg7vj6vq8x]

i'm loving the new carwow rebrand

[@BLX187]

Cant you use voice comands to adjust climate controls? no review ever mentions if you can or not

[@Robert.68]

I like the old logo but the website is easier

[@The-Audi-driver]

Can you not turn up the brightness on the screens

[@michalcaganek8287]

The grafics look exactly the same as Q2 or Q3 if I pay that much money I would want some sort of upgrade from budget models. What do you think Matt?

[@nocturnalpoisoning]

Really i was wondering, if it have v8 or v6

[@catarinaillingworth9327]

I get sadder and sadder every time I see an electric car review knowing that this is the future. Yes they are quick the majority of the time and as clarkson would say there good for jonny polar bear but nothing will replace the feel of an ice car.

[@tomm913]

Nothing will ever replace the feel of a manual transmission, direct steering linkage or hand crank windows either but I bet your car has none of them. People will adapt and eventually prefer the new.

[@FNA46]

Investors change the color of logo 😅

[@80y3r9]

What, saw how successful wiggle was after changing to thia colour scheme? Not sure i want those shares anymore

[@eu8y]

Beautiful car imo

[@adolfocardoso9362]

Try this 👓

[@skewizzyace]

Matt, an EV range test, it’s about time, 😢😢

[@dannyfreeman2286]

The pre facelift also had usbc’s

[@dannyfreeman2286]

And mine also has usbc’s in the back too. Mine is the vorsprung s though maybe that’s why.

[@Manchler]

Where the car reviews legends ended.

[@rockybalboa9496]

Can we please get a new x6m comp review

[@ftw1540]

It was a bit hard to remove the parcel shelf, and lower the seats. I could tell matt was struggling cos of his ott huffing ,puffing and sighing😂😂

[@Aadyi]

Right? And the boot is pretty small for such a massive 2.6t SUV...

[@Drinkyoghurt]

Weird, the old Q8 looks much better especially at the front.

[@neilgraham1895]

Got the older etron (2021) with the rearview cameras, replaced one within the first 18 months and both cameras now faulty, don’t add them as an option.

[@purwantiallan5089]

Older E-Tron generally driven better.

[@unlucky5442]

got the 2020 e-tron 55 with 360cams, never had any problems with that, or anything on the car in general.

[@GranDaddo]

New Logo of Carwow looks like letters M and W (Matt Watson) in circle.

[@simonbestmaster6972]

Matt Watson out!!

[@purwantiallan5089]

The SQ8 E-Tron looked as impressive as even the RS5!

[@mdmuzammilkhan7063]

@13:14 is that a supra in the background sitting there in white color?

[@peterdakajr6062]

How is my 3 year old son going to sing the jingle to this..... please bring back "BUY SELL CAR WOW"

[@davorvrki9449]

Fantastic and beautiful car

[@ontheroad4809]

Thanks God that you've killed intro: "Buy, sell, carWOW" It was horrendous!

[@terencedibakoane4763]

It looks like a kid's toy store logo, it's just less serious

[@timofthomas]

Funny how the boot is identical in size to the Skoda Enyaq - bet it's the same platform. the Froot is not bad.. but the Enyaq is much better appointed in the rear. The Skoda also has the acoustic glass all round....and more sensible accommodation and storage!

It's not the same platform. Enyaq uses meb, sq8 etron modified ice platform

[@oliver_mendi]

looks great

[@fadigeorgeos5697]

Hey Matt, can you make a comparison between an electric car and a combustion engine car in terms of maintenance, cost, and depreciation for a period of, say, 10 years? It will be interesting

[@CovKid2K10]

They will never because it’s clear with any maths. That a combustion car is way better over the period of 10 years. in fact, an electric car won’t even last last 10 years. What battery device do you know that still works good after 10 years😂. My 15 year old bmw 330d does 600 miles to a tank, never needs a new fuel tank and will last for another 20 years easily. An electric car would never.

[@Magnusfication]

​@@CovKid2K10😂🤡

[@gnom4685]

@@CovKid2K10nissan leaf, other electric cars are still on the roads😂

[@CovKid2K10]

@@gnom4685I’m sure if you had the choice of buying a 2011 electric car and a 2011 Petrol/diesel car. You wouldn’t blink and eye and you’d choose combustion. Hence why values for old electric cars are shit. Feel free to buy a 10 year old electric car with a fully taped battery. My iPhone is 3 years old and the battery can’t even last a day. Battery’s are shit especially old tech ones

[@gnom4685]

@@CovKid2K10 technology of electric motors and batteries just started) i’m 2030 a lot of people would like to buy used electric cars, as batteries has warranty’s for over 5 years

[@labemolon5739]

I foresee a RSQ8 Etron in the near future…

[@Glock7eventeen]

Best looking EV and 2nd place is not even close

[@sillimilli3802]

BMW and Mercedes EV's are somewhere there at the end 😂😂