Audi Q8 e-tron 50 SUV Facelift Review

Numbers carry weight in the automotive world of nomenclature. The higher they go - or so it seems, at least - the higher one's expectations for a model should also be.

That's exactly the sort of ground Audi appears to be laying with this familiar-looking electric SUV. Mid-life facelifts rarely also bring with them new names, but now, what was once known simply as the 'e-tron' now carries a new, numerical prefix. Outwardly, the Q8 e-tron may not feel like a significant advancement from its older self, but dig deeper and one will come back to the same conclusion: That this is a true-blue, four-ringed flagship. 

Quiet grandiosity

In typical Audi (read: understated) fashion, not much appears to have changed on the Q8 e-tron on first glance.

The redesigned grille wears not only Audi's fresh 2D logo but an added LED strip, while the car softly announces its new name on its B-pillars (pictured) and tailgate 

Peer closer, however, and one will notice the car wearing the firm's new 2D logo on a slightly redesigned grille, which is now also capped off with a new LED strip. Additionally, incorporated into the sheet metal are aerodynamic improvements, which have helped to reduce its drag coefficient to 0.27Cd.

Then, there is, of course, new 'Q8' badging on the tailgate and on the B-pillars on both sides, in line with the new name - but again, these are small details hiding (with a wink) in the background; waiting to be discovered, rather than shouting loudly and immediately for attention. If you know it, you know it.

Still, all this is not to say that the Q8 e-tron doesn't do grandiosity well. Park it close to the original e-tron (as we got the chance to do multiple times), and the car looks indisputably more modern than before. The best part of its new face is best enjoyed at night, where the glow of its LED light strip would put it right at home in - well - Tron: Legacy, and nicely mirrors its still-stunning taillight bar at the rear.

This is still a sizeable car, sitting between the Q5 and Q8 in size - although its lower height gives it a squatter stance than both cars

Pictures also disguise the Q8 e-tron's relatively sizeable footprint; this is still a car over 4.9m and 1.9m wide, sitting between the combustion-powered Q5 and Q8 in size. Yet one peculiarity that sets it apart is also its shorter height, which gives it a squatter, almost performance SUV-like stance compared to them. As a renewed bridge between Audi's future and present, the familiar and the novel continue to be mixed deftly.

Measured luxury

That mixture of familiarity and novelty is carried on the inside of the Q8 e-tron, which Audi has left untouched in this update.

Like the other flagships in Audi's lineup, the Q8 e-tron's dashboard has a third screen - positioned below the infotainment one - for air-conditioning controls 

The effect this cabin has on an individual will likely still differ depending on past experience. Those already driving one of Audi's flagships today won't have to second-guess anything/can probably get around with their eyes closed; those without such a privilege will likely be wowed by the three-screen setup, which includes not just your typical central infotainment touchscreen and digital driver's display, but a further 8.6-inch screen along the centre console for air-conditioning controls. Physical buttons will always trump even haptic sensors for certain functions - but the latter toes the line between 'functional' and 'fancy' delicately enough.

On that note, while the cabin has been left relatively untouched in this update, its ethos of quiet luxury is a reminder of Audi's ability to craft a sufficiently captivating and dazzling space that will not overwhelm.

In its faultlessly finished cabin, rear occupants are not given short shrift, thanks to the generous amount of leg, head, and shoulder room available; the car also comes with quad-zone climate control 

Fit and finish are - unsurprisingly - virtually faultless, and the soft surfaces that abound are padded to perfection (even if executed in darker palettes). Ambient lighting strips line the dash and surround the cabin - but you get slightly less chromatic variety, compared to the innumerable technicolour shows that have made their way even to more mass market marques. As mentioned, everything is measured.

Perhaps the only quality doled out in droves here is sheer space. Even longer cars sometimes fall short of seating five because of a central transmission tunnel, or a lack of shoulder room to fit three behind abreast; with the Q8 e-tron's wide body and flat floor, these are non-issues. Further enhancing the quality of life for passengers are the flat roofline (in this SUV body style), rear window shades, and quad-zone climate control. 

Extra ease

"Luxe barge" also encapsulates the experience one gets from behind the wheel. But here, bringing the electric aspect back into the picture - then positioning it dead-centre - is crucial too. 

In fact, this is arguably where the model's mid-life refresh counts the most. It's worth noting that this '50' variant, in its SUV body style, was and still is the entry point to the Q8 e-tron range (the snazzier Sportback body style carries a slight premium; the '55's get 114kWh batteries and more power). 

The entry-level '50' variant of the Q8 e-tron now gets a 95kWh (gross) battery pack, which - with the 'SUV' body style - helps the car achieve more range than before 

Even as the entry-level variant, however, it now boasts more power than before from its uprated electric motors, and can officially go quite a distance further on a full charge thanks to a larger 95kWh battery (compared to 71kWh previously).

The latter is particularly important, considering that the largest complaint we had about the original e-tron was its sub-300km real-world range. This concern has, however, now been handily addressed with the larger battery (and the aerodynamic improvements mentioned earlier). An acute desire to not hypermile like we did in the Efficiency League landed us with a final consumption figure of 23.2kWh/100km over three days - which would have returned a theoretical (and commendable) range of 380-ish km on a full charge.

Though quick, the Q8 e-tron's speed is directed more at whisking occupants around effortlessly, than at driving thrills 

Speaking of which, hypermiling is not what one wants to do when so much power lies beneath your right foot - even in this 50 variant. With those motors punching out 335bhp (in 'Boost') and 669Nm of instant torque, the car will glide from zero to 100km/h in six seconds flat - remarkable when you consider its kerb weight of 2,510kg.

"Move", it almost whispers in a calm yet commanding tone as the driver in front sees its wide body and illuminated grille bearing down quickly upon him, before shifting out of its path. You'll genuinely have to keep your eyes on the digital display for your speed; the car accelerates in such an unruffled manner, one often doesn't realise how quickly they've left a traffic light behind (until you see everyone else in the rearview mirror still).

Whether in the city or on the highway, the Q8 e-tron's impeccably-insulated cabin and comfortable ride lend the driving experience a general air of ease

At this point, it's worth remembering that the car's speed, above all, is directed at whisking its occupants from point to point effortlessly. Audi may have enhanced its progressive steering, and made its steering ratio more direct - but the average driver is unlikely to pick up on these improvements, since its size and weight are what stand out the most when on the road.

Having said that, the average driver is also unlikely to be pushing the car's limits down dusty B-roads. Instead, they're more likely to find themselves basking in the silence of its impeccably insulated cabin; moving from meeting to meeting without breaking a sweat - or their backs. Even on those 20-inch wheels, the Q8 e-tron's air suspension gives it an air of unflappability as it wafts through the city, and down highways.

Reinforced flagship

As an electric pioneer for Audi, the e-tron SUV was already very complete, straddling the company's past, present, and theoretical future in an approachable package. 

That it predated the sudden influx of all-electric models that the past two years have brought forth makes what it had already achieved in its original form even more remarkable, considering the rapid developments that have likely made their way out of R&D labs the world over since.

Renamed, but not heavily restyled: The Q8 e-tron is confidently and undeniably Audi's electric flagship

In this context, the outwardly minor tweaks that have now built towards today's Q8 e-tron are not to be taken lightly.

While just as satisfying as before in its measured luxury, the model's longer driving range now also holds the promise of added practicality and, thus, even more effortlessness when taking to the road everyday. The new name may have been slightly confusing initially to wrap our heads around, but it makes thorough sense now that some time has passed: The Q8 e-tron is confidently and undeniably Audi's electric flagship.

Here are a few other luxury electric SUVs that may interest you!

BMW iX: Not just comfortable on the road but mighty impressive on the tech front

Jaguar I-PACE: As spacious and as luxurious as its futuristic sheet metal suggests

Mercedes-Benz EQC: Familiar blend of refinement, comfort and luxury