Audi SQ8 2021 Review

The stylish Audi SQ8 SUV has a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 500 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. All that power might once have been enough for the SQ8 to be Audi's halo performance SUV, but the SQ8 actually plays understudy to the mighty RS Q8 above it. Not that many owners are likely to be left wanting with the SQ8; its V8 engine and the excellent traction of its sophisticated all-wheel-drive system help propel it from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds in MatoCar' testing.

So there's plenty of performance, and the SQ8 has a suspension designed to exploit it. The result is that the big SQ8 is surprisingly agile for such a heavy and indulgently luxurious vehicle. Its looks are standout too, with Audi mixing SUV stance and assertiveness with a rakish, couple-like styling to fantastic effect. Inside, the beautifully finished interior and plentiful standard equipment add to the SQ8's desirability over its contemporaries.

Among that competition it can count SUVs such as the BMW X6 M50i, Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe and Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 53 Coupe. The SQ8 betters some rivals, notably in relation to styling, power and interior specification, but it falls a little short on ease of use. Read our Expert Rating below for full details on Audi's SQ8.

Which SQ8 does MatoCar recommend?

The 2021 Audi SQ8 comes in two trim levels. The Premium Plus includes a number of sumptuous features that cement its luxury SUV status. The Prestige trim takes things even further with advanced creature comforts. Both trims use the same turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine (500 horsepower, 568 lb-ft of torque) with an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. Highlight features include:

Premium Plus Starts you off with:

• 21-inch wheels
• Adaptive air sport suspension
• LED headlights and taillights
• Heated and ventilated front sport seats
• Leather seating with contrasting diamond stitching
• Four-zone automatic climate control
• Panoramic sunroof
• Power-adjustable, heated steering wheel
• Multicolor ambient interior lighting

Technology and driver aid features include:

• Integrated navigation system
• 10.1-inch upper infotainment touchscreen and 8.6-inch lower touchscreen
• Digital instrument panel
• Bang & Olufsen sound system
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the SQ8 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Prestige Takes all features in the Premium Plus and adds:

• Upgraded LED headlights and taillights
• Power soft-closing doors
• Heated rear seats
• Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the SQ8 and the car in front)
• Lane keeping assist (steers the SQ8 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)

Main optional features and packages Also available on both SQ8 Premium Plus and Prestige trims unless otherwise noted:

• Black Optic package (dark exterior accents and summer performance tires)
• Massaging front seats
• Towing package with 7,700-pound towing capacity with seven-pin connector
• S Sport package (adds anti-roll stabilization and sport differential to enhance the SQ8's handling agility; Prestige only)
• 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround-sound system (Prestige only)