Driven: 2024 Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron

By: George Achorn, photos by author, Denis Podmarkov and Audi of America

During our time in Los Angeles to celebrate Electrikhana and take a closer look at Ken Block’s Audi S1 Hoonitron (pp. 28-33), we were able to sample just how authentically lessons learned in Block’s hooning around Mexico City translated into enthusiast EVs for the road. We did so by also sampling Audi’s latest SQ8 Sportback e-tron that’s just recently been updated.

This model is sometimes overlooked when considering Audi’s EV or S/RS lineups. On one hand, it’s neither the low-slung and arguably faster RS e-tron GT, nor does it howl with the turbocharged note of an internal  combustion S or RS. Even within the Audi lineup then, it is a sleeper, though one we’d argue particularly worthy of the spiritual S-car theme of understatement.

Yes, it’s red… Soneira Red Metallic to be exact. Yes, it’s a Sportback on 22-inch wheels. We’d still argue it’s an understated sleeper. Let us explain.

Maybe we should begin with the name. Audi’s first foray into EVs produced a car known simply as e-tron, or e-tron S in the case of the sport model. Perhaps a nod to the original quattro (a.k.a. “ur quattro), the choice to go with just “e-tron” was always going to be confusing if more e-trons were to arrive. Well… more e-trons arrived, so a change was in order and Audi moved to implement it during the mid-lifecycle freshening.

Audi’s naming strategy going forward is an interesting one. The logic goes that during the bridge period between ICE to full EV product range, even number models (4, 6 and 8, etc.) will designate EV, while odd numerals (3, 5, 7, etc.) will designate internal combustion engines (ICE). The outgoing e-tron had no designation at all, and Q6 had already been assigned. So, the updated e-tron shifts to Q8 / SQ8.

So why not also rename the ICE Q8 / SQ8 that is also recently refreshed? We asked and were told the changes will happen next-time there’s a fully new model, and “not during the refresh” … at least in the case of the ICE Q8. Even still, that’s a bit confusing because the ICE Q8 is effectively the same footprint as the larger Q7, not a 7-passenger but still longer and wider than the Q8 e-tron. They’re not the same vehicle. Confusing? We believe so, but it’s par for the course given the influx of so many new and different products brought about by electrification.

Back to the freshening of the now Q8 and SQ8 e-trons, changes are more than the typical redesigned fascias. Yes, the face is updated with a new look that pairs more contemporary visual cues. These include black segmentation seen on the e-tron GT and RS 3, and there’s a hidden LED strip at the top of the grille that bathes part of the singleframe grille in light. There’s also the updated four ring logo at the front and rear, plus nomenclature etched smoothly into the B-pillar and freshened font on the rear badges.

Some of those visual updates are also functional, elements such as a self-sealing grille that, when combined with air curtains underneath the headlight, around the wheel arches and underbody, improve the SQ8’s drag coefficient from .26 to .24 cd.

Those aerodynamic aids are paired with battery and charging upgrades which improve range and charge times. The 86.5-kWh battery has been replaced with an increased capacity of 106 kWh featuring updated battery chemistry that uses less cobalt. Combine that with improved stator motor design and Audi states a 30% improvement in efficiency to help produce an EPA estimated range of 253 miles. However, range drops to an estimated 218 miles, should you opt for the 22-inch wheels and summer tires like the ones on our car. While that is a notable drop, we’d argue that anyone with a higher priority for range should probably consider a more efficient spec. The SQ8 is about performance and handling, so it’s probably best to focus on that next.

At the heart of the SQ8 e-tron (and the e-tron S before that) is a 3-motor drive configuration. That’s one more motor than even the RS e-tron GT, with two at rear so that each can act independently as torque vectoring assist and send power to the outer rear wheel  to improve cornering by inducing oversteer. Total power output is 496 hp, which makes for 0-60 mph acceleration times of in 4.5 seconds.

Handling is noticeably improved. Updates and changes were made to the car’s electronic stability control (ESC) system, air suspension and steering rack. The SQ8 gets firmer bushings, stiffer anti-roll bars and updated damper tuning. There’s an updated air suspension as well, which all seems quite effective at decreasing body roll. The result is a quicker-to-react chassis with improved road feel despite the SQ8’s curb weight of 6,350 lbs.

Drive modes are selectable via the familiar Audi Drive Select system, and ESC can be dialed back or even fully disengaged just like Audi’s RS cars, allowing you to make more dynamic use of the torque vectoring rear bias cornering should that be your goal.

The SQ8’s brakes are strong, 6-piston calipers and 15.7 inch rotors at the front and single piston calipers with 13.8-inch rotors at the rear. Pedal feel is consistent and firm, with the transition between regenerative braking and friction braking being nearly imperceptible. And while there are three regenerative braking modes controlled by the paddles just as before, Audi still hasn’t chosen to offer one pedal driving nor even the R (for regeneration) mode we’ve already seen in the Q4.

All of these chassis improvements were most welcome when Waze took us out Angeles Crest Highway on our way to Willow Springs in order to see the Hoonitron. However, it was the standard driver assistance including active cruise control and lane assist, plus automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring that we found ourselves most appreciating in the as-expected bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions also experienced around L.A.

On the inside, the interior quality of the now SQ8 e-tron remains excellent. Our test car skipped the base grained ash trim for handsome carbon fiber. Leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, heated front and rear seats, power operated trunk, and power adjustable steering column are all standard. The SQ8 also features Valcona leather and extended leather on surfaces such as the dashboard that provide an even more upscale feeling over more hardly basic Q8 e-tron models. S-spec also means diamond stitched surfaces and embossed S logos in the seats to further differentiate from Q8 Prestige models.

The bi-level central touch screens plus Audi’s Virtual Cockpit remain a central part of the Q8/SQ8 e-tron experience. Though they’re unchanged, they help maintain this car as a comfort leader in tech and refinement. Dual pane glass helps too, making the ride quieter even than Audi’s flagship A8.

On the outside, the Sportback body style remains a handsome and more expensive alternative to the traditional crossover shape. While not as utilitarian, the Sportback’s coupe-like profile does take on a more exotic and aggressive overall appearance.

One of our favorite elements of the SQ8 e-tron are the fender flares with integrated air curtain at the leading edge of the front wheel. The pieces appear to be a direct carryover from the e-tron S. We loved them then and love them now. Little known fact: this model is the only S-car offering from Audi that boasts fender flare augmentation over its more basic sibling. While flares have become largely standard fare in the RS range, it simply doesn’t happen for the S-cars…. well, all the S-cars save the SQ8 e-tron.

Maybe it’s the fact that this is an S-car and not an RS. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s an EV. Maybe it’s the fact that the base price for the SQ8 e-tron Sportback Prestige is $98,600, a number that quickly ticks above six figures when equipped with any real options. Whatever the reason, the SQ8 e-tron remains an uncommon sight in Audi circles. However, don’t let the rarity fool you. The SQ8 e-tron is a solid offering in Audi’s performance lineup, one that offers capable handling, practical body styling and creature comforts that all combine to make it a highly attractive package for EV early adopters seeking just such a high-performance daily driver.