The 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron is just one of many nicest, most simple luxurious EVs you should buy. It’s not a whiz-bang, party-trick powerhouse of tech, however that’s fully effective. Its virtues comparable to an ultra-quiet cabin, luxurious supplies and wonderful tactile surfaces mix to make it a automotive that I’d like to commute in, run errands with or in any other case simply take pleasure in being inside.
Audi refreshed this mannequin for 2024, going as far as to alter its title from E-Tron to Q8 E-Tron. I went on the primary drive to take a look at Euro-spec variations of the brand new automotive, and fellow editor James Riswick tried it out as a day-tripper by California. We each discovered it to be a considerably improved automotive, although the attention-grabbing bit there may be that it’s virtually the identical inside because it was earlier than the refresh. But by some means, it’s nonetheless certainly one of my favourite interiors on the market.
One large issue to its success is the utter silence within the cabin. Automotive and Driver measured it at solely 64 decibels at 70 mph, which is barely two decibels louder than a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. That’s an astounding feat of noise isolation, and that additionally makes it an astounding feat of luxurious. It’s somewhat simple to be distracted by augmented actuality navigation or fancy “Energizing” packages lately, however by no means depend out old-school silence as one of the crucial necessary options of any luxurious automobile. And for some comparability, the final Tesla Mannequin Y Automotive and Driver examined got here in at 70 decibels, which can not sound large on paper, however that’s a really noticeable noise degree distinction in observe.
The old-school luxurious wins maintain piling up once you go to press the luxuriously damped buttons, twist any of the clicky scroll wheels or press the haptic-touch shows. Audi might have eradicated an entire lot of buttons with its responsive and intuitive stacked display screen infotainment setup, however the suggestions from the screens and every other touch-haptic management close by is pure butter. That’s somewhat consistent with the way in which the Q8 E-Tron drives, steers and handles, too. “Easy” is the operative phrase right here, and there actually isn’t a single interplay you possibly can have with the automotive that doesn’t really feel easy, proper right down to the funky-but-oh-so-satisfying toggle shifter.
Past the buttons, Audi continues to please with its inside colour choices. The one proven in most pictures right here is the Launch Version for 2024 that comes with Flint Grey upholstery, a black-gray two-tone door and sprint combo and orange accents all through. That orange used for the piping and stitching is an absolute delight, and the big range of supplies utilized in often-touched areas encourages you to discover the slight whimsy of this inside’s design. In fact, the Launch Version is the most costly model of the Q8 E-Tron. Different trims supply black, brown or white interiors, and you may have some actual enjoyable when you pair the beautiful Madeira Brown metallic paint with the Okapi Brown inside (combo proven beneath, high row). One other honorable point out goes to combining Plasma Blue with the Pearl Beige inside (additionally beneath, backside row) that feels delightfully coastal.
One large adverse for me are the odd clean areas (beneath, proper) the place Audi’s digital side-view mirror shows would go. These aren’t authorized within the U.S. (and doubtless gained’t be for an extended whereas to come back), so it’s a disgrace that we’re left to cope with unpleasant clean areas. That’s most likely going to be certainly one of your solely visible complaints from the driving force’s seat of the Q8 E-Tron, although.
The seats, in the meantime, are good to have a look at, are fairly snug for lengthy stretches of time because of a number of adjustability and even supply a therapeutic massage perform within the Status trim.
Rear-seat passengers must be practically as proud of four-zone local weather management and a large quantity of legroom. Headroom is chopped slightly within the Sportback tester I’ve, however there’s nonetheless loads of house for an average-height grownup. The Q8 E-Tron Sportback’s cargo space can also be mighty expansive and affords each extra underfloor storage and a spare tire, which is uncommon within the EV world. I want there have been extra room within the frunk, although it’s loads of house for the cost wire.
The Q8 E-Tron’s inside is actually one of many automotive’s highest factors. I’d somewhat spend time with it than a Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and its Hyperscreen. I may say the identical when pitting it up towards others just like the Cadillac Lyriq or Jaguar I-Tempo. And yeah, neither the Tesla Mannequin X nor Y can maintain a candle to the luxurious that’s the Q8 E-Tron’s inside. Its EV credentials and total efficiency are one other story, however there’s no arguing with simply how pretty it’s inside Audi’s flagship electrical SUV.
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