- Audi is updating the Q8 for 2024 with a new face that combines a more streamlined grille with more expressive headlights and chunkier air intakes.
- The Q8’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 and the SQ8’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 carry over unchanged.
- The 2024 Q8 and SQ8 will go on sale in the United States this winter, with pricing and full U.S. specifications coming soon.
The electric Audi Q8 e-tron received a handsome facelift for 2024 that introduced a sleeker grille and redesigned lighting elements. Now the German automaker is refreshing the gas-powered Q8, bringing the sporty crossover in line with its electric cousin with thinner headlights and a restyled grille. The high-performance SQ8 also returns for 2024 with its burly 4.0-liter V-8 powertrain.
The changes to the 2024 Q8’s exterior are subtle but add up to give the crossover a slicker, more elegant front end. The grille is less chiseled than before and flows smoothly into the headlights, similar to how the Q8 e-tron’s grille is integrated into the lights. The air inlets in the front bumper have been enlarged and a new exhaust setup is fitted across the lineup. The SQ8 also wears a redesigned front spoiler and rear diffuser, while the grille, sideview mirrors, and air intakes are accented in aluminum. Optional packages can have the window trim, bumper trim, and grille finished in gloss black, creating a more sinister appearance.
Audi also revised the layout of the Matrix LED headlights, and the Q8 will be offered with the high-tech laser lights that boost the range of the high beams. The daytime running lights on top-spec models can swap between four different lighting signatures via the infotainment screen, and the rear light bar has a simpler look and can now be had with Audi’s digital OLED lighting units.
As with the electric e-tron models, the gas-powered Q8 now displays its model name and trim level on the B-pillar. Five new wheel designs are available, measuring between 21 and 23 inches in diameter. The Q8 also gains three new colors, including the eye-catching Sakhir Gold seen here. Inside, the Q8 offers several new materials and Audi has also expanded the list of apps that work with its infotainment system, including third party apps like Spotify.
The Q8’s engines continues to be motivated by the same turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, which routes 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. The engine is also supplemented by a 48-volt hybrid-assist system that recoups energy under braking, smooths out the start-stop feature, and can allow the vehicle to coast for up to 40 seconds at a time with the engine off.
The SQ8 still packs a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that churns out a potent 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. Like the lesser Q8s, the S model uses an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, but also offers a torque-vectoring rear differential and active anti-roll bars. The Q8 continues to come with a steel spring suspension as standard, but buyers can still upgrade to adaptive air suspension and can add rear-wheel steering to make their SUV more nimble. The SQ8 gets air springs, adaptive dampers, and rear-wheel steering as standard.
The refreshed Q8 will go on sale in the United States this winter, and pricing and more detailed U.S. specifications will be available soon. Given the subtlety of the changes, we don’t expect a major price hike for the 2024 model, with the Q8 expected to start around $75,000 and the SQ8 likely to start in the high-$90,000 range.
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Associate News Editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
