The Q8 was Audi’s first coupe-SUV to arrive in the Indian market in early 2020 and a little over four years later it’s received a facelift. On the surface, Audi has looked to freshen things up a little with new paint finishes, tweaks to the design and a shuffle of the features as well. The kicker however is the price which at Rs 1.18 crore (ex-showroom) makes it more expensive than the old Q8 Celebration Edition but notably less expensive than the old Q8 Technology which cost Rs 1.43 crore (ex-showroom). So just what has changed? We take a look.
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The Q8 facelift arrives in India almost a year after its global debut.
The first change you will notice is to the grille up front. While the shape has remained unchanged, it now gets larger openings in the latticework and new droplet chrome detailing too, which may not appeal to everyone. The bumper too is sharper than on the outgoing model with larger side vents and a silver skid plate element. The more eagle-eyed readers will also notice that the headlamps are new as well. While retaining the shape as before the new HD Matrix LED headlamps now feature laser-assisted high beams and new configurable - four options - LED daytime running light patterns.
The Q8 looks sharper than before thanks to the updated grille and sportier bumpers; chrome detailing on grille may not be to everyone's tastes.
In profile, the wheels have changed with grey-finished 21-inch rims as standard behind which sit red brake callipers. Unlike the old Q8 Technology, buyers don’t really get many options to pick on the exterior save for the colour.
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Updated taillamps get new LED lighting patterns but miss out on the dynamic welcome function.
Round the back, the tail lamp is still a lightbar unit though unlike the old Q8 Technology it's a simpler LED unit so there’s no fancy light dance as you approach the vehicle. The bumper meanwhile has also been refreshed with the dual exhausts now tucked under the unit. And finally, there is the colour, buyers can now pick this Sakhir Gold paint finish outside of seven other subdued tones.
Grey-finished 21-inch alloy wheels are standard as are the red brake callipers.
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If you thought the changes to the exterior were subtle, the updates to the cabin are subtler still. The dashboard design is unchanged from the outgoing model and you still get swathes of piano black plastic across its fascia and the dual central touchscreens with haptic feedback. What this means that some of the older car’s shortcomings such as the plastics being a magnet for fingerprints, the need to firmly tap the touchscreens to operate functions and no physical climate controls remain. Cabin space too is very good with the gently tapered roof offering adequate headroom in the rear for a 5’10” individual and there is acres of legroom as well in the rear. A tiny downside though is that there are no USB ports in the rear of the cabin just a 12V outlet and a cigarette lighter.
Cabin design is unchanged from the outgoing model and you still get swathes of piano black trim on the dashboard and centre console.
Buyers have four upholstery options to pick from - Beige, Brown, Grey and All-Black and that ends the extent of customiseability. What however has changed are the list of features with some bits that were previously optional on the old Q8 Technology now offered as standard. Of these new features, there are three that matter the most. Four-zone climate control is now standard - compared to dual-zone previously. The rear occupants get their own climatic zones with touch controls tucked away at the end of the central floor console. Front seat occupants can also control the rear AC functions via the use of both central touchscreens - the controls themselves remain on the lower screen though the rear zone has to be selected via the upper infotainment touchscreen.
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Four-zone climate control is now standard fit; rear controls are also touch-sensitive.
The second big bit is the addition of a 360 camera which is a boon in the city given that this is an almost 5-metre-long and over 2-metre-wide SUV. Lastly, there is the upgraded Audi Park Assist Plus that offers hands-free parking functionality for both perpendicular and parallel parking as well as the ability to navigate out of parking spots.
A 360-degree camera too is now part of the package; interestingly the vehicle in the 3D display is still the pre-facelift model.
Other features on offer include powered front seats with driver seat memory, a panoramic sunroof, Audi’s crisp Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, a wireless phone charger hidden under the front centre armrest, wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, soft close doors, a powered tailgate, adaptive dampers - more on that later, auto headlamps and wipers and heated wing mirrors with a memory function. Also new is the 730W Bang & Olufsen 3D audio system - as against the pre-facelift Q8 Technology’s 1920W unit. What buyers may also miss are bits such as heated and ventilated front seats which could previously be optioned on the old Q8 Technology.
Upgraded Park Assist Plus function allows for hands-free parking as well as unparking functions..
On the safety front, Audi has again made no updates to the Q8 with the SUV continuing to offer bits such as 8 airbags, traction and stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchors and a low tyre pressure warning indicator.
On the powertrain front, again nothing has changed. The mild-hybrid 3.0-litre V6 is unchanged and scores well for useability and refinement. Performance is brisk when you put your foot down and the unit is barely audible at low rpms though some noise does make its way into the cabin the harder you revv it. As before power is sent to all-four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox and quattro four-wheel drive.
Q8 retains the V6 powertrain from before with no notable changes to performance.
What however has changed is the ride quality. Unlike the old Q8 Technology, the new Q8 facelift drops the adaptive air suspension for steel springs and adaptive dampers - similar to the Q8 Celebration Edition. However, while some might feel that the lack of air suspension to be a miss, it’s not. If anything, the ride now feels plusher with the set-up in comfort with the SUV rounding out a lot of the sharp edges of bumps despite the 21-inch rims. That said the ride quality errs on the floaty side in Comfort mode and you do feel the SUV’s body move about a bit. Dynamic stiffens things up while sharpening up the response of the powertrain but the ride is still quite well damped with most sharp edges of bumps still ironed out while also reducing the feeling of float and better control of body movement. If anything the suspension set-up in dynamic feels the best from the driver’s seat. Of-course you have other drive modes as well including off-road and Individual - the latter letting you customise the suspension, gearbox and powertrain response individually. The previously offered all-road mode is no longer available.
Old Q8 Technology's air suspension might be replaced by steel springs with adaptive dampers but ride quality seems to have imporved.
The lack of air suspension also means that the body lift function that came into play in off-road mode is no longer available. So if you do plan to take the Q8 off the beaten path a bit more care might be required.
The Q8 facelift does try to freshen things up in the segment with the updated pricing position more in line with traditional SUVs like the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5 than its couple-SUV compatriots such as the Porsche Cayenne Coupe. However, on the flip side, the Q8 does miss out on some of the customisability that was previously offered with the outgoing Q8 Technology and with the revision in equipment and changes that on the surface appear minor it might not feel fresh enough or special enough in the segment. Then there are the missing features such as ventilated seats, massage seats, a boss mode and charging ports at the rear that also detract from the package at that Rs 1 crore-plus price bracket.
The feature updates do make it easier to live with but it still misses out on some much-wanted features.
That said, the Q8 still does plenty of things right, the addition of bits like the 360-degree camera and upgraded hands-free parking functions means that the SUV is just that little bit more driver-friendly in our congested cities while the four-zone climate control will keep all occupants happy. Space still remains a strong suit and comfort if anything seems to have improved with the move to steel springs. And more importantly, it gives you that proper big luxo-barge feel that a lot of buyers in this price range look for. So if you are in the market for a big luxury SUV, the Q8 will still hold merit.
