2021 Audi SQ8

The 2021 Audi SQ8 is available in 2 trims – Premium Plus and Prestige. Both trims come with 4.0 L – V8 engines and are equipped with 8-speed automatic transmission. The Premium Plus which is the base trim comes for around $89,100 while the more luxurious Prestige trim comes for around $95,000. 

The Luxury package comes for around $4,000 which includes Power rear side window sunshades and manual rear window sunshade (standard on Prestige), Black Alcantara headliner, Extended leather package—center console, door armrests and upper part of the instrument panel, Valcona leather, Front seats with massage function and Passenger seat memory function. 

You will also get an option of Black Optic package which comes for around $2,200 and includes 22" Audi Sport 5-V-spoke-star design bi-color anthracite finish wheels, Black exterior side mirror housings, Black optic exterior package (Singleframe grille mask, door blades, side window surrounds and front/rear bumper trim) and Black roof rails. You can opt for 285/40 R22 summer performance tires which are free of cost. 

An optional driver assistance package comes for $1,750 which includes Audi adaptive cruise assist with Traffic Jam Assist and Predictive Efficiency assist, Intersection Assist, Audi active lane assist with Emergency Assist and Traffic sign recognition.

Which Trim should you buy?

We recommend the Premium Plus trim as there is no difference in terms of performance between the two trims. And in day-to-day use, the features that the premium plus trim is lacking won't cause any major problems.

The 2021 Audi SQ8 gets its 500 horses from a big 4.0L Twin Turbo V8, which generates a massive torque of 568 lb.-ft. It is mated to an 8-Speed Tiptronic Automatic Transmission. The power is sent to the wheels through the proprietary Audi Quattro AWD system which also comes with a Sports differential in the SQ8. This effectively means that upto 80% power and torque can be sent to the rear wheels for sportier and livelier handling. The 2021 SQ8 is pretty fast with 0-60 coming up in just 4.3 seconds and a quarter-mile in 12.2 seconds. 

The more powerful but mechanically similar Lamborghini Urus does the 0-60MPH run in 3.2 seconds. The engine is responsive with the Turbo lag being minimal. The car shoots forward and pushes you back into the seat, as soon as you step on the pedal. The engine has a 32-valve DOHC setup with Audi valvelift system and variable valve timing system.

The Audi SQ8 produces the maximum torque figures and the Quattro AWD system along the Sports differential making it a delight to drive. Its superior refinement and on-point acceleration give it an edge over its competitors. The 2021 Cayenne GTS produces 50 fewer horses than the SQ8, manages to accelerate faster, but it is costlier by around $20,000.

How well does the 2021 Audi SQ8 handle?

Handling is the area where the 2021 SQ8 absolutely shines on its own. It handles supremely well through the corners and the car remains glued to the road. The body roll is kept well in check by the 48-volt electromechanical anti-roll bar. It practically pushes the wheels of the car in the opposite direction for better cornering and to keep the body roll to a minimum. The Audi Quattro AWD system and the sports rear differential means that you can push the car to its limits in the corners, and still come out in one piece. 

Aiding this system is the all-wheel steering system which is absolutely brilliant in one word. The proprietary Audi S-tuned Air Suspension plays a delightful dual-purpose role of agile handling in sport mode and completely ironing out bumps and undulations in comfort mode. The car serves as the perfect dual-purpose vehicle - a luxurious family-friendly vehicle in comfort mode and a sporty agile heart-wrenching beast in sport mode, to solve your cravings.

Braking Performance

The 2021 SQ8 offers good braking feedback with 15.8 inch ventilated front discs and 13.8 inch ventilated rear discs. The brakes offer superior bite with superb progression and feedback. Overall the braking performance is confidence-inspiring.

Without 60-0 figures we can say very little about how the 2021 SQ8 fares in comparison to its rivals. But it is the heaviest car in the lot. So, we expect the braking distance to be a little affected. X6 surprisingly stops well within 129 feet despite weighing 5-ton.

The 2021 SQ8 definitely comes first in the fuel economy race, and with a considerably large tank of 22.5 gallons, one can safely expect to cover a distance of around 430 miles before filling up again. The SQ8 returns an economy of 16 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway. This fuel economy is considerably good, for a car of this segment.

Though the Cayenne GTS and the SQ8 have the same engines, the Cayenne GTS gives the least MPG, though it produces considerably less power than the SQ8. But it gets a bigger fuel tank. The Jaguar on the other hand, in spite of producing the maximum amount of power, gives more MPG than the Cayenne GTS and miraculously it is the same as the SQ8.

The interiors of the 2021 SQ8 are elegant and exquisite, with considerable use of soft-touch materials and leather. The seats are sporty and are wrapped in premium quality Valcona leather. The front and rear seats are both heated and cooled. In addition, the front seats come with a massage function. The front seats are also 18-way power-adjustable with memory function. The vehicle also gets a spectacular Panoramic sunroof with a power-operated sunshade. The cabin is ultra-luxurious with a plush ride quality due to the air suspension. 

The front seats are supremely comfortable and spacious, with loads of headroom and legroom. The rear seats are also spacious, with good legroom but tall people will feel headroom to be a bit of a squeeze. The ride quality is supremely comfortable in comfort mode but the suspension stiffens up in sport mode to give an agile handling performance. The cabin also offers superiorly low NVH levels with the road and engine noise completely insulated. Negligible vibrations come into the cabin. The vehicle also gets a digital screen for the instrument cluster.

All these SUVs come with a seating capacity of 5. The X6 M50i offers a maximum amount of space in both the front and the rear. The 2021 SQ8 offers the least amount of space both in front and in the rear compared to the Jaguar F-Pace SVR and the BMW X6 M50i.

Standout Interior features:

• Upper dashboard in Leather with contrast stitching
• Valcona leather seats
• Perforated seats with heating and cooling function
• 18-way power-adjustable front seats
• Panoramic sunroof

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2021 SQ8 comes equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display infotainment system along with a split-screen MMI touch response system, which Audi calls the Virtual Cockpit. The unit features a satellite navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It comes with a premium Bang & Olufsen 19 speaker surround Audio system. The screens are intuitive to use but the lack of physical buttons makes it a bit distracting to use while driving.

Standout infotainment features:

• 12.3-inch touchscreen display infotainment system
• Bang & Olufsen 19 speaker surround Audio system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Audi Virtual Cockpit

The 2021 SQ8 has a large footprint and commands attention. With its striking LED matrix headlamps and its LED tail lamps, it really has a lot of road presence. The large front slatted grille is imposing. The vehicle gets fully functional quad exhaust pipes and 22-inch alloy wheels. The SQ8 is readily differentiated from the Q8 due to its imposing and aggressive front end. 

Most people will like the chopped roof look of the 2021 SQ8, and it makes the car much more attractive. It gives a performance-oriented sporty appeal, due to its hunkered down aggressive design. Its bold and muscular front end makes it really stand out from the crowd.

The 2021 SQ8 is not only the heaviest but also the longest and the highest car amongst the competition. It also has the longest wheelbase. But still, the BMW offers the maximum space on the inside. The Audi offers the maximum ground clearance which along with the Quattro AWD system means that the SQ8 is ready to go off-road with ease.

Standout exterior features:

• LED Matrix headlamps.
• Fully functional Quad Exhausts
• All-wheel steering
• 22" 10-V-spoke S design bi-color finish wheels
• LED taillights with dynamic turn signals
• Provision for towing bracket

The 2021 SQ8 did not get any official rating from IIHS or NHTSA. But the Q8 was awarded the 2021 Top Safety Pick award by the IIHS. The SQ8, with the same underpinnings and safety features as the Q8, is expected to fare equally well in the safety tests.

The 2021 Audi SQ8 vehicle comes with driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring system, 360-degree camera system and automatic emergency brakes (AEB). It also comes equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and traction control along with collision brake assist. 

Standout safety features:

• Adaptive cruise control
• 360-degree camera system
• Blind-spot monitoring system
• Automatic emergency braking

2021 Audi SQ8 vs 2021 BMW X6 M50i

BMW X6 M50i gives a tough fight to the Audi SQ8 especially in terms of performance. Although the BMW is almost $10,000 cheaper than the SQ8, the X6 M50i offers a bigger 4.4-liter V8 engine. The BMW also has faster acceleration and offers more gas mileage.

The space on offer in the BMW is also considerably more, an aspect where the Audi lacks significantly. But the instrument cluster and the infotainment system of the Audi with dual screens look futuristic and steals the show.

2021 Audi QS8 vs 2021 Jaguar F-Pace SVR

Jaguar F-Pace SVR is the best one in this competition. The Jaguar F-Pace SVR is not only the cheapest, but it also comes with the biggest engine in the segment, a 5-liter supercharged V8. It is also the only car in this segment that offers a supercharged engine. It also provides great gas mileage.

It also is the lightest vehicle amongst the rivals and a lot more spacious than the Audi. Along with all of these, the futuristic-looking dashboard with dual displays looks even more beautiful and hi-tech than the Audi. So, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR is the clear and outright winner here.

2021 Audi QS8 vs 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo gets the same engine as the Audi SQ8 but in a different state of tune, which makes it compromise both on power and fuel economy.

The Cayenne has better interiors, and more space than the Audi, but it definitely does not justify its $108,650 price tag, which is around $18,000 more than the ASQ8. So, in comparison to the Cayenne Turbo, the Audi SQ8 would be the better choice to go for.

Between the 2021 SQ8 and other cars in the competition, the 2021 Jaguar F-Pace SVR is a better all-around package in every other aspect and offers more value for money. It is the cheapest car amongst its rivals, which means you will be able to splurge on options and still save some money compared to the SQ8. The Jaguar F-Pace SVR makes much more power and torque than the SQ8, has more space and even has better equipment and infotainment systems than the Audi.