2022 Audi Q8

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Review

There are flagship models, flagship performance cars, and flagship SUVs. Interestingly enough the kind of people that shop for each kind of flagship model tend to overlap between segments – after all, if you want the best of everything, you can’t really avoid going for the top of the line product. The Audi Q8 represents the flagship of the Audi Q SUV range, being the largest and most complex product available.

If you’ve followed Audi’s naming convention by now, you would be familiar with the fact that the Audi Q8 is essentially a coupe SUV variant of the Audi Q7 – that is, with a more tapering roofline. However, unlike other coupe SUV offerings by other manufacturers, Audi manages to execute in such a way that the taper feels more natural and less as though it was an afterthought.

There are plenty of different powertrain options available for the Audi Q8 – but we are limited to all but one option in Malaysia. Diesel powertrains are lost on our market, even though they would be the ideal practical choice for a workhorse that you had to use every day. Globally, the Audi Q8 was launched back in 2018, with the local launch in March of 2019.

Audi’s presence in Malaysia hasn’t been particularly large, though their commitment over the last few years has been to expand the range of products on offer to the Malaysian market. As a result you can buy quite nearly any Audi product, including a number of the RS models, though your purchase may be on an order basis and there may not be models available for viewing.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Specifications

The singular variant of the Audi Q8 available in Malaysia comes with the 3.0 TFSI powertrain – essentially a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that succeeded the supercharged 3.0-litre petrol engines which were common in generations past. The output in this state of tune is 340 hp and 500 Nm of torque, with power being split across all four wheels through and eight-speed conventional automatic transmission.

While “hybrid” may be included in the powertrain description, it’s important to note that the system is a mild hybrid system and provides additional torque on demand as well as helping to start off from a dead stop. It doesn’t allow one to drive the Audi Q8 purely on electric power, though a system like that would add a fair amount of weight and complexity to an already heavy and complex car.

quattro (note the lower case) is also present here as you would expect on any Audi product above their entry level models. The system here isn’t as performance oriented as in RS models, but it certainly has come a long way from its rudimentary beginnings. Torque split between the front and rear axles can be done quickly and efficiently, maximizing traction in adverse conditions – the worst of which in Malaysia being heavy rain, which it dispatches with efficiently.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Exterior

The styling of the Audi Q8 is very clearly dominated by the extremely large front grille – a signature of modern Audi products though not limited to this particular brand as all cars are heading in this direction. This generation of Audi products has adopted the liberal use of straight edges and creases, and the motifs even extend to headlight and tail light design, with straight edges making the Audi Q8 look far more futuristic.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Interior

While there are additional interior packages for the Audi Q8, even without the accoutrements you have a decent modern layout with the infotainment embedded in the middle of the dashboard rather than floating atop it. The seat materials are Valcona Leather, with decorative inlays in Gray Oak. A panoramic sunroof also helps to let light in and make for a roomier experience.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Safety Features

There isn’t much highlighting when it comes to Audi’s advanced driver assistance systems, though one can be assured that they’re definitely present. As part of the Audi Q8’s standard list of safety items, you get things like lane departure warning, forward collision warning with brake mitigation, and rear cross traffic assist. These are the bread and butter of any advanced safety system package for a car on the market.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

There’s absolutely no doubt that when you buy a flagship product, you get the best of what a company has to offer – and the Audi Q8 is definitely an example of this. The only issue is that Audi is lagging a little behind the competition in terms of the actual components that they implement in their products – they’re high quality by any measure, but definitely not as technologically advanced as you may find in other options.

That being said, there’s something that just feels right when it comes to Audi SUVs. They were one of the latest to the market in developing luxury SUVs, but they managed to crack the formula with producing a luxury SUV that feels incredibly premium when on the move, striking a balance between comfort and agility.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Price

Pricing for the Audi Q8 starts are RM 752,652.05 for the 3.0 TFSI variant – which also happens to be the sole variant on offer for the Malaysian market. There are a number of additional packages that you can purchase as options on top of this price, which has become the common approach when buying a new Audi product.

These packages include both technological and convenience features. Door entrance LED projectors lights alone will cost you RM 2,968.22, sport adaptive air suspension will set you back RM 3,719.01, an additional air quality package adds on RM 5,587.24, the Audi pre-sense rear package costs RM 8,066.58 – and these are just the items that sit under four digits.

The larger wheel and tyre package will cost you RM 19,834.71, while upper and lower interior elements in leather and a comfort armrest can be yours for RM 29,629.84. The most expensive package is the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with 3D sound that costs a staggering RM 65,702.48. In total, if you selected every option on the order form you will see your purchase price rise by over RM 100,000.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Features

There are plenty of features that the Audi Q8 comes loaded with from factory – with the RM 65,000 sound system being an exception of course. Buyers will get Matrix LED headlamps and LED rear combination tail lamps, as well as electrically adjustable front seats with four-way lumbar support and ventilation, four-zone climate control, electric soft door closing, electric sun shades, and regular adaptive air suspension.

Audi Q8 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

The manufacturer quoted fuel consumption for the Audi Q8 is around 8.9 litres per 100 kilometresm which translates to around 11 kilometres per litre. It’s important to bear in mind that this figure is heavily dependent on your driving style, as is the case with nearly all turbocharged engines. If you manage to be light with the accelerator and don’t sustain high speeds for long you could possibly even top this figure, but spend a lot of time in stop-start traffic or drive spiritedly and you’ll find that fuel efficiency dropping quite drastically.