The roads surrounding Park City, Utah were perfect for my Formula 1 fantasy, and so was the SUV I was piloting, the 2025 Audi SQ8.
Utah is a state with idyllic beauty, and once I exited a major highway and turned onto a road that had irresistible curves and straightaways, it was on. I led the trio in a Chili Red SQ8, while two media colleagues were in tow in their SQ7’s.
As the senior member of the trio, I had to handle my business like aging F1 star Fernando Alonso. And I did. With Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen behind me, I had no choice but to utilize as much of the SQ8’s 500-horsepower V8 as my skillset allowed.
It was Grand Prix time at speeds that would have led me straight to jail if the local constables had flagged us, and I used every inch of the curvy roadways to lead the trio in an exciting jaunt that lasted more than 40 miles.
The SQ8 didn’t disappoint, as the power, coupled with the car’s legendary quattro All-Wheel Drive system with all-wheel steering, Sport adaptive Dampers, and Active Roll Stabilization keeps the SQ8 securely planted to the road, particularly in wet weather driving. Power is channeled to the quattro system via an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission.
As the previous owner of five Audi Quattro models, I can attest firsthand to the ultra-secure handling the Quattro system provides.
Q8 Performance
The SQ8 is part of a family of performance Q’s, including the Q 55 and ultra-performance RS Q8.
The RS Q8 utilizes the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 found in the SQ 8, massaged to 631 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. RS Q8’s 0-60 mph time is 3.4 seconds with a 190 mph top speed.
The RS Q8’s impressive engine is shared with the VW Group’s Audi S8, Audi RS6, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus; all mighty in their own right.
It should be noted, however, that the RS Q8 may well be the top dog of the pack, as Audi broke the track record time for its class at the famed and sometimes infamous Nürburgring course in Germany with a lap time of 7:36. Take that Porsche and Lamborghini!
Though my F1 fantasy with the SQ8 described earlier in this story was just that — a fantasy – in reality, Audi is entering the Formula 1 ranks in 2026 with the Sauber Team. Stay tuned to Pursuitist as more news develops.
SQ8/Q8 55 Updates
The Q8 is available in several trims. For the new models, significant updates were made to the Q8 55 and SQ8. Updates include a bolder design and upgraded lighting technology, revised front and rear fascias, new wheels and exterior colors, and new decorative interior inlays, along with the Audi App Store and Remote start via Audi connect technology upgrades.
Additionally, the Q8 55 and SQ8 both receive traffic sign recognition as standard. The SQ8 receives updates with the LED interior lighting package becoming standard equipment across all trim levels. Front driver and passenger seat memory and massage functions are also now standard on the Prestige trim. The SQ8 also gets two new packages: the Carbon package, and the Audi Sport Express Red stitching package. The carbon package upgrades the exterior with carbon exterior mirror housings, door inlays, and rear light cover. The Audi Sport package contains a black interior with Express red stitching along the seats, sides of the center console, and door armrests. This package also includes full red seatbelts.
All trims in the Audi Q8 family feature new bumpers, diffusers, color schemes, wheels, badging, lighting signatures, decorative interior inlays, and the updates and interior lighting and center screen themes available at the Audi App Store.
SQ8 Exterior
It doesn’t take many words to describe SQ8 styling. In fact, one word comes to mind – gorgeous. The SQ8 is wide and sits with an aggressive stance. Up front, there is a new blackened honeycomb grille, flanked by standard Matrix-design LED headlights with high beam assist.
My fully loaded test rig was equipped with the $7,000 Prestige Package, which included higher spec HD Matrix-design LED headlights with Audi laser light, among many other additional features including a comprehensive Head-Up Display. While I did not get the chance to drive the SQ8 at night, I was a front-seat passenger in one while riding to a mountain-top restaurant for dinner. The upgraded headlights provide spectacular, light-up-the-night illumination.
Along the sides, well-defined character lines and flared wheel arches that surround the optional 23” multi-spoke, bi-color wheels dominate the beautiful design. At the rear, quad smoked chrome polished exhaust tips, a tailgate spoiler and super bright OLED taillights complete the impressive design. Personally, I think the Q8 family in total, and even more so the high-performance SQ8 and RS Q8 are the best-looking Sport-Utes in the U.S. market, period.
SQ8 Interior
Even though both are built on the same platform as the Q7, all Q8s are five-passenger. If you have a basketball team in your family, then the seven-seat SQ7 is for you. Coaches Mom and Pop can man (and woman) the front row, with the starting five in rows two and three. Keep the power forwards and center in row two, and guards in row three.
As stated, my test SQ8 was outfitted with the optional Prestige Package. The package includes a head-up display, massaging front seats, heated rear seats, power second-row sunshades, and soft-close doors, among other features.
The configurable Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster is crisp and offers many information settings.
The haptic touch center control screen looks great, and all features can be updated with so-called Software Over The Air or SOTA updates. This cool tech can save you from a trip to your Audi dealer should onboard software require a tweak.
Grab the steering wheel and sit back. You are coddled in supportive ventilated sport seats, wrapped in standard Valcona leather.
My tester also had the $4,300 Luxury Package which include a black Dinamica headliner, massage and memory front seats, and extended leather trim on the dash, upper doors and armrest. Even at a Sasquatchian 6’9”, I had decent leg room and plenty of room from the top of my dome to the panoramic glass sunroof with electric sunshade.
Additional standard features include a Wi-Fi hotspot and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Bang & Olufsen audio is standard, but audiophiles should consider the uplevel $5,000 Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with stellar audio separation and tweeters that rise from the upper dash. The system features 23 speakers, 1,920 watts, and three amplifiers (powering the loudspeakers, center speaker & subwoofer)
SQ7/SQ8 Safety
Audi has always been known for its impressive safety features and high-rated crash test results. That’s why in 1992, I sold my 1978 Datsun 280Z deathtrap and bought a super safe Audi 200 quattro to bring my newborn daughter home from her birthing hospital.
As expected, the SQ7/SQ8 line is chock full of standard safety features, including many active safety features, including:
- An advanced airbag system with eight airbags
- Audi “Pre-Sense” including collision and accident avoidance features
- Lane Departure Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Warning
- Multi-mode Electronic Stability Control
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Guidance
And much more. For years I’ve encouraged readers to buy their cars based on safety. Any Audi vehicle should be considered for those seeking safe, competent cars and SUVs.
Audi “Q” Pricing
Pricing starts from $90,800 for the SQ7 and $96,600 for the SQ8.
If all-out performance is not a priority, the excellent Q7 55 quattro starts at $65,000; and the Q8 55 quattro at $65,800.
All prices are exclusive of a $1,195 Destination Charge.
