Latest news with #Sportback
Auto Express
a day ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron review - new sexy roof, same solid EV
The Q6 e-tron comes across as Audi's most convincing electric car to date. The Sportback version gives improved EV range and a sportier shape for a modest reduction in practicality, and a £2,500 premium. The car is still very much in the familiar Audi vein - solid, secure, comfortable and classy but without necessarily entertaining the driver as much as some rivals can. Advertisement - Article continues below With its Sportback models Audi has absolutely nailed the commodification of the curvy car roofline. Right across the German brand's range customers are invited to sacrifice a couple of thousand pounds, and a little boot space, for the sleeker, coupe-like profile created when a car's roof curls gently down at the rear rather than diving abruptly off the cliff of a tailgate. The Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron is simply another variation on that popular theme. It's expected that around 20 per cent of the UK buyers going for an Audi Q6 e-tron mid-size SUV will choose a Sportback. They'll get a somewhat sexier roofline that's achieved by reworking the entire top of the car. The windscreen slopes more dramatically than on the standard Q6 SUV, facilitated by more steeply angled A-pillars. The roof itself is 37mm lower, and above the heads of the rear seat passengers it begins its gentle arch down to a subtle spoiler on the tiny boot lid. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below View XC40 View Q4 e-tron Does it look better? I'll let you be the judge. I'm not a fan of the whole coupe SUV experiment mainly because, to my eyes, the classic coupe design themes depend on a low, ground-hugging car shape to work properly. Perched atop a chunky, high-riding SUV they often look ungainly. Thousands of car buyers can't be wrong though and I will say that the Q6 Sportback is one of the better executed coupe SUV designs out there - its wide stance, powerful haunches and short overhangs helping the cause. Let's get back to a more factual analysis though. In choosing the Sportback body style, Audi Q6 e-tron buyers are paying an extra £2,500 over the standard 5-door SUV. Also in the minus column go a 15-litre reduction in boot capacity and less headroom in the cabin. Advertisement - Article continues below On the plus side, the Q6 Sportback e-tron is more aerodynamic than the SUV and that yields a maximum WLTP combined range of 334 miles in the entry-level model compared to 325 miles in the standard Q6 equivalent. How you view that trade-off will determine whether you're a Sportback kinda person or not. Once you've settled on the Sportback bodystyle there are four powertrain options to choose from. The Sport version has 249bhp while the Performance has 302bhp. Both of these cars are rear-wheel drive and the Performance model is expected to be the biggest seller in the UK. It has the larger 94.9kWh battery (the Sport's battery is 75.8kWh) and delivers the Q6's biggest driving range, a highly impressive 402 miles. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Above that are the four-wheel drive 'quattro' cars, all with the larger battery and an electric motor on each axle. The standard quattro has 383bhp and the SQ6 Sportback e-tron quattro offers 483bhp; the driving ranges are 390 miles and 367 miles respectively. Big battery models can charge at up to 260kW (225kW for the smaller battery) so you could add 164 miles to the Performance model in 10 minutes with the right charger. Audi has thoughtfully included charging sockets on both sides of the car, too. Although, only one accepts rapid charging. All the Q6 e-tron models can also achieve a temporary 30bhp boost to their max power figures by way of the standard launch control mode. Using this, and a long enough piece of road, the official 0-62mph times range between 7.6s in the Sport and 4.3s in the SQ6, so no Q6 e-tron sportback could be described as slow. Advertisement - Article continues below We tried the rear-wheel drive Performance variant and the quattro on the super-smooth roads around Munich in Germany, and the Q6 comes across as a very capable and comfortable machine in both guises. The standard air suspension mostly served-up a composed ride over undulations and absorbed what bumps there were on our test route very well. Things can get a little busy at higher speeds where the Q6 has a tendency to wiggle from side-to-side where the opposing wheels encounter different surfaces or cambers. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below There's little body roll but the high kerb weight (2,200kg in the 'lighter' Performance model) is obvious in the planted but somewhat leaden-footed feel through direction changes. We found that the steering feel is better in the Performance model, which seemed slightly less direct around the straight ahead than the quattro. This made it that bit easier to place on the motorway without constant inputs. Generally, the steering is well judged, light around town then gaining weight at speed and in corners, but with no feedback to communicate what the wheels are up to. Grip seems plentiful with no indication that the powertrain in the RWD cars has enough about it to unsettle the car in dry conditions. The quattro feels even more secure, its all-wheel drive more than cancelling out its extra power. Advertisement - Article continues below The brakes are very powerful and really inspire confidence once you get used to the stopping power. The adaptive brake energy regeneration system, that alters the level of automatic braking according to the route and driving conditions, can make the response you get when lifting off the throttle a little unpredictable, though. We found it best to select 'B' mode - which gives true one-pedal driving by gradually bringing the car to a complete stop - around town and disable adaptive braking the rest of the time. If you want to persevere with it, the strength of the braking effect can be controlled by the steering wheel paddles. Refinement is impressive, the electric motor barely ever audible from inside the car and wind noise well suppressed until you get up to autobahn speeds. There's also very little road noise other than on really rough surfaces. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below From the driver's seat of the Q6 you feel quite enclosed by the wide centre console, the high dashboard and the relatively slim windscreen aperture. There's an unusual raised lip along the bottom edge of this windscreen that compounds this letterbox effect and if you like sitting low in the car, it means you can't see the bonnet at all. That removes a useful point of reference when threading through gaps. Advertisement - Article continues below The Q6 sits above the Q4 in Audi's range but it doesn't feel significantly more spacious inside than the smaller model. It's the first Audi to use the new PPE architecture that was developed with Porsche to also underpin the electric Porsche Macan and there's definitely a sporty feel to the interior of the Sportback, thanks in part to its slim glass area. The rear bench can seat two adults and has just about enough legroom for someone six-foot tall to sit behind a similarly tall driver. There's space under the front seats for your feet but the low roof is going to put anyone tall in contact with the headlining. The middle seat is on the slim side. The boot has a 511-litre capacity and what you lose in the Sportback conversion is really just height - the floor space is the same. There's a deep storage space beneath the floor that's easily big enough for the charging cables but if you've got a full load of luggage, there's also the 64-litre frunk (part of the optional Storage Pack) under the bonnet where you could put them. Fold the seats down and there's a 1,373-litre space to make use of. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Quality is hard to fault with Audi's usual high class materials in evidence and the display screens ( an 11.9' instrument panel and a 14.5-inch touchscreen) offering crisp, clear graphics. The complex menu systems take some getting used to but there are shortcut buttons to disable the driver assistance tech and to choose the different driving modes. In terms of trim levels, the range opens with the Sport at £64,000. This has 19' wheels, sports seats, LED lighting all round and a heat pump to boost cold weather range. S line trim has 20' wheels and a load of sporty styling add-ons for £3,000 more. Then you have the fully-loaded Edition 1 for another £5,000. It gets 21' wheels and sports suspension, LED Matrix lights, and an extra touchscreen for the front passenger. Strangely, it's also the only version with electric front seat adjustment. The SQ6 flagship models only come in Edition 1 spec for over £95,000 but the other powertrain options can be had in any trim. As you can no doubt imagine, the costs mount-up quite quickly as you climb the range, but no premium electric SUV comes cheap. The closely related Porsche Macan Electric starts at £69,000 and will be a tempting alternative for Q6 e-tron Sportback customers. Otherwise the spacious Polestar 3 starts at around £70,000. Model: Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron Performance Edition 1 Price: £73,975 Powertrain: Single E-motor and 94.9kWh battery Power/torque: 302bhp / 485Nm Transmission: single-speed, rear-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.7 seconds Top speed: 130mph EV range: 402 miles Size (L/W/H): 4,771/1,965/1,665mm On sale: Now Interested in an Audi Q6? Compare deals on Audi's EV SUV and its rivals with our Find A Car service... Share this on Twitter Share this on Facebook Email Citroen is plotting a new 2CV – but the risks are huge Citroen is plotting a new 2CV – but the risks are huge We talk to Citroen bosses on plans to reboot its icon – and do they go retro or futuristic? New Kia Sportage breaks cover and it's sleeker than ever New Kia Sportage breaks cover and it's sleeker than ever Full specification and details have been announced for the UK version of Kia's big-selling mid-size SUV Best mid-size SUVs to buy 2025 - our expert pick of the top options Best mid-size SUVs to buy 2025 - our expert pick of the top options Mid-size SUVs are hugely popular in the UK, and these are the very best of the current crop Best cars & vans 4 Jun 2025
Auto Express
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Audi Q5 Sportback 2025 review: stylish looks can't hide its flaws
The Audi Q5 Sportback does nothing its predecessor didn't, and despite more tech and a nicely-judged mild-hybrid system, these good bits are offset by a cabin that's lacking in material quality and efficiency that seems at the mercy of the car's added overall weight. If you're in the market for a diesel-powered fastback SUV of this genre, then it does the job better than most; we're just getting a little bored of this type of compromised bodystyle – and the disappearance of some rivals suggest customers feel the same. Advertisement - Article continues below Only a few months after the launch of the all-new and critically important Audi Q5, we're behind the wheel of its more streamlined Sportback sibling. Unlike the first generation Sportback that was gestated well after the base SUV's launch, this time around the pair have been designed and engineered in unison. This is obvious with the new car's svelte roofline that seems more at one with the overall design. It's not often that this form of coupe/SUV mash-up looks particularly resolved, but Audi's done a great job here, despite the somewhat gawky forms on the front end. In the UK, you'll be able to specify your Q5 Sportback with one of three engine choices to begin with, made up from the four-cylinder diesel we're driving today, a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and top-spec SQ5 with a turbocharged petrol V6. There's no longer any large-capacity V6 diesel as we saw last time around, but there will soon be a plug-in hybrid model to round out the powertrain options. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below View Q5 View Q5 View Q5 View Q5 Beyond that lowered roofline, and the very slight benefit to the centre of gravity that comes with it, the Q5's chassis and interior are identical between bodystyles. In terms of the chassis tech, all are quattro all-wheel drive and have a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the SQ5 and diesel Q5 feature a 48V mild-hybrid system. This streamlines the engine's low-speed operations by powering the wheels at parking speeds and facilitating extended start-stop functionality. The e-motor's also able to help the engine out at low-rpm, giving the car a touch more pep at low speeds. Advertisement - Article continues below The example here has a few added goodies, including adaptive air suspension and 20-inch wheels, and this combination does a pretty good job of isolating bumps and feel, riding with a comfortable yet still connected feeling as Audi does so well right now. The diesel engine, however, is somewhat more lacklustre, as it's just not quite powerful enough to make short work of the new Q5 Sportback's not inconsiderable weight. With a driver on board this is now a two-tonne car, and while electric cars consistently weigh that figure or more, the strained and rather breathless 2.0-litre diesel struggles to overcome it in the way EVs generally don't. At 7.4 seconds to 62mph, it's not slow on paper, but it does feel like it's making considerable effort to hit those numbers, with a grumbly and rather unpleasant engine noise accompanying acceleration. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The gearbox is well suited to the powertrain, though, and when the engine's not called upon for hard acceleration it fades into the background unobtrisively. This would be grand if the Q5's efficiency was impressive, but we found it a challenge to keep over 38mpg on our mix of country and motorway miles, despite official figures being more like 43-46mpg. Advertisement - Article continues below In handling terms, the Q5 does a good job of finding a balance between comfort and control. As mentioned above, the combination of reasonably sized 20-inch wheels and air-springs is a good one, but we can't guarantee this would be the case on the larger 21-inch wheels or the standard passive suspension. Sit inside the Q5 Sportback and you'll note that space is fairly reasonable, with second row legroom and shoulder room no better than average, and not brilliant for the class. If you're in the market for this Sportback bodystyle this is probably of no real concern for you, but we still don't quite see the point of the restricted headroom and limited rearward visibility when the standard SUV bodystyle looks so similar. The boot is a good size below the parcel shelf at 515-litres, but that sloping roofline doesn't leave much space above it for bulkier items. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Audi's comprehensive tech layout, and its giant single pane screen, does actually work better in the high-riding Q5 than the lower-set A5 and A6 models. The view out isn't quite as restricted up front as you don't feel like there's a cliff-face of digital screen to look over. However, this also draws your attention to the fact that while the interior looks pretty fancy, in terms of build quality and materials, things have taken a backwards step – or even two… The touchpoints are fine; the steering wheel is nice and thin, the stalks and volume knob present. But there's been a pretty substantial downgrade in materials on critical elements like the air-vents, door handles, centre console stack – we could go on. This isn't something obvious on all new Audi models, as the recent petrol-powered A6 has a much finer interior, but compared to rivals – be that the usual BMW X3 or new-age models like Polestar 3 – the Q5 just doesn't cut the mustard. Advertisement - Article continues below Other bits like the gloss black plastic are quickly scratched, while the centre console's pretty horrible grey plastic trim and the unfinished plastics around the base of the windscreen are just not good enough for a car that starts at over £50,000 and can extend right up to £80,000. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The digital interfaces also have their compromises, as while big, we found the main touchscreen a little tricky to use when diving deeper into its capabilities. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but you'll still need to exit the system in order to complete more complex climate or driver safety changes. The good news is the annoying ADAS systems are easily de-selectable. The driver's display also lacks personalisation, as the Virtual Cockpit's ability to show a full map display is no longer available – instead you're left with a collection of fine white-on-black lines that make up the rev counter or speedometer, with the bulk of the digital space left solely for, well we're not really sure. The Q5 is not by any means a bad car, and the technology and powertrains on board are good. But, the standards to which this Audi's cabin is both packaged and built is not quite good enough to suggest it as a stand-out against its rivals – whether they have a sloping roofline or not. Model: Audi Q5 Sportback TDI Quattro Price: £58,160 Powertrain: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo diesel, plus 48V mild hybrid Power/torque: 200bhp/400Nm Transmission: 7-speed auto, all-wheel drive 0-62mph: 7.4 seconds Top speed: 140mph Economy/CO2: 43.8-46.3mpg/169-160g/km Size (L/W/H): 4,417/1,900/1,619mm On sale: Now Share this on Twitter Share this on Facebook Email Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales Is pressure from retailers and car makers finally cutting through with ministers? Mazda has killed off the electric MX-30, and we can't say we're surprised Mazda has killed off the electric MX-30, and we can't say we're surprised The MX-30 EV has been axed, but the Japanese brand will have another crack next year when it launches the all-new Mazda 6e saloon Car Deal of the Day: this Tesla Model 3 won't break the bank at £271 a month Car Deal of the Day: this Tesla Model 3 won't break the bank at £271 a month Tesla's Model 3 is a global best-seller – but it doesn't cost the earth to bag one. It's our Deal of the Day for 23 May
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Audi Hints at a Gloomy 2025
Audi reveals 2024 production and financial figures, painting a picture of a notable decline compared to the prior year. The automaker's closure of a Brussels, Belgium, plant early in 2025 came after a historic realignment by the VW Group and its labor unions in late 2024. Audi expects 2025 to be a "difficult financial year," citing a challenging and uncertain business environment. Audi endured a challenging 2024, which saw something rare for the marque and for Europe's auto industry as a whole: plans for the closure of a factory. The Brussels, Belgium, plant that built the Q8 e-tron and its Sportback twin was shuttered at the end of February, with Audi having been unable to find a buyer for the complicated site. The automaker had blamed a global decline in orders for the large electric model throughout 2024, but the location of the plant near the city center had also played a role, making retooling for a different model prohibitively expensive. After considering all the options, Audi made the decision to close the plant last December, just as the VW Group wrapped up a historic round of reorganization on a scale not seen for the Group in decades. "Global economic changes and intensified international competition are posing major challenges to Audi and the industry as a whole," said Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. "We are facing this reality with the courage to break new ground and with confidence in our traditional strengths." Audi now says that 2025 might be equally tough, with the automaker forecasting weaker overall growth than in the previous 12 months. "Audi expects 2025 to be another difficult financial year in what will continue to be a volatile and challenging environment," the automaker said in recapping its 2024 results. Vehicle deliveries fell from 1,895,240 in 2023, to 1,671,218 in 2024 for the Audi brand. Operating profit dropped from €6.2 billion to €3.9 billion ($6.7 billion to $4.2 billion) over the same time period for the Audi Group, which also includes Bentley, Lamborghini, and Ducati, seeing one of the sharpest drops in recent memory. 'Amid a difficult environment with intensified competition and a sluggish economy, we kept Audi on track in 2024 and closed out the year on financially sound footing,' said CFO Jürgen Rittersberger. 'However, we still have a tough road ahead of us." But Audi has new models on the way, with the automaker sketching out the outlines of the next two years when it comes to its global plans. The A6 e-tron is on the way stateside later this year, as part of a larger product offensive. In all, the automaker is on track to launch 20 new models over the course of 2024 and 2025, with half of them being battery-electric models. The US market in particular will see 10 new models between the start of the year and through the end of 2026, including a new A6, as well as new A5 and Q5 models. When it comes to its offerings in China—the single largest EV market by a comfortable margin—Audi recently kicked off production of the Audi Q6L e-tron along with longtime partner FAW, with more models on the way. "We are also placing special emphasis on our positioning in the core markets of China and North America," Döllner added. "At the same time, we are working intently on creating more efficient structures throughout the entire company, with a view to getting innovations onto the road faster." Audi is also one of the automakers expected to be affected the most by the new tariffs aimed at imported vehicles in the US, as Audi almost no North American manufacturing presence. The only exception is the Q5, which is built in Mexico. A handful of others are built outside Germany, including the Q7 and Q8 that are produced in Slovakia. The new tariffs, if they enter into force and remain so for the rest of the year, will certainly affect Audi and its corporate parent's 2025 financial results in the US, though the effect on consumers and sales volumes has yet to be fully gauged. Will tariffs on imported models produced by German automakers make a severe dent in the companies' US sales, or will the buyers of those models not be dissuaded much as they were pricey to begin with? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Audi A5 replaces A4: So, what's changed?
Until now, the A4 was a rather upright, solid, sensible sedan, while the A5 was its sleeker, sportier, sexier sibling. Going forward, Audi is signifying powertrains by model numbers. So, odd-numbered vehicles are powered by petroleum, while even-numbered models get their juice from electrons. So, the future A4 will be battery-powered. If you want a new petrol-powered A4, it's now called the A5 and comes solely as a slick four-door hatchback, or Sportback in Audi marketing nomenclature. That said, Audi is calling it a sedan. Notably, the fun A5s offered last year, namely the coupe and cabriolet, are dead. The 2025 Audi A5 is the first to use Audi's new Premium Platform Combustion architecture, one designed for internal-combustion models. As a result, the 2025 A5 is now 2.6 inches longer, and marginally wider and taller than last year thanks to its 3.1-inch longer wheelbase, which allows for a far more graceful proportion than the old A4. But being that the 2025 A5 replaces the A4, its sloping backlight isn't as radical as last year's Sportback. Practical considerations, such as rear seat headroom, take more precedent over style. Otherwise, the overall design looks much as it did before, buffed to a sleeker appearance. The front end has been revised, including a redesigned grille. The lighting looks much as it did before, and is composed of OLEDs with Daytime Running Lights being configurable in a choice of patterns. You'll find OLEDs in the taillamps as well, although they're not configurable. If any critique can be made, it's the lack of change in most Audi design, even when a design is all-new. Certainly, the changes are subtle, which plays well to its existing clientele, but one supposes that does little to draw in new customers. The biggest change inside the cabin is the massive curved piece of glass that Audi calls the Digital Stage. It houses three screens: an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.5-inch infotainment/climate control splay and a 10.9-inch display for the front-seat passenger. It's a far cry from the humble, if adequate, 10.1-inch touchscreen in the 2024 A4. Otherwise, the interior finishes will feel and look familiar. And while the seating has the luxury cliché of diamond stitching, there's more rear seat room than in the A4, thanks to the A5's longer wheelbase. Cargo room is generous, at 26 cubic feet. Given the shrinking demand for sedans overall, Audi was smart to combine the A4 sedan and A5 Sportback into a single model. Certainly, the loss of the A5's coupe and cabriolet models will be mourned, but the A5 looks to be a far better design than the outgoing A4, the A5 having retained some of the sleek genetics it was previously endowed with. While the fresh design is welcome, there's little that's new or dramatically different from what has come before. Although it's a beautiful car, designers did little to stretch the envelope stylistically, reflecting Audi's conservative, sleek approach.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback review: Saying goodbye
Over the years, we've seen the e-tron grow up, graduating from 'EV newcomer' to an established player. What was once a standalone model has now evolved into multiple iterations to suit different tastes. But we're here for the Q8 e-tron's sleeker, quicker-ish Sportback sibling, one that trades practicality for coupe-like curves with just the right amount of futuristic flair. With a 'measly' 402 horsepower to spare and 300 miles of range, it's not exactly a Tesla slayer, but it's more about poise than punch. Inside, it's typical Audi understated luxury that's precisely engineered to please. For pricing, though, it's premium but not outrageous, starting at a strong $77,600 and climbing past the $90,000 territory if you're feeling a bit adventurous with the options the floor, the Q8 e-tron Sportback hides a dual-motor setup with electric motors positioned on either axle. Combined, these motors generate a respectable 402 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque, routed through a rear-drive biased e-quattro AWD drivetrain. That's enough power to propel this 5,800-pound from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds before it hits the limiter at 124 mph. So, while not Tesla-Model-Y-Performance-quick, the Q8 e-tron delivers ample punch for confident merging and spirited cruising. Economy-wise, things look decent. EPA estimates peg the range of the Q8 e-tron Sportback with the 'Ultra Package' at 300 miles on a full charge, which puts it up against the likes of the Mercedes EQE and Model X. However, during my testing, the maximum range I was able to muster was around 250 miles of real-world driving. Luckily, the Q8 e-tron supports DC fast-charging capabilities at up to 170 kWh, enough for a 10 – 80% charge in roughly 31 adaptive air suspension soaks up road imperfections well, keeping things serene inside. However, despite its 'Sportback' name, the handling isn't nearly as sharp as you'd expect. There's noticeable body roll through corners, and performance is lacking compared to its rivals. Steering is quick, but it doesn't do much to mask the SUV's heft, making it clear this is more about comfort than agility. Inside, the Q8 e-tron Sportback leans into understated luxury with a focus on clean design and attention to detail. Rather than relying on flashy gimmicks or oversized touchscreen displays, the cabin maintains a refined and uncluttered layout, staying true to Audi's signature approach. The quality of materials remains up to the mark, with soft-touch, supple Valcona leather upholstery, and tasteful metal accents making the cabin look premium, all the while futuristic. For eco-conscious buyers, Audi offers optional sustainable materials like Dinamica, ensuring no cows are harmed in the process. The dual MMI touchscreens handle both infotainment and climate control, and while they're responsive and easy to use, they don't exactly impress. The tech feels a bit dated compared to newer systems, but it gets the job done without frustration. The upper 10.1-inch display provides access to sat-nav, Bluetooth, and a Bang & Olufsen 3D surround sound system that's truly the 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus behind the wheel delivers crisp, customizable visuals for range, navigation, and other key driver information. It's all functional and well-integrated, even if it doesn't wow you. Having wireless Android Auto is a welcome touch. The Q8 e-tron comes standard with 8-way powered seats (upgradable to ventilated and massaging seats), which – paired with the cabin's triple-pane acoustic glass – are perfect for long commutes or cross-country getaways. Amongst EVs that either look like they're part of a sci-fi movie or a Picasso painting gone rogue *coughs* BMW iX *coughs*, the Q8 e-tron Sportback avoids both extremes, striking a balance between contemporary sophistication and understated elegance. Up front sits a reworked singleframe grille that's accented by a new light bar running across the top for visual drama. Speaking of visuals, the LED Matrix headlamps (upgradable to Digital Matrix LEDs) position on the flanks, projecting patterns and guide beams to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. Swing around the side, and the Sportback's sleek, coupe-ish roofline comes into the picture, flowing effortlessly into its tapered rear for the sporty stance it so deserves. Also on the sides are contoured wheel arches that house wheels of up to 22 inches, with aero-optimized designs that not only look the part but also play it. Meanwhile, redesigned LED taillights – now with animated sequences and customizable patterns – run across the car's rear profile, creating a light show that's sure to impress. A subtle rear spoiler completes the aerodynamic package, enhancing high-speed stability but also aerodynamic for the 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback begin at a strong $77,600 for the base models and go all the way up to $92,600 for the range-topping Prestige trim with all the bells and whistles. In contrast, the Q8 e-tron is squarely in the crosshairs of competitors like the Tesla Model X (fetching $81,630) and the BMW iX xDrive50 (retailing $87,250 base), both of which boast better acceleration and accumulate higher range numbers. The Q8 e-tron lineup is perfectly fine, but it doesn't exactly excel as an electric vehicle. It struggles to match the performance or range of key rivals, doesn't offer any standout tech advantages, and its slower charging speeds make long-distance travel more of a hassle than it should be. While the interior is undeniably well-crafted, there's little to make the Q8 e-tron a truly compelling choice in a competitive EV market. That said, Audi has already decided to pull the plug, with production set to end on February 28, 2025.
