Audi Q8 e-tron review

It can get a little bit complicated here: there are four trim levels to choose from, two body styles and three different powertrain options. The Q8 50 e-tron in Sport spec is the entry car, starting proceedings at £70,910 rising to £116,885 in SQ8 e-tron Vorsprung format.

You can choose from Sport, S Line, Black Edition or Vorsprung specs – the entry-level Sport is already very well equipped with 20in wheels, adaptive air suspension, all-wheel drive, LED headlights, powered boot, heated electric front seats, two-zone aircon, a 10.1in infotainment touchscreen, wireless phone charging and 360-degree parking sensors. Your dealer will tell you that won’t do but look at the residual values of e-trons and you’ll soon realise that spending more up front isn’t going to help you in the long run. You can pick up a five-year-old S-Line e-tron with less than 35k miles for under £30k.

I’M A SUCKER FOR GADGETS, WHAT DO YOU GET IN THE DIFFERENT TRIMS?

We’ll compare prices in 50 guise – the Sport starts at £70,910, while S Line (£75,910) adds some fancier exterior trim, sportier air suspension, darkened windows and 21in wheels. The £78,260 Black Edition cars come with gloss black 21in alloys and black trim around the exterior, while top-spec Vorsprung adds 22in wheels, matrix LED headlights, virtual door mirrors, a heated steering wheel and all the option packs that Audi can throw at it, reflected in the hefty £92,910 OTR cost. The ‘Sportback’ coupe version demands a £2,500 premium, even if you get a slight range boost thanks to the coupe’s more aero-friendly shape.

WHAT ABOUT ITS RIVALS?

You can’t buy new right-hook Tesla Model Xs at the moment, but Jaguar is still shifting I-Paces (from £69,995) ahead of the brand's full relaunch next year. As far as full family EV haulers go, you can buy a Kia EV9 now (from £64,245), or, if you fancy spending £100k, a Volvo EX90 before the end of 2024. For slightly less you could have the £90,560 EQE SUV (don’t, it looks like a beached whale), but the one we would be most tempted by, despite the styling, is BMWs £70,985 iX. Get past the styling and a good car lurks within.