There are people in this world who like to be the centre of attention. They want to announce their arrival and make their presence known. Their belongings are an extension of that very personality and often equally as attention-grabbing. Be it the clothes they wear, the watches they flaunt or the cars they go around in. Now, I am not throwing shade at people who adopt this kind of lifestyle; it’s their choice, and they have a right to flaunt what they have got.

Also Read: MG Majestor Review: A Bigger, Bolder Rival to the Toyota Fortuner?

Then there are those who do like to be competitive but do not desire to flaunt their riches or skills. Their appearance might look calm and vanilla, much like a superhero roaming around in civilian clothing. But there is a lot of potential hidden inside. In the car world, there is a term for such cars – a sleeper. They look unassuming and can pass the city streets just like any other car. However, when called upon, their wild side could rival the flashiness of the flashiest customers. The Audi SQ8 belongs to this very kind. It has the kind facade of a sedate luxury SUV but the heart of a cheetah on the hunt!

Audi SQ8 Review: Exterior Design

A casual glance will make you think that this is just another Q8. After all, it shares the same silhouette and overall design. You get the same Matrix LED headlamps at the front and connected lights at the back. Sure, the massive grille looks slightly different, but it is hardly a brow-raising feature. It even looks the same in profile if you opt for the 22-inch alloys. Our review unit, in fact, had shiny silver accents around the grille and air dams, typical of luxury products. But take a closer look at the lower part of the rear, and you will find a quad exhaust setup – a precursor to the character of the engine.

Overall, the SQ8 manages to look like a smart luxury SUV that could be taken to fancy parties and business meetings, without looking out of place.

Audi SQ8 Review: Interior Space & Features

The interior is also very sedate and luxury-oriented. It looks rather similar to the Q8’s interior, and you get the same setup for the screens. The infotainment system is a 10.1-inch display that works well but misses out on wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. All the AC controls are housed in the secondary 8.6-inch screen below it. As for the 12.3-inch instrument cluster itself, I do like it, despite its somewhat dated design. I never felt like the UI was complicated or lacked any information. You can even display the map on it.

Although I will say that I did not like the Drive Mode selection buttons placed below the AC display. Their design does make them harder to press and will take some time getting used to. The major differentiator between this trim and the standard Q8 is the sportier flat-bottom steering wheel and the SQ8 badge. The feature set is somewhat dated, much like other Audi cars in India, and that is where the SQ8 suffers. You do not even get a proper ADAS suite in the SQ8. All you get is a lane departure warning, and that too is an optional extra.

The quality of the cabin and the luxury quotient are high, thanks to the abundance of soft-touch surfaces and great levels of fit and finish. The seats hold you well and will be comfortable even on longer journeys. The second row is rather accommodating, and even taller individuals will have no trouble. 

Audi SQ8 Review: Engine Specs & Performance

The engine and the drive are where things get really interesting for the SQ8. Thumb the starter, and the growl from the quad exhaust system lets you know that you are about to pilot an angry beast, so you'd better hold on tight! The SQ8 ditches the smaller 3.0-litre, V6 of the Q8 for the 4.4-litre, V8 seen in the RS Q8, albeit in a detuned state. Even after the dumbing down, Audi is giving you 500bhp and 770Nm of torque, which is more than what most people would ever need. Mind you, these figures are much closer to the RS Q8 than they are to the Q8.

If you want to test out the acceleration, you can set the SQ8 into Dynamic mode and take charge of shifting the gears manually. It will sprint from 0 to 100km/h in just a little over 4 seconds, fairly close to the claimed time. The quad exhaust I mentioned earlier has a deep rumble when idling and eggs you on with cheerful roars as you floor the A pedal. Yes, it is perhaps not as loud as the RS Q8, but it is not as mundane as some others.

What is also commendable is the SQ8’s ability to switch between a comfortable cruiser and a corner carver. In the Comfort mode, the engine becomes more tame, and the air suspension configures itself to deliver a plushier ride. The damping over bumps is generally good, although it could have been a smidge more cushy. Put the SUV into Dynamic mode, and this SUV lowers itself like a predator rearing itself before a lethal lunge, and the full force of this V8 is unleashed. Of course, it is not as planted and controlled as something like the RS Q8, but it still does a commendable job of delivering traction and giggles through the twisty bits of tarmac thanks to the 285-section rubber, all-wheel-drive system, and the rear wheel steering.

I also liked the brakes. They have a nice progression when you just want to gently shave off speed and do not exhibit the grabby nature seen in many performance cars. And when you do want to come to a halt urgently, there is plenty of bite on offer.

Audi SQ8 Review: Verdict

The SQ8, in my opinion, sits in that sweet spot of performance and luxury where it would be preferred by a lot of people. Yes, if you want the latest and greatest features in your expensive luxury, as many would, then the SQ8 sadly falls behind the competition a little bit.

Also Read: Golf GTI vs Octavia RS vs Cyberster vs M340i - Game of Thrones

However, when you look at its Rs 1.78 crore (ex-showroom) price tag in comparison to its siblings, you will realise that it sits slightly closer to the Q8 in terms of price. But it is a lot closer to the mad RS Q8 in terms of the engine specs. For those who do not have a race track in their backyard, the SQ8 makes for a more sensible pick in that regard.