Hands on with the 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

We take the new 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron out for a spin in the Mile High City and find out why a few tiny changes make it far better than ever.

New name, a bigger battery, and better on-road skills.

The vehicle that one chooses as their daily driver can say a lot about them. Sometimes that choice can make it very clear to folks what one prioritizes. For example, folks running around in jacked-up pickups probably like to off-road and those in Mazda Miatas probably appreciate pure inexpensive driving pleasure. The 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron is a suitable update from the 2023 model, simply named e-tron, and will speak to those drivers looking for subtle but strong competent on-road manners.

The Audi Q8 e-tron starts at $74,400 and offers drivers the chance to pilot their car in almost complete anonymity aside from a clear appreciation for quality. It doesn’t scream to others what it’s about and frankly, we bet most wouldn’t know it was electric.

For 2024, this four-door hatchback-style SUV has a bigger battery, more range, and an updated set of suspension components that make it an all-around smash hit. Here are the big details you need to know about.

More Miles For Smiles

The entire Q8 e-tron lineup gets a new 106 kWh battery pack with a maximum charging speed of up to 170 kW. That’s a significant increase over the 2023 version, which could only charge at 150 kW and had an 86.5 kWh battery. Now, the maximum range is up to 285 miles instead of the 226 from last year.

Those are big improvements that put the Q8 e-tron firmly in position to take market share from companies like Tesla and Jaguar while keeping smaller brands like Fisker from gaining much, to begin with. It also means that those who can charge at home are even less likely to need the use of public charging stations.

In addition to those underlying changes that add range to the Q8 e-tron, it has a few defining exterior features too. The grille is now a single frame with an updated front bumper too. Audi is also debuting a number of new aerodynamic wheelsets that weren’t available last year. Combined, these changes make for a six percent reduction in drag which also contributes to improved range figures.

It’s a Bit Like a Starship

Slipping into the Q8 e-tron is as easy as getting into just about any car could be, but the experience feels very futuristic. The gear lever is blocky and slides forward and back in a way that feels more like this thing should be called the Enterprise-A(udi).

The digital gauge cluster and central infotainment system contribute to that factor too. In fact, the infotainment system utilizes haptic feedback to let you know you’ve done something despite the fact that it’s still a touchscreen. What’s really interesting is the driving experience though.

This isn’t an EV on the same power level as something like Tesla’s Model S Plaid. The two motors in the Q8 e-tron combine to make 402 hp and 490 lb-ft of torque. From a standstill, this near-three-ton SUV can reach 60 mph in just over five seconds. That’s not shockingly fast in this segment but we won’t fault it because Audi has a different trick up its sleeve.

Focused on Diveability

The company long known for its shockingly great Quattro AWD system made this very heavy vehicle handle as though it weighs a lot less than it does. Point the nose of the Q8 e-tron into a corner and it’ll follow without contest. The steering wheel provides exceptional feedback too so it’s easy to pick a line and follow it even at the edges of grip.

That ability comes mostly from updated front-end parts that Audi included specifically on the 2024 Q8 e-tron. They include new control arm bushings and a quicker steering rack. In addition, Audi re-tuned the chassis control systems for sharper reactions and a better on-center feel through the steering wheel itself. As a sum of many parts and changes, the 2024 Q8 e-tron is a marked improvement in performance, practicality, and styling.