Audi Q8 ETRON (Audi Q8 ETRON)
Price (estimated):
over NIS 550,000 for Q8-e-tron 55;
About 25,000 shekels were added to the 'Sportback'.
We liked:
electric performance, refinement and ride comfort, technology, improved handling
We didn't like:
price, ride comfort SQ8, virtual (electronic) side mirrors
For centuries, Europe's aristocracy arrived at the concert halls in luxurious horse-drawn carriages;
The only sounds heard were the neighing of the horses, the sound of hoofs, and the dull chatter of the carriages.
Towards the end of the 19th century, motorized carriages began to replace the wooden and velvet carriages;
The sound of exhausts replaced the glee of the horses, the smells of gasoline replaced the aroma of horse dung.
Only one hundred and twenty years passed, and carriages of a new type began to flood the streets of the great cities;
Eliminate the order of exhausts and cylinders, accept the hum of the electric motors, the death of the cooling blowers, the carriages?
They already know how to park themselves.
About 1,000 Itrons were sold in Israel in the last three years.
The design of the new model slightly refreshed the appearance, most of the improvements were made under the shell (photo: manufacturer's website)
Into this environment the Audi e-tron was introduced in 2018;
It was Audi's first electric car, close in dimensions to those of the senior 7Q.
The first e-tron boasted a power of about 400 hp, and a non-sensational driving range of about 300 kilometers. Four years have passed and it's time for a facelift. The renewed model has received a new nickname and is now called the Q8 e-tron. This is a mid-range facelift The life of the model and the main efforts Audi invested in improving the electrical system, minor design changes and work on the suspension and steering system.
Design:
e-tron dimensions have not changed, it is still a spacious family crossover with a length of 4.9 meters. It appears in two body configurations: a classic-utility SUV with side A relatively upright rear, and a sporty 'coupe' Sportback, with a roof that slopes backwards. The front of the roof and the nose are the same in both bodies. The Sportback is more elegant and desirable, it is also about NIS 25,000 more expensive than the SUV. It is quite a lot of money for looks, but it turns out that the Israeli audience is willing to pay for it.
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The SUV version is useful and practical, with 21-inch rims placed in the corners of the carved body (photo: manufacturer's website)
As part of the facelift, changes were made to the front grille and it looks sophisticated.
The new grill is softer than the previous one, reminiscent of a honeycomb.
Audi chose not to completely seal the nose as is customary in the segment, because the open one is better received by conservative customers.
Furthermore, the air intakes have slits that open and close as needed, to cool the battery and the power management systems.
Other minor changes have been made to the lighting units and the rear of the car, look for the differences.
21-inch rims are placed at the corners of the chassis.
The design changes helped lower the drag coefficient of the e-tron from 0.26 to 0.24;
It doesn't sound like much, but the way to big savings consists of many small savings.
The passenger cabin is luxurious and spacious, technological and well executed.
Even with your eyes closed, you'll feel like you're in an Audi car (photo: manufacturer's website)
Passenger compartment:
the interior space has hardly changed, it is pleasant, rich and technological.
Repeat customers will feel at home, with excellent human engineering and fine materials - leather, plastic and aluminum, recycled materials.
The dashboard is angular and geometric, and two touch screens of 10.1 and 8.6 inches are embedded in it.
A bright and clear 12.3-inch dashboard is placed in front of the driver.
Still, I lack physical controls to operate the air conditioner.
The launch cars were equipped with virtual side mirrors, that is - external cameras and small screens embedded in the doors.
It sounds cool but I really don't like it - the display is too low, smaller than an optical mirror, and the power of the display is not sufficient for driving under the sun.
In Israel it will be a paid option, I recommend saving this money.
The "gear" handle is a bit strange to operate, but it's easy to get used to it.
The leather seats provide lateral support to an extent that is less acceptable today, I really liked it.
In the back there is plenty of room for two adults + a compact passenger;
Even in the Sportback version with the sloping roof there is no lack of headroom for tall passengers, even though the roof is a few centimeters lower.
There is no lack of space, even in the Sportback version with the roof cut off (photo: manufacturer's website)
Trunk:
the trunk of the SUV version has a respectable volume of 569 liters, the Sportback is satisfied with 528 liters.
The trunk is wide but relatively shallow, due to its location above the battery.
Mooring hooks and a rubber net allow good utilization and security of the cargo.
The vehicle comes with a tire repair kit, in Europe it can be ordered with a reduced spare wheel.
In the bow there is an additional compartment with a volume of 62 liters, for storing the charging cables.
Equipment:
As expected from a luxury tram costing over half a million shekels, the level of equipment is very high.
The three touch screens respond to finger presses, the display is excellent, including an elite display.
There are heated front seats, charging sockets and air conditioning outlets everywhere.
The Bang & Olufsen sound system is excellent, there is also a dedicated app for entering or leaving the parking lot.
In all versions, the new Itron swallows roads quickly and comfortably.
The driving range has increased to 600 theoretical kilometers (photo: manufacturer's website)
Performance and electric range: One of the criticisms of the first e-tron was a driving range that could easily shrink to 300 kilometers or even less, forcing the driver to rely on Israel's sparse and faltering charging network.
Audi engineers attacked the problem from three directions which increased the official range by a very significant 200 kilometers: on the one hand the drag coefficient was reduced and on the other hand the batteries were increased;
The 55 model that will arrive in Israel has a battery with a volume of 114 kWh. The weight of the battery has increased by only about 7 kilograms thanks to an improved design of its structure, and the quality of the materials inside. The energy efficiency of both engines has been improved due to the transition from 12 to 14 coils; this increases the the power or the range, according to the driving style. The maximum charging speed has been increased to 170DC, allowing to reach from 10% to 80% charging in about half an hour. Home charging will take about nine hours. During the launch we were not able to test the realistic driving range, this Will wait for the local test.
In contrast to the sealed front that is accepted by other manufacturers, Audi preferred to keep a more traditional grille (photo: manufacturer's website)
The Q8-e-tron 55 has a power of 402 hp and 66.4 kg.
Acceleration from zero to 100 takes only 5.6 seconds, more than enough for a family crossover weighing 2.6 tons.
The theoretical driving range is 582 kilometers (600 km for the more aerodynamic Sportback chassis). This already allows for a relaxed trip to the north of Israel without visiting a charging station, a dubious pleasure in my personal opinion. Towards the end of 2023, the 8SQ performance version that appears only in the sporty Sportback chassis will arrive in Israel. -8SQ has a 114 kWh battery but is armed with three engines, two rear and one front.
The acceleration to 100 is shortened to only 4.5 seconds, the driving range drops to 513 official kilometers.
The entry model 50'' produces 335 hp and 6.0 seconds from zero to 100, it will not arrive in Israel in the near future.
With a realistic range of 300 km, the previous e-tron was already far from attractive in the new electric age (photo: manufacturer's website)
I started the launch drive with the intermediate model 55. It is a fast and muscular machine that accelerates you with ease, from a standstill and in intermediate accelerations.
Steep climbs are easily swallowed under the wheels and the power is released briefly and immediately, as is customary in the electric world.
There are seven driving modes for the driver to choose from, 'Dynamic' being the funnest of them all.
There are also two 'off-road' modes which I chose when cruising for short forays on dirt trails and even the occasional dune.
The 55 had no difficulty moving forward, but very quickly I returned to the safe realms of the asphalt world, where there is no danger of tearing off fenders and tearing tires.
It's not an SUV.
Switching to the sporty SQ8 e-tron added 94 hp and 33 lb-ft, cutting more than 1 second from acceleration to 100 km/h. It's impressive, it's exciting, the gearbox responses in Dynamic mode are sharp and immediate. Also The road behavior is more precise thanks to adaptive suspension and vector power transmission to the four wheels. The problem is that with speed comes increased suspension stiffness, and very sporty tires with a section of 40. Ride comfort was reasonable at the time of launch, but on Israeli asphalt? You have to be a driver with very sporty requirements to to justify the decrease in ride comfort, not to mention the difference in price - which could reach about NIS 150,000 or more, according to foreign sources.
The pointed butt gives the SQ8 a more dynamic and youthful appearance.
Three engines and an upgraded suspension system give it significant sporting ability (photo: manufacturer's website)
Safety:
With all these horses, Q8 e-tron is committed to protecting its passengers with the best of the latest technology;
Lane departure control and autonomous braking (including in reverse), adaptive cruise control, warning of a vehicle in a "dead zone", speed sign recognition, 360 degree cameras and more.
Comfort and behavior:
a lot of work has been invested in improving road behavior and driving comfort.
The entry version 55 (in regular body or sportback) wears 275/45 tires on 21 rims with a relatively low cross section but with the help of adjustable air suspensions, it manages to provide a very comfortable and controlled ride.
On roads of reasonable quality, it is comfortable, smoothly absorbs road disturbances - until you reach a particularly violent bump and the blow reaches your butt, although never violently.
The ride comfort fits the definition of a fast family car, I believe it will be sufficient on Israeli roads as well.
The acoustic insulation has been upgraded and the ride is quiet and comfortable, although you can hear the occasional engine screeching.
Cameras instead of mirrors, a complication for the sake of sophistication and the result is not convincing (photo: manufacturer's website)
Many improvements have been made to the suspension system and steering, for a sharper and more responsive behavior.
The improvement compared to the outgoing model is noticeable;
With a curb weight of 2,650 kilograms there is nothing to expect from a truly sporty car, but the performance envelope will fully satisfy the typical customer.
Body roll in sharp turns is well controlled, even sharp braking is not accompanied by a nose dive.
You don't feel the 720 kilograms of the battery stretching under your feet but it's still there, and making an impact.
In 8SQ everything is sharper and more accurate.
She's willing to dive into sharp turns, the air dampers are pre-adjusted to solve problems that haven't happened yet;
For example, the central computer continuously processes the speed data and the steering angle.
When entering a left turn, for example, within 3 hundredths of a second the computer will stiffen the right shock absorbers, in order to compensate in advance for a vehicle tilt that has not even occurred yet.
This is joined by dynamic power transmission (torque-vectoring) which transfers more power to the appropriate wheels, for even sharper steering.
It's easy to zigzag the 8SQ through a series of sharp turns, it's impressive, it's exciting, but between us - if the dynamic behavior of the '55 doesn't satisfy you and you're looking for even more sporty capabilities, you probably don't need a raised crossover weighing 2,650 kilograms - you need a car sporty little bastard...
Young customers will prefer the dynamic appearance of the Sportback chassis (photo: manufacturer's website)
Bottom line:
manufacturers are usually content with minor cosmetic changes during a mid-model-life facelift.
Audi took the opportunity to introduce more significant changes, mainly an upgrade of the electric drive system.
The engineers solved the range limitation of the first generation, added performance, refinement and indulgences in the passenger cabin.
The selection of two vehicle versions caters to conservative-practical customers, as well as to more dynamic young people.
Loading times have improved and it can be said that even if there is no revolution here, this is a worthy and desirable growth.
The problem is that, as always, prices will continue to rise;
The prices in Israel have not yet been determined, as have the equipment levels.
But considering the premium qualities of the renewed Q8-e-tron 55, it will surely leave its mark in the bubbling market segment in Israel.
In a traditional vehicle or a sportback - a matter of taste and NIS 25,000 (photo: manufacturer's website)
On the technical side: Audi Q8-e-tron 55
Engine, drive:
Two electric motors, 4x4 drive
Power/torque:
402 hp, 66.4 kg
Battery:
114 kWh
Maximum driving range:
600 km WLTP
Dimensions:
Length (meters):
4.9
Width (meters) :
1.9
Height (meters):
1.6
Wheelbase (meters):
2.9
Trunk (liters):
569 (SUV), 528 (Sportback), and another 62 liters in front Curb
weight (kg):
up to 2,650
Performance (manufacturer):
Acceleration 0-100 (seconds):
5.6
Maximum speed (km/h):
200 (electronically limited)
Outstanding equipment:
Electrified and heated seats, electric trunk opening, wireless charging, parking assistance system with 360 degree cameras, LED matrix lighting, overhead display.
Active safety:
autonomous braking, lane departure warning and correction, warning of a vehicle in a "dead zone", speed sign recognition, 360 degree cameras and more
Warranty:
3 years, or 100 thousand km
Competitors:
Mercedes EQE, BMW iX
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Tags
Audi
Q8
E TRON
electric car
electric car
Crossover