2019 Audi Q8: First impression

There is no doubt that the Audi Q8 is a very attractive car. After making a surprise visit earlier this year at the Euromobil Sdn. Bhd., Glenmarie, the SUV coupe finally made it to the Malaysian shores in the first week of March. In the local market, this car will give fierce competition to the likes of BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. With its sharp contour line and a low-slung profile, the new Q8 looked like a car one won’t be able to resist. The latest generation of the Audi Q8 is the most advanced version we have ever seen, and it is surely going to give the company’s sales figure a boom. If you too are looking for a four-wheeled luxury (that comes at a cost) or are just intrigued by its beauty, here is our first impression of the 2019 Audi Q8.

Exterior

The Q8 is a stunning piece of art and will make anyone fall in love with it. We can’t appreciate Audi’s design team enough for the striking, sporty, and dynamic design of its latest SUV. The front profile of the Q8 features HD matrix LED headlamps with dynamic light design and turn signals. Then there is the enormous trapezoidal grille with chrome trims that seem to fit the setup perfectly. And if this isn’t enough, Audi has made even the bonnet of the Q8 as sporty and muscular as possible, and with all those bold lines it only seems to hit the right chords.

Moving on, the side profile of the Q8 only adds to the appeal. Its rugged yet plush stance and a stretched out wheelbase makes this SUV coupe one of the best looking cars out there. The chrome trim around the window and prominent wheel arches enhance the premium character of the vehicle. Then comes the beautiful 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels that are wrapped in 275/50 tyres.

Moving towards the rear end, we have got large LED tail lights with dynamic turn signals. They absolutely look great, especially with connecting thing going on at the back. Also, the edgy roof spoiler and chrome tucked exhaust pipes go with the sporty nature of the car. The tailgate and the rear bumper are also very aggressive. And before we forget, the panoramic sunroof only makes the experience better. Overall, the all-new Audi Q8 features an aerodynamic design that makes it efficient and looks great.

Interior

The Q8’s cabin is loaded with luxury and comfort. Well, it's evident for a car coming from a top German automaker, however, a little appreciation is a must especially with all those efforts. Speaking of which we have the Oak Grey inlays, Valcona upholstery, front seats with 18-way power adjustment and ventilation, driver’s seat with memory function, electric sunshades, and much more. So, in short, our first impression about this car and its cabin is nothing else but ‘wow’.

Moving on to the tech front, the cockpit looks fantastic and remains prominent. The MMI infotainment system comes with MMI navigation plus. The Q8 further gets a dual screen setup, that includes a 10.1-inch upper and 8.6-inch lower touch units. Also, included in the list are Bang & Olufsen Premium sound system with 3D sound, head-up display, 4-zone automatic climate control, and Audi smartphone interface.

Engine

The 2019 Audi Q8 specs sheet under the engine configuration mentions a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged engine. This mill churns out 340 hp at 5,200-6,400 rpm and 500 Nm of torque at 1,370-4,500 rpm. As for the transmission system, it is mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic unit that sends power to all four wheels via Audi’s Quattro drive system. With this engine, the Q8 can cover 0 to 100 kmph run in 5.9 seconds. Also, the top speed is electronically limited to 250 kmph. A part of this setup is a 48-volt electrical system with a belt alternator starter and lithium-ion battery. What’s great is that during braking, this system will recover around 12 kW of power and send it to the battery. As for fuel consumption, it is rated at 11.23 kmpl.

Safety features

The Q8 is loaded with some advanced features that include Audi’s pre-sense kit that comes with collision avoidance assist, camera-based traffic sign recognition, and turn to assist. Also, added to this standard safety list are - 6 airbags that are standard across all the variants, vehicle dynamic control, traction control system, tyre pressure monitoring, Electronic Stability Control, tire pressure control, and ISOFIX.

To be frank, our first impression wasn’t really a surprise. As the car proved to what we exactly expected it to be and that’s FABULOUS.

The 2019 Audi Q8 price starts at RM 727,900 (without insurance). It is available in 5 different colors - Glacier white metallic, Dragon orange metallic, Samurai grey metallic, Galaxy blue metallic and, Cobra beige metallic.