Audi q8 sportback e-tron

ACTOR ROB LOWE once complained that his career suffered when he was young due to “bias against good-looking people” – a claim that probably has you reaching for the world’s smallest violin. Still, he might have had a point, because it’s easy to assume (wrongly) that style always comes at the expense of substance. With a car like the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron, for example.

You see, this electric SUV is essentially a more style-orientated version of the Q8 e-tron (which we reviewed in the February 2023 issue), swapping that model’s squared-off rear end for a coupé-like silhouette. But while this does have an impact on practicality, it also improves the car’s aerodynamics and therefore its range.

The other thing to note about the looks is that they might seem familiar, and there’s a good reason for that: the Q8 Sportback e-tron was previously sold as simply the E-tron Sportback. True, Audi’s designers have refreshed the styling, most notably at the front, where the grille now flows into the headlights, but the fundamental body shape is the same.

Other changes include tweaked suspension and a slight increase in power. However, the most significant upgrade is to the batteries, with this giving the 50 quattro and 55 quattro models official ranges of up to 295 miles and 343 miles respectively (both 31% improvements on the equivalent versions of the previous model) and the flagship SQ8 managing 290 miles (up 43% on its predecessor). In other words, the entry-level 50 quattro can go slightly farther between stops than the rival BMW iX3 and Jaguar I-Pace, and also beats the 263 miles of the equivalent BMW iX (the xDrive40). However, the 55 quattro still can’t match the pric