The Q7 has been a terrific success for Audi. Big, powerful, capable of carrying seven people in comfort over a colossal distance and, if you go steadily, you can get mid-30s mpg as long as you go for the diesel engine. Yes, heading for the black pump is still on the agenda at Audi. Petrol power is available too.

However, although the Q7 has a brutish yet handsome silhouette, perhaps you’d like a bit more style - like this SQ8 for example.

When it comes to big, coupé SUV machinery, you’d probably say that the SQ8 and the Porsche Cayenne Coupé are two of the most desirable. You could also point to the fact that they’re both extremely polished performers, which is not surprising because they’re both owned by Volkswagen and both use the same engine, although in different states of tuning. You could also chuck something like the BMW X6, Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Mercedes GLE into the equation as well.  

As a head-turner though, the SQ8 certainly looks the part - although it’s probably one of those cars that looks better in certain colours. The one you see here is the one I tested and its paint job is called Sakhir Gold. Erm, I’d prefer to call it Sandstone or maybe just plain old Sand. Anyway, I wish it had been one of the other colours in the Audi palette.

Perhaps you may like it. There’s no accounting for taste!

Forgetting all that, once you’re inside, you are in for a treat because the seats, fascia and equipment are stunning. More about all of that shortly.

Under the bonnet, if you were looking for some additional power over the normal Q8, then you’ve got it. How does a V8 500 bhp 4.0-litre petrol engine sound?

What all of that power means is that you get a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. For the record, Audi reckons you’ll get 23 mpg, but let’s face it, if you can afford the asking price of £93,925, I suspect that the mpg figures will be of little interest to you. If you enjoy a brisk manner of driving, your mpg will be mid-teens. If you go steadily, the engine management system shuts off four of its cylinders to help with the economy. Oh, and if you are fortunate enough to choose the Audi SQ8 as your company car, you’ll find that it sits in the top band of company car tax.

I spent a lot of time driving the SQ8 with the driver’s window slightly open. It’s not because I’m a fresh air fanatic, I just wanted to hear the lovely sound of the V8 engine. Audi has actually done too much of a good job when it comes to sound insulation because in normal circumstances you can hardly hear it which is something of a pity. Other folk will appreciate it though and put it this way, at a steady motorway cruise you ride along in near silence with only a distant bit of tyre rumble.  

As you can see from the performance figures, this is a seriously quick machine. And yes, it can handle the power. You can hustle the SQ8 along a twisty road with very little roll and of course, the Quattro all-wheel drive contributes massively to the road holding as does the rear-wheel steering. If you go for the top-spec Vorsprung model you also get active roll bars which just about eliminates body roll completely. The 8-speed auto ’box is slick with barely perceptible changes. It’s a remarkably simple car to drive quickly when the conditions allow. It’s also supremely comfortable. Only the most lumpy roads cause the air suspension to get flustered. The Sport suspension mode stiffens things, but the car still stays remarkably poised.

A quick bit of praise also for the seats and the seating position. A lot of drivers in SUVs enjoy a high-ish seating position because it makes it easier to place the car on tight roads or when parking. Others prefer a lower, sporty position. Too many cars won’t let you do both. The Audi SQ8 will. The heated and ventilated quilted leather seats look wonderful and are super comfy too.

As for equipment, you get everything you could possibly need or want. The 12.3-inch driver display is terrific, clear and easy to personalise. The centre of the fascia is dominated by a 10-inch infotainment screen. It looks the part and when you press the button icons, you get a haptic feedback so at least you know that you’ve done something. However, as with all of these screens, you need to take your eyes off the road to prod your finger in the right direction. There’s also another screen situated just in front of the gear selector which adjusts the air conditioning. It’s easier to prod because you can rest your wrist on top of the gear lever.  

One bit of kit I loved was the matrix headlights. They’re brilliant in every sense of the word.

As with all of the Audis I’ve driven over the last few years, the build quality is outstanding. Everything feels and looks top-notch and to be honest, it’s not far behind the sort of quality you’d get in a Bentley which, incidentally, is also part of the Volkswagen group.

If you want to sacrifice some style for extra room but want to keep the performance, go for the SQ7. If you want a coupé SUV which will easily seat five adults and carry all of their luggage, it’s hard to think of a better continental express than the Audi SQ8. A blast to the South of France suddenly becomes very tempting.  

Words: Graham Courtney
Pictures: Audi