Audi Q8 e-tron - Practicality, comfort and boot space

By avoiding a seven-seat option, Audi has maximised the available space inside the Q8 e-tron’s cabin; despite the fact the Audi’s wheelbase is shorter than both the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X’s, there is plenty of room for adults to get comfortable. 

Interior storage is good, with a big central cubby between the front seats. However, while this bin is a decent size, things can fall out and down the sides of the seats, which could prove frustrating over time. The door bins in the front and rear are substantial, and can handle storing drink bottles as well as your other odds and ends. There are three ISOFIX points in the cabin: one on the front passenger seat and two in the rear, which are very easy to access behind their removable plastic covers.

The big boot may have shrunk slightly when the large electric SUV was facelifted, but there’s still loads of space for luggage, and you get a 60-litre storage space or ‘frunk’ under the bonnet that’s ideal for charging cables, as well as any other bits and bobs.

Size

At 4,915mm long, the Audi Q8 e-tron is 233mm longer than a Jaguar I-Pace, but 121mm shorter than a Tesla Model X. However, it is narrower than both, which should make it slightly easier to park on congested city streets. The Q8 e-tron Sportback is identical in length, but its swooping 1,619mm high roof line is 14mm lower than the non-Sportback.

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For comparison, those dimensions make it longer than an Audi Q5 (4,663mm) but shorter than a Q7 (5,052mm). The Q8 e-tron’s ride height is adjustable by up to 76mm, making it easy to get in and out of and giving it some mild off-road ability.

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Leg room, head room & passenger space

The Audi Q8 e-tron is a spacious family SUV. By avoiding the temptation to fit an extra pair of seats in the boot, the engineers and designers have managed to maximise space in the second row to ensure even tall adults can get comfortable.

There’s loads of head and legroom in the rear, and you can fit three across the back for short journeys. Of course,  there’s more than enough adjustment in the seats for both driver and passenger, with decent visibility for all.   

When we tested the Q8 e-tron back-to-back with the Genesis GV70 Electrified, we took our own measurements of both cars, showing that the Audi offers significantly more head room (from the seat base to the ceiling) and elbow room (from door to door) in the back seats. knee room is similar, however.  

Boot

Before it was facelifted, the Audi e-tron offered an extremely generous 660 litres of boot space. However, that’s shrunk down to 569 litres for the Q8 e-tron, but don’t let that put you off. The Q8 e-tron (in standard form) boasts more cargo space than the mere 500 litres you get in the BMW iX or the 557 litres in the Jaguar I-Pace. Fold the rear seats down, and the Q8 e-tron gives you a whopping 1,637 litres to play with, which is substantially more than you can cram into a Jaguar I-Pace.

If practicality isn’t your top priority, the more coupe-like Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback gets 528 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place and 1,567 litres if you fold the back seats down.

Our own measurements of the Q8 e-tron boot space compared to the Genesis GV70 Electrified show the Audi narrowly winning on boot length and width but with a slightly higher loading lip.

Towing

The Audi Q8 e-tron has a maximum towing weight of 1,800kg, which is fairly impressive in isolation. However, it can’t compete with rivals like the Tesla Model X or BMW iX that can haul well over 2,000kg, while a diesel Audi Q5’s 2,500kg towing capacity trumps the lot.