Audi Q8 e-tron review - Reliability and safety
Audi usually fares pretty well for reliability and safety, and given the Q8 e-tron is fully electric we expect this trend to continue
Although the Audi Q8 e-tron (formerly the Audi e-tron) was the German brand’s first all-electric production model, Audi’s reputation precedes it – so we’ve few reservations in recommending the flagship SUV from a dependability point of view.
That said, the highest placed Audi in our 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey was the second-generation Q3, finishing only 43rd out of 75 cars, although various Volkswagen Group models can be found further up the list – the fifth-placed Skoda Kodiaq and the 10th-placed SEAT Ateca in particular. What’s more, Audi only finished 22nd in the best manufacturer rankings, well behind rivals Volvo, Jaguar and BMW, but one position ahead of Mercedes.
With regards to safety, the Q8 e-tron should prove a tough family car. The pre-facelift model achieved the maximum five-star crash safety rating from industry experts Euro NCAP in 2019, and every model is fitted with Audi Pre-sense Front and Basic, lane departure warning, cruise control with a speed limiter, camera-based traffic sign recognition, a reversing camera, parking sensors all round and a host of airbags.
Top-of-the-range cars also come with adaptive cruise, swerve assist and cross-traffic alert, among additional safety kit, that are included in the optional Tour Pack and the City Assist Pack.
Warranty
As with any new Audi, the Q8 e-tron comes with a three-year/60,000-mile manufacturer warranty. Extended warranties are available for both the Q8 e-tron and the Q8 e-tron Sportback, priced at £635 for the four-year/75,000-mile warranty, and £1,670 for five years/90,000 miles of coverage.
Q8 e-tron owners also benefit from an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty, which matches Jaguar I-Pace’s powerpack coverage. Teslas get an eight-year/unlimited mileage battery warranty, however.
Servicing
The Audi Q8 e-tron only needs to be serviced once every two years or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first. To make life easier, Audi has three service plans available for the Q8 e-tron, offering different levels of attention according to how far owners are likely to travel.
A basic ‘Level 1’ package with a single service costs £399 up front or £33.25 per month over twelve months, while a two-service Level 2 is £785 or £32.71 per month, and Level 3, which also includes two MOTs for the third and fourth years of ownership, is £880 or £36.67 per month.
