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Balance. It separates a good car from a great car. Unfortunately, balance has become less of a priority in the modern motoring world, often replaced with more affordable universal platforms and fatter profit margins. But a few brands still understand what it takes to make a well-balanced car, and Audi, as quiet as they may have been lately, has reminded me of what it takes to make a worthy premium car, and it's clear that balance is in its DNA.
When it comes to performance SUVs, the formula for a good car is arguably more difficult to achieve. It needs to retain a comfortable ride quality without compromising the car's cornering ability with soft suspension. It needs to be family-focused, or, in other words, spacious and comfortable, and it has to handle like it doesn't weigh two tonnes. Audi's latest product is one of the best examples of a well-balanced performance SUV, and it's wrapped up in the Audi SQ8 Black Edition package.
You may have noticed that I haven’t touched too much on the interior. Well, that’s mostly due to the lack of changes compared to the outgoing model. Yes, the screen appears to be a little old, but it's smooth and fast, allowing for simple phone integration while also maintaining a clean aesthetic without taking up the entire dash. Audi has also continued to use its third screen for climate control functions, which not only adds a more premium look to the cabin but is also easy to use. It's clear that Audi put particular emphasis on ensuring this car retains its premium and luxury feel, and the results are close to perfect.
I have had the pleasure of taming a number of performance SUVs over the years, and the same issue continues to show its face. Most manufacturers are used to slapping their performance formulas on saloons and calling it a day, and for the most part, it works. When this same mindset is applied to an SUV, the result is often an overly firm ride quality to mimic sedan-like handling, or it goes the other way, resulting in a top-heavy and slightly passive driving experience. But the SQ8? It's balanced and planted and offers a near-unmatched feel.
On the open road, the comfort setting provides an experience I would expect in a standard Q8. It's buttery smooth and exceptionally quiet with intuitive safety features that run in the background without distracting the driver. It's easy to manoeuvre and offers exactly what you would expect from a premium family car. But this gorgeously minimalistic SUV has two faces and only hints at the beast within through the quad tailpipes and massive brake callipers, blessed with sporty red paint.
But once you open the bonnet, its second and more impressive personality becomes apparent, and when you start it up, its roar reveals its capability. Its 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 might be a part of a dying breed, but the SQ8 is a reminder that there's still a hunger for larger displacement engines. Under acceleration, it gives you 373kW and 770Nm to work with, and in practice, it rockets from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds, a scant 0.1 seconds off its claimed time, tested at Johannesburg's altitude.
So, it's fast in a straight line, and realistically so are most other performance SUV offerings, but once the road becomes a little less straight, its smooth and shock-absorbent ride quality hides its firm and accurate handling. Audi has managed to maintain a sense of both rigidity and confidence in its Dynamic mode, allowing you to rip through corners with confidence and precision without sacrificing comfort.
At the end of the day, it's important to know that the SQ8 isn't a fully fledged, track-focused missile, which is the function the RSQ8 fulfils, and the standard S is designed as somewhat of a middle ground. Ultimately, though, the SQ8 is the middle-ground option within the range. Unlike a BMW M240i owner who still dreams of the day he gets his M2, the SQ8 is everything you would ever need in a performance SUV, and it doesn't make you pine for its record-breaking sibling.
It's loud when it needs to be and highly strung when you're going for a burn through a mountain pass, but on the drive home, it's luxurious and easy to drive, and it looks oh so pretty. But while it may sound like the best car ever made, it isn’t alone in its category. The Porsche Cayenne GTS is built on the same platform and has very similar driving characteristics, albeit with a slight bias towards outright driving dynamics.
Before I conclude with some generic statement, let's first talk suspension. The SQ8 employs adaptive air suspension, which explains its incredible on-road drivability. What this also allows for is a more planted and lower-stanced performance environment with the option to lift the suspension for bigger speed bumps and gravel roads by around 76mm.
As for the price, the Audi SQ8 Black Edition comes in at R2,675,500 and includes a more aggressive exterior thanks to a few blackened touches. The standard SQ8 comes in at R2,640,500 and is effectively the same product with a more discreet look. But here's where it gets interesting, as its competitor, the Porsche Cayenne GTS coupe, is priced at R2,653,000, so it is right on the money. It too offers a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 but produces marginally less power at 368kW and 660Nm of torque. So it’s a touch less powerful but is designed to be more dynamic than the SQ8, at least from a handling direction. So yes, the S is more powerful than a GTS, which helps prove my point that the SQ8 is a rocket of an SUV, even without the added R.
Balance. It’s a simple word that separates a good car from a great car, and it's what makes the SQ8 near perfect. It has been a while since a car has impressed me in so many ways. The SQ8 captures the importance of unwavering engineering through the corners and refinement on the drive back home. The looks are understated and sensible, but a cold start can wake up the neighbourhood. It is an example of what happens when a brand prioritises quality over quantity, and it is one of the few SUVs that, in my opinion, takes the fight to the Cayenne. Yes, the Porsche is an exceptional car, but the SQ8 is equally impressive and provides a welcome alternative for those who are shopping outside of Stuttgart.
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