The Audi Q8 builds on the three-row Q7 with a sleeker body, sportier looks, and unique interior, and the SQ8 does all of that with the added benefit of a rowdy powertrain. Audi’s luxury cruise missile offers 500 horsepower, and its suspension system gives it sports car-like handling.
2025 Audi SQ8 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2025 Audi SQ8
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2025 Audi SQ8
The SQ8 didn’t gain many updates for the 2025 model year, but Audi introduced new standard features and additional options packages. Those changes follow a slightly more substantive update in 2024, when Audi gave the SUV revised interior and exterior styling.
Design
While it’s based on the three-row Q7 SUV, the Q8 and SQ8 cut seating to two rows and take a more aggressive stance on styling. It features a large grille, slim headlights, and aggressive front air intakes. Its roof slopes more dramatically than the Q7’s but cargo space and interior space don’t suffer from the design.
Powertrain
The 2025 SQ8 comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine, making 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Audi claims a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds, making the SQ8 almost as quick as its related cousin, the Lamborghini Urus. It features a firm ride, but the suspension offers excellent handling, keeping the beefy SUV’s body in check during aggressive driving and cornering. The downside is fuel economy, where the SUV only offers up to 21 mpg on the highway.
Interior
The new SQ8 seats five people across two rows. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel come standard. Audi offers upgraded leather, massaging front seats, and ventilated front seats. The front buckets are spacious and nicely supportive, and the rear seats are nearly as accommodating. Cargo space is decent, at up to 30.5 cubic feet with the rear seats upright and 60.7 cubic feet with the rear bench folded down.
Technology
Audi equips a dual-screen infotainment system with 10.1- and 8.6-inch displays. The system is accompanied by a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster running Audi’s excellent Digital Cockpit system. Other standard tech features include a Bang and Olufsen stereo, Bluetooth, multiple USB ports, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and more. While the dual-screen interface looks confusing, it’s surprisingly easy to use, and it offers a long list of great features that add value to the expensive SQ8.
Safety
Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have rated the 2025 SQ8 as of the time of this writing. Standard driver-assistance tech includes forward-collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist, lane-departure alerts, automatic high beams, a surround-view camera, and more.
Pricing and Release Date
As of the time of this writing, the 2025 Audi SQ8 starts at $98,895, which includes a $1,295 destination fee. The top Prestige trim costs $106,195, and buyers have a range of added-cost options to choose from for both configurations.
