A front image of the Audi Q8 premium SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung By Lee Min-hyung The Audi Q8 premium SUV exudes an overwhelming presence at first glance, with its massive yet well-refined silhouette hinting at the vehicle’s inherently powerful driving performance. The Q8 55 TFSI Quattro successfully blends masculinity with its sporty and luxurious identity, which I experienced firsthand while driving the vehicle for three days in Seoul and surrounding cities. The undoubtedly essential edge of Audi’s top-of-the-line SUV was its exterior, combining masculinity and elegance with the distinctive lines of a sporty coupe.
As widely expected, the luxury SUV proved to offer robust driving performance. The vehicle is powered by a V6 gasoline engine and can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in only about 5.9 seconds.
A side image of the Audi Q8 premium SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung Drivers who want an exciting driving experience and a spacious interior will be satisfied with the vehicle, as its drive response was swifter and more powerful than any of its major counterparts. Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system also evokes dynamic emotions drivers feel on the road. Despite its innnately athletic nature, the driving experience this car offers can be summed up in two words: soft yet sturdy.
It accelerated smoothly, but at a certain speed level, the vehicle gave an impression of stability, ensuring safer driving. The braking system also responded rapidly, helping the giant vehicle with a weight of more than 2 tons decelerate immediately when the brake pedal is pressed. Even when the vehicle ran on a highway at a speed of more than 120 kilometers per hour, little external noise was felt, providing a sense of comfort even after driving the vehicle for hours from Seoul to Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
A rear image of the Audi Q8 luxury SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung The Q8 offers an output of 340 horsepower with a relatively decent mileage performance of 8.2 kilometers per liter. The rear seat was even more spacious and comfortable than in any luxury sedan with a similar price tag.
It was more than enough for a family of four to stay comfortably inside the vehicle, even for hours of driving on the road due to its inarguably spacious interior. The interior of the Audi Q8 SUV / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung The Q8 55 TFSI Quattro model sells for 126.8 million won ($95,000) here.
The price remains competitive because rival SUVs, such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, sell at a higher price range than the Q8. The vehicle is also equipped with state-of-the-art features, such as adaptive air suspension, which allows the ride height of the vehicle to be adjusted over up to 90 millimeters depending on road conditions..
