The Audi Q8 went on sale in 2018, which means it’s now almost five years old. Audi knows the competition isn’t sleeping, though – Mercedes-Benz unveiled the facelifted GLE-Class Coupe last week and BMW plans to present a refreshed X6 later this year. The folks from Ingolstadt, meanwhile, put the finishing touches on the Q8’s facelift, and we have a new rendering showcasing the design changes to the massive SUV.
We’ve spied the refreshed Q8 on a number of occasions and from the spy photos, we know it’s getting a slightly restyled front fascia. Most notably, there will be new, slimmer headlamps and a slightly larger radiator grille with a distinct honeycomb pattern. Below that, the front bumper edges will likely get larger air intakes, better suited to the new, more aggressive look of the new fascia.
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Other changes will likely include a new exterior color and a new wheel design. Some spy photos depict black decorative exterior trim, possibly hinting at some sort of blackened package for the Q8 facelift. Inside, there will be improvements too, such as a new steering wheel, new MMI infotainment interface, and possibly new trim and upholstery options.
Our friends in Motor. es report that there will be important changes under the skin. For starters, the suspension will be tuned for more dynamic road behavior. In the engine department, more electrification is expected in the form of mild hybrid powertrains, including the range-top SQ8 and RS Q8. The plug-in hybrid model will get a larger capacity battery for a wider electric range on a single charge.
We expect to see a facelifted Q8 towards the second half of this year, later to be sold as a 2024 model. The E-Tron electric SUV is now also part of the Q8 family with production taking place in Brussels, Belgium. The combustion-powered model, meanwhile, will continue to be assembled in Slovakia.
