If five seats are all you need, the Range Rover Sport might fit the bill; it was our 2023 Large Premium SUV of the Year, with a luxurious cabin and superb abilities on and off road. The BMW X6 was the original coupé-SUV, and the third generation (from 2020) is the most accomplished.
While the X6 is good to drive, the Porsche Cayenne Coupé is the class leader dynamically, plus it has a superb interior. Other rivals include the Mercedes GLE, Maserati Levante and Volkswagen Touareg.
What to look for
Towing
There’s great news if you want to tow, because all versions are capable of pulling up to 3,500kg, which covers even the biggest caravans.
Brakes
Some owners have had problems with their brakes emitting grinding or squealing sounds. New discs and/or pads can fix things, but not necessarily permanently.
PHEV range
At first the 55 TFSI e had a 17.8kWh battery, but from spring 2024 it was upgraded to 25.9kWh. This boosted the electric range from a claimed 28 miles to 51 miles.
Common issues
The Q8’s rarity means faults are hard to pin down, but owners’ forums contain a few tales of woe focused on the electronics, many of them software related. So check that absolutely everything works.
Interior
For a long time now, Audi has produced high-tech cabins that also tend to be easy to live with. There’s an element of technical overload with the Q8, but it looks very premium with its two digital displays and expensive materials, while the instrumentation is also digital, and much of the switchgear is touch-sensitive.
The sharply sloping tailgate means there’s no space for a third row of seats, so all Q8s are strictly five-seaters, yet whichever row you’re in there’s no shortage of head or legroom, with plenty of seat adjustment available up front. As you’d expect, the boot capacity isn’t limited, either; 605 litres is ample, but way behind the Q7’s 770 litres. Drop the Q8’s back seats and this rises to hefty 1,755 litres.
Prices
Almost three-quarters of the Q8s for sale are diesels; virtually all of the rest are 55 TFSI petrol editions, while plug-in hybrids are very rare.