2026 Audi SQ8 Redesign, Dimensions, MSRP – The 2026 Audi SQ8 SUV I was driving and the roads in Park City, Utah, were ideal for my Formula 1 dream. Utah is a really beautiful place, and as soon as I got off a main highway and onto a road with enticing bends and straightaways, I was off. Two media colleagues followed me in their SQ7s, and I drove the third in a Chili Red SQ8.
I had to conduct myself like an elderly Formula One driver, Fernando Alonso, because I was the oldest of the three. And I did. With Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in my rearview, I was forced to make use of the SQ8’s 500 horsepower V8 as much as my skill set permitted.
I took the three of us on an exhilarating journey that spanned over 40 miles, using every inch of the winding roads. It was Grand Prix time, and if the local constables had stopped us, I would have been sent straight to jail.
The power, together with the car’s renowned quattro All-Wheel Drive system with all-wheel steering, Sport adaptive dampers, and Active Roll Stabilization, ensures that the SQ8 stays firmly planted on the road, even while driving in rainy conditions. An eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox is used to transmit power to the quattro system.
Having owned five Audi Quattro cars in the past, I can vouch for the extremely safe handling that the Quattro system offers. 2026 Audi SQ8 Redesign
2026 Audi SQ8 Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior & Interior
There are many trim levels for the Q8. The Q8 55 and SQ8 were significantly updated for the new models. The Audi App Store and Remote Start via Audi Connect technology enhancements are among the updates, which also include a bolder design, improved lighting technology, updated front and rear fascias, new wheels and exterior colors, and new decorative inside inlays.
Additionally, traffic sign recognition is standard on the Q8 55 and SQ8. All trim levels of the SQ8 now come with the LED interior lighting package as standard equipment. Additionally, the Prestige level now comes with standard massaging and memory features for the front driver and passenger seats. Additionally, the SQ8 receives two additional packages: the Audi Sport Express Red stitching package and the Carbon package.
With carbon door inlays, rear lamp covers, and external mirror housings, the carbon kit improves the appearance. The inside of the Audi Sport package is black with Express red stitching on the door armrests, center console sides, and seats. Additionally, complete red seatbelts are included in this kit.
In addition to the interior lighting and center screen themes that are available at the Audi App Store, all trim levels of the Audi Q8 family get new bumpers, diffusers, color schemes, wheels, badging, lighting signatures, and beautiful inside inlays.
SQ8 style may be described in a few phrases. Actually, only one word comes to mind: stunning. The SQ8 sits aggressively and has a broad stance. Standard LED headlights with high beam assist and a new blackened honeycomb grille are located on either side of the front end.
The $7,000 Prestige Package, which came with a complete Head-Up Display and higher-spec HD Matrix-design LED headlights with Audi laser light, was installed on my fully loaded test rig. I was a front-seat passenger in a SQ8 on the way to a restaurant on top of a mountain for supper, but I was not given the opportunity to drive one at night. The headlights have been improved to give amazing nighttime lighting.
The lovely design is dominated along the sides by distinct character lines and wide wheel arches that encircle the optional 23″ multi-spoke, bi-color wheels. The stunning appearance is finished at the back with a tailgate spoiler, four smoked chrome polished exhaust tips, and very dazzling OLED taillights. In my opinion, the Q8 series as a whole—and the high-performance SQ8 and RS Q8 even more so—are the most attractive Sport-Utes available in the US market.
All Q8s are five-passenger, despite the fact that they are constructed on the same platform as the Q7. The seven-seat SQ7 is ideal if you have a family basketball team. Coaches With the beginning five in rows two and three, Mom and Pop may man (and woman) the front row. Keep the guards in row three and the power forwards and center in row two.
As mentioned, the optional Prestige Package was installed on my test SQ8. Among other things, the package comes with a head-up display, heated rear seats, electric second-row sunshades, soft-close doors, and massaging front seats.
The Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster is easily adjustable and provides a wide range of information settings.
All features may be upgraded via so-called Software Over The Air, or SOTA, upgrades, and the haptic touch center control panel looks fantastic. If the onboard software has to be adjusted, this handy technology can save you from having to visit your Audi dealer. Settle back and grab the steering wheel.
Supportive, ventilated sport seats covered in standard Valcona leather envelop you. A Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto are further standard features. 2026 Audi SQ8 Redesign
2026 Audi SQ8 Specs
Engine & Performance
Along with the Q 55 and ultra-performance RS Q8, the SQ8 is a member of the performance Q series. The same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that powers the SQ 8 is used in the RS Q8, which produces 631 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. The RS Q8 has a peak speed of 190 mph and a 0–60 mph time of 3.4 seconds.
The VW Group’s Audi S8, Audi RS6, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus all have powerful engines that are similar to the RS Q8’s.
However, it should be mentioned that the RS Q8 could be the best car in the class because, with a lap time of 7:36, Audi set a new class record at the renowned and occasionally notorious Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. Lamborghini and Porsche, take that!
Audi is joining Formula 1 in 2026 with the Sauber Team, but my F1 dream with the SQ8 mentioned earlier in this narrative was only that—a dream. As additional information becomes available, keep checking Pursuitist.
2026 Audi SQ8 Safety Features
Audi has long been renowned for its excellent crash test scores and remarkable safety measures. For this reason, I sold my 1978 Datsun 280Z deathtrap in 1992 and purchased a very secure Audi 200 Quattro in order to transport my newborn daughter from the hospital where she was born.
As anticipated, the SQ7/SQ8 range is jam-packed with both standard and active safety measures, such as:
- Eight airbags in a sophisticated airbag system
- Audi “Pre-Sense” with measures to prevent collisions and accidents
- Rear Cross-Traffic Warning and Lane Departure Warning
- Multiple modes Control of Electronic Stability
- Lane guidance combined with adaptive cruise control
And a lot more. I’ve been urging readers to base their automobile purchases on safety for years. For individuals looking for secure, capable cars and SUVs, any Audi vehicle should be taken into consideration. 2026 Audi SQ8 Redesign
2026 Audi SQ8 Release Date & Price
The SQ7 and SQ8 have starting prices of $90,800 and $96,600, respectively.
The outstanding Q7 55 quattro starts at $65,000, while the Q8 55 quattro starts at $65,800, if you don’t care about performance.
Note: The details included in this blog post are derived from pre-release material that was accessible when the article was written. If you want the latest information, you should check official sources or call your nearest dealership.
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