The Audi Q8 went on sale in 2018, which means it is now almost five years old. Audi knows the competition isn’t sleeping, though – Mercedes-Benz unveiled the GLE-Class Coupe facelift last week and BMW is planning to bring a refreshed X6 just later this year. The folks from Ingolstadt, meanwhile, are putting the finishing touches on the Q8 facelift, and we have a new rendering previewing the design changes on the large SUV.
We’ve spied the refreshed Q8 on a number of occasions and from the spy photos, we know it is getting a slightly restyled front fascia. Most notably, there will be new slimmer headlights and a slightly bigger radiator grille with a different honeycomb pattern. Below that, the edges of the front bumper will likely get larger air intakes better fitting the more aggressive new look of the fascia.
Gallery: Audi Q8, SQ8 facelift new spy photos
Other tweaks will likely include new exterior colors and new wheel designs. Some of the spy photos depicted black decorative exterior trim, likely hinting at some sort of a blackened package for the facelifted Q8. Inside, there will be improvements too, such as a new steering wheel, a new MMI infotainment interface, and possibly new trims and upholstery options.
Our pals at Motor.es report there will be important changes under the skin. For starters, the suspension will be tuned for a more dynamic road behavior. In the engine department, more electrification is expected in the form of mild-hybrid powertrains, including the SQ8 and RS Q8 range-toppers. The plug-in hybrid models will gain larger capacity batteries for more electric range on a single charge.
We expect to see the facelifted Q8 towards the second half of this year, later going on sale 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 models, meanwhile, will continue to be assembled in Slovakia.
