Audi Q8 vs Lotus Eletre

What's the difference?

The updated Audi Q8 60 TFSIe quattro S line still looks good inside and out. It fits a family comfortably without feeling too big and there’s enough here to satisfy those who like the luxury features. 

It's price tag will hurt it but the improved power outputs and driving range is a big plus and makes the plug-in hybrid powertrain make more sense.

So, how does this radically different Lotus measure up to the brand’s reputation and stack up against its would-be competitors in the final summation? It doesn’t reset the benchmark in any area or stand out head and shoulders above its competition, but crucially for Lotus (and its overlords at Geely) it doesn’t feel behind its rivals. 

For the Lotus diehards this is an unrecognisable addition to the brand’s legacy of great sports cars. But this new version of the brand is looking to reach fresh customers and the Eletre will likely grab their eye with its dramatic looks.

It’s a highly competitive luxury, performance SUV that should have anyone considering a similar sized Bentley, BMW, Mercedes, or even the Lamborghini taking it for a test drive. It has both elements - luxury and performance - that will appeal to those looking for something special.

When it comes to style, the Q8 60 TFSIe quattro S line has it in spades. Featuring a design that looks athletic with its long lines and wide stance, you'll always be proud to hop into it.

Red calipers now come standard and they look awesome on the optioned 22-inch alloys. The update sees a redesigned front with new grille and reshaped matrix LED headlights and a 2D badge design.

While SUV coupes aren’t usually my jam, the Q8 manages to tick the 'sexy' box.

The interior is honestly the same and only die-hard fans will notice the new menu screens on the multimedia system. The cabin is a fine example of what a luxury SUV should look like because its polished, well-built and sumptuous but it has the classic Audi edge, so there is still a sporty vibe going on.

The panoramic sunroof adds some airiness to the otherwise dark cabin and the Valcona leather upholstery is liberally splashed about, so most of what you touch feels premium and soft.

The design of an electric SUV is, by its very existence, interesting as it’s something a Lotus has never been before. This is the brand’s new flagship SUV, designed to take on the likes of everything from the Bentley Bentayga to the BMW iX and even the Lamborghini Urus, so it needs to make a statement.

The design is influenced by the Evija electric hypercar, which Lotus built to kick-start its Geely era, but goes a step further with its angular design. It certainly looks more closely related to the Lamborghini SUV than any Lotus you’ve seen before.

It’s different, it looks special and will likely turn heads, but to be blunt, if you’re a Lotus lover who has an affection for the Elise, Exige and the like then this really isn’t for you.

This is a modern evolution for Lotus, created to appeal to new customers with its edgy exterior design, utterly modern interior look and premium finish.

One disappointment is the way the plethora of safety sensors and cameras can disturb the lines of the car, making it look like an unfinished prototype from some angles.

The cabin offers plenty of space for passengers and you never feel like you're jostling for elbow room unless there's three adults across the rear seat. Comfort is high with ergonomic seating up front with plenty of adjustment and functions. The rear seat has long bases and the seat backs can recline.

Individual storage leaves a little to be desired for the class and the glove box shoulders most of the burden up front as the middle console is really just a shallow shelf large enough for a wireless charging pad and keys or a chapstick.

Each row gets a couple of cupholders and drink holders, and the rear map pockets round out back-seat storage.

Because of the PHEV powertrain, the 60 TFSIe quattro S line has the smallest boot capacity in the line-up at 505L but this is still more than enough for a decent road trip or grocery haul.

The wide boot aperture, level loading area and powered tailgate add some convenience, as does the 40/20/40 split fold on the rear seats.

Access for each row is solid with wide door openings, low seat positions and 205mm ground clearance. Although, the doors have to been slammed shut for them to close properly and this annoyed everyone in the family. You can spring for a soft-close door feature for $1500 and, honestly, it would be worth it.

The 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system is logically laid out and the graphics look great. It has haptic feedback which my husband didn’t love as it made it hard to select things on a bumpy road. You also get built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other than the occasional lag with the CarPlay connecting upon start up, it's all simple enough to use.

Charging options are good with two USB-C ports in each row and the front also gets a wireless charging pad. The big 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster looks great but it can be annoying to find information on it or personalise it.

The modern and premium design carries over into the cabin, with the model we were testing finished in grey leather and Alcantra with gold highlights. Which, along with the fact there’s leather and carpet inside, makes this feel more polished and luxurious than any previous Lotus.

But once you look beyond that you notice it’s not quite as practical as such a large SUV could be. Yes, there are a couple of cupholders in the centre console, but one is quite small and not practical for most cups/bottles.

There’s a small shelf for the wireless smartphone charging pad and the centre console box, but aside from that, there’s no other significant storage space in the front.

On the plus side the seats are comfortable and supportive, which is also true of those in the rear. The space in the rear is excellent, with plenty of head and knee room that will allow four adults to travel in comfort (adding a fifth to the middle seat would be a squeeze).

Those in the back also get access to the small screen that allows them to adjust not only the climate control but also the front seats. The rear seats also recline and there’s a pair of cupholders and USB-C ports.

The Lotus Eletre has a generous 688-litre boot, which is wide and deep. However, it comes at the expense of a spare tyre, with only a puncture repair kit provided.

The Eletre is one of many electric vehicles to fall victim to the fluctuating market, receiving an enormous price cut before it officially went on sale in Australia.

The range was meant to start at $239,000, but the decision makers changed their minds and slashed it by a whopping $49,100 so the ‘entry-level’ Eletre is priced from $189,900, plus on-road costs.

The Eletre S, which is the subject of this review, also received a major price cut, dropping to $229,990 from its original $269,000, while the range-topping Eletre R is now priced from $279,990 rather than $315,000 as first announced by the brand.

As for what you get for that money, the Eletre comes standard with a range of premium equipment, befitting Geely’s aspirations for the Lotus brand. This includes matrix LED headlights, two-tone paint with a black contrasting roof, 20-inch alloy wheels, air suspension, keyless entry and start, a key card with NFC (Near-Field Communication) function, four-zone climate control, eight-way power adjustable front seats and heated front seats.

There’s also a KEF premium sound system, in-built eSIM card with 5G capability, a wireless charging pad as well as a 12.6-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.10-inch OLED central multimedia screen.

Stepping up to the Eletre S adds more goodies including 22-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, an 'Active Aero Pack', 64-colour ambient lighting, automatic parking assist and a 23-speaker KEF 3D surround sound system.

At the top of the range, the Eletre R gets a more potent dual-motor powertrain, two-speed transmission, unique 22-inch alloys and a 'Quartz' interior theme.

The Q8 60 TFSI e is AWD and has a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid powertrain for a combined power output of 360kW and 700Nm of torque.

The power output has increased by 20kW with the mid-life refresh and that shaves 0.4 seconds off the 0-100km/h sprint time bringing it down to just 5.0 seconds. So it’s a quick and powerful SUV.

The powertrain is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission which is mostly smooth and the switch between petrol and electric is fairly seamless.

As far as plug-in hybrids go, everything seems to work well here.

As mentioned earlier, there are three Eletre models, with the base model and S sharing the same powertrain, while the R gets a unique set-up.

The Eletre and Eletre S punch out a very healthy 450kW/710Nm from the dual motors that provide all-wheel drive traction. Despite being a full-size SUV, the two 450kW models are able to run 0-100km/h in only 4.5 seconds.

The Eletre R gets more powerful motors that make a staggering 675kW/985Nm, and crucially also get a two-speed transmission, which helps with acceleration. Lotus claims it has enough performance for the Eletre R to launch from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, a hugely impressive time for such a big and luxurious vehicle.

The mid-life update sees a larger 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery which improves the electric driving range by 27km, bringing it up to 74km overall. This still falls short of its direct rivals but it’s an improvement for efficiency because it’s now more than enough range if you’re just doing the school runs and some errands around town.

The Q8 60 TFSIe has a Type 2 charging port and like most plug-in hybrids, lacks a CCS enhancement, so you have to make do with AC charging options with this one. On a 7.4kW AC charging system you can go from 0-100 per cent in three hours and 45 minutes but if you’re using just a standard house plug port, it will take a few hours more. It's best to leave it overnight.

Audi throws in three charging cables, including a 240-volt domestic charger but you have to pay extra for a wall-mounted box.

The official combined fuel cycle is a low 1.8L/100km and like all plug-ins the best efficiency will be achieved if you charge it often. After charging almost every day and doing a mix of open road and urban driving, my real-world usage has popped out at 7.7L/100km, which isn’t as good as I was hoping but it’s not terrible. I would expect the efficiency to drop on longer trips.

The Q8 likes to drink the good stuff and Audi recommends a minimum 95 RON unleaded petrol to be used for this grade.

Despite the different powertrains, all three Eletre models have the same 111kWh battery but the driving range varies across each one. 

The entry-grade model has a claimed WLTP range of between 535-600km, the Eletre S drops to 490-535km and the Eletre R can travel between 410-450km on a single charge.

On test we found those claims to be optimistic, certainly on the higher end, and especially if you head out of the urban environment and don’t maximise the regenerative braking to keep the battery topping up.

The Q8's athletic looks are matched by its on-road handling. The power has a hefty kick that’s effortlessly delivered once you’re up to speed. It did have a few confused moments when I had to accelerate quickly from a full stop - the lower gears didn’t immediately engage and I got a proper bunny hop but it was short lived and for the most part the powertrain delivers the goods.

The adaptive air suspension makes for a comfortable ride despite the massive wheels and you can comfortably cruise around town or the highway without much jostling.

Cabin noise is minimal around town but you get a low hum of road noise at higher speeds. Overall, it's still a refined cabin space to spend a lot of time in.

I do miss hearing some of the engine thrums though because even when the battery is depleted, you don’t get a lot of engine feedback. It certainly adds to the refinement but it loses some of the fun.

The higher driving position feels comfortable and visibility is quite good. Steering is responsive and feels sporty with lane changes but its 13.3m turning circle lets it down in car parks.

The 360-degree view camera system is clear and this has multiple parking sensors. In theory parking should be easy but again, until you get used to that bigger turning circle it can feel clumsy in smaller spaces.

The challenge for Lotus, and its competitors, is to make its cars stand out from the pack despite the increasing similarities in performance brought on by electric powertrains.

Whereas in the past we could have assessed the difference between a Lotus-built V8 compared to a BMW manufactured V8 or even a Mercedes-Benz V12, these days all the electric models produce the same quiet, effortless punch.

So, it creates a generic driving experience in some regards, when what you’re hoping for at this end of the market is something special and different. And it’s important to note I don’t use the term ‘generic’ in a negative sense, but simply the Eletre has similar driving characteristics to the electric models from BMW, Mercedes-AMG and others.

Where it does give a hint to Lotus’ heritage is in its handling, where the combination of the air suspension with adaptive dampers, torque vectoring (by braking) and the British brand’s decades of experience combine to create a surprisingly direct and responsive SUV.

You won’t mistake it for an Emira, Exige or Elise, but the Eletre does have dynamic ability a cut above your average luxury SUV.

Another major change for this new era is massive upgrades in terms of safety technology. The Eletre is packed with an array of cameras and sensors to help you avoid an accident.

There are 34 in total - four Lidar, six radar, seven HD cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. This all feeds a raft of features, including 'Highway Assist', which makes the Eletre the first Lotus to drive itself.

However, as part of the price cut, the Lidar hardware is removed from the entry-level model from the MY25 built examples onwards. However, if you option the Highway Assist package, they are fitted again in order for the system to work.

Standard on all Australian models is the 'Lotus Pilot Pack' which includes all the safety items that have become so common in recent years, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, driver monitoring and traffic sign information.

Neither ANCAP nor Euro NCAP have tested the Eletre, as the safety authority rarely tests such expensive vehicles.

The airbag count is seven - front, front side, side curtain and far side (front centre) - and there are three top tether point and two ISOFIX positions for child seats across the second row.

Audi offers the Q8 60 TFSIe with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty which are all pretty standard terms compared to its rivals.

There is a standard five-year servicing package that costs $3570 and servicing intervals are spaced at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first. However, if you purchase the Audi Advantage Package you add a further two years of coverage to the warranty, roadside assistance and servicing, which is pretty good for the class.

As for its ownership credentials, Lotus doesn’t offer capped price servicing, so you’ll need to discuss the on-going maintenance costs for your Eletre.

On the plus side, the new model is covered by a five-year/150,000km warranty for the car, with an eight-year/200,000km warranty for the battery.