The Audi SQ8 is the middle child that got all the love

Introduced in 2019, the Audi SQ8 was designed to bridge the gap between the regular Q8 and the fire-breathing RSQ8.

- Eyaaz Matwadia

In essence, it was supposed to be the best of both worlds for consumers interested in sportiness, luxury and performance.

The Mail & Guardian had it on test for just under a week, and we wanted to see just how well the German manufacturer ticked all three boxes.

On the outside, it certainly looks very sporty.

It has a sloping roofline that makes it look and feel like an SUV-coupe and is very sharp from front to back.

The styling on the outside gets you ready for what Audi is trying to portray with this vehicle. It's Lamborghini Urus-esque in a sense, but has its own distinctive Audi features like a single-frame grille.

The light bar across the back connecting the taillights helps the car maintain an incredibly aggressive look, and the fact that it sits on 23-inch alloys emphasises its sporty nature.

Interior

The inside is where Audi had to impress and throw in some luxury while maintaining the sportiness shown on the outside.

It has nice bucket seats, which keep you low enough to feel like you are driving an SUV-coupe and the signature S branding on the steering wheel keeps the theme of the vehicle going.

In terms of comfort, the seats, which are Valcona leather, are heated, cooled and have a massaging feature. The rear seats offer the same Valcona leather and can also recline.