This past week I met two premium SUVs, both at the extreme ends of the spectrum. The XC40 petrol is the latest car to join the already impressive portfolio of SUVs from Volvo in India. In its new iteration it comes with a BS 6 compliant engine which replaces the diesel variant that was introduced a couple of years back. At the other end a new Audi flagship SUV, the Q8 has arrived on our shores. It is a sportier 5 seat version of the Q7 and comes with every single feature you can expect in an Audi.
XC40 T4 R-design
The XC40 comes in the entry level premium SUV space and continues to impress with its sporty design. The dimensions are near perfect as the car looks more of an SUV than a crossover. The dual tone on the exterior and the use of cladding all over the car gives a stylish look. The signature Thor shaped LED headlamps register their presence here too. Inside the quality of materials used gives a superior feeling. The seats are in leather and the cabin is all black. The big vertical touch screen is the same as one seen on bigger Volvo SUVs. It takes care of infotainment and climate control functions thereby negating the use of many physical buttons. However, the steering wheel is loaded with buttons that aid the driver well. The sporty pedals of the R-design theme also add a nice touch. The car also gets a premium 14 speaker 600 watt Harman sound system, wireless charger and a panoramic sunroof.
The big change on the XC40 is the new petrol engine. It’s a 2.0 litre 4 cylinder mill that generates a maximum power of 190 bhp. Peak torque stands at 300 Nm and doing its duty on the car is an 8-speed automatic gearbox. There are 4 driving modes on offer namely Comfort, Dynamic and Sport so depending on the kind of experience you want you can take your pick. To cut costs there’s no all-wheel drive but an off-road mode activates hill descent control and slightly alters the gear ratios to give you more low speed power and torque. It’s a good drive in the city traffic. The acceleration is linear and the engine feels very refined. You can also make most of your overtaking maneuvers with ease a there’s enough power that can be used. Out on the empty roads with the throttle pressed a lot more you do feel sometimes that the gearbox is taking a little longer to upshift. The presence of paddle shifters turns the story around as you can take larger control and surely have more fun in the car. The ride quality is impressive and the car is able to absorb the shocks from bumps and potholes really well. Owing to compact dimensions and the all new compact modular architecture the SUV provides superior handling character and utmost stability.
The XC40 is the only car in its segment to come with radar based safety technology. City safety with steering assist avoids collision with other roads and features like adaptive cruise control and oncoming lane mitigation are also present. Lastly the SUV also gets 7 airbags. A price of Rs 39.9 lacs (ex-showroom) doesn’t make it the most affordable in this highly competitive segment but with all those features the car deserves your much needed attention.
Audi Q8
The flagship of Audi SUVs the Q8 was launched in India earlier this week at a whopping Rs 1.33 crores (ex-showroom). The honours were done by Captain of Indian Cricket team Virat Kohli who also became the first owner of the car in India. At 5 meters long and 2 meters wide the Q8 is huge to say the least. And a big wheelbase of 3 metres means this is a very spacious interior.
There are many design highlights on this SUV. The Imposing single frame grille in octagonal design catches your eyes so do the matrix LED lights that swell in the upper fender. On the profile are the very sleek looking frameless doors and big 21 inch wheels. The broad C-pillar evokes memories of race-winning Quattro cars while the continuous running LED strip with dynamic indicators make for an impressive rear. The interiors get a wrap around design with a driver-focused cockpit design. There’s 4-zone climate control and options include customised contour seats with massage function and ventilation. There are 2 multimedia touch screens that take care of most functions, handwriting recognition being one such feature. There’s wireless charging and a big 23 speaker, 1920 watts B&O 3D surround sound system. An optional S Line Sports Package gets air suspension, flat bottom steering wheel and sports seats.
The 3.0 litre 6-cylinder petrol engine is BSVI compliant and also gets 48V mild hybrid technology. Maximum power is 340 hp while peak torque is 500 Nm. The SUV does 0-100 in 5.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 250km/h. There’s an eight-speed tiptronic transmission, 254 mm of ground clearance, quattro permanent all-wheel drive and hill descent control. The SUV also gets 7 driving modes, adaptive air suspension and an optional all-wheel steering.