2021 Audi SQ8

Audi SQ8

Audi’s SQ8 sits in rarefied air, both in price and in presence. You’re staring at R2,199,995 for the only one currently on offer in South Africa—a 2025 Black Edition TFSI quattro tiptronic with just 7,673 km on the odo, so basically fresh out the wrapper. Don’t expect a showroom full of choices, because there’s exactly one active listing in the country. That alone tells you how tight this segment is: sellers can afford to wait, buyers have to move fast, and deals are all but fantasy. For context, its closest sparring partners are the Porsche Cayenne GTS, BMW X6 M50i, and Mercedes-AMG GLE 53—each appealing to slightly different tastes for badge, drama, or outright aggression. What makes the SQ8 interesting, on paper at least, is its blend of S-specific interior details, proper air suspension dropped to a mean stance, and an exterior that signals intent without falling into the look-at-me trap. The GLE 53 leans on three-pointed-star cachet, and the X6 M50i is all coupe flash, but the SQ8’s proportions and the Black Edition pack keep things sharp yet understated. That matters if you want something that stands out quietly, not something that shouts. Local buyers will have to accept the price as the cost of exclusivity—even in the used market, there’s no room for haggling. It’s what the SQ8 should have been from the start: niche, desirable, and unapologetically expensive.