LUXURY, performance, safety and bling meld into Audi’s latest niche SUV that adds another sliver of model range above the stalwart Q7 while giving status-seeking Audi aficionados a reason to stay loyal.

The Q8 adds another number to the four-rings’ SUV range and yet the newcomer is steeped in inconsistencies while its audience is easily distracted by similar offerings from all the big European names.

The elephant in the room is the Q7, the Q8’s sibling that now has been relegated to the workhorse end of the Audi model range and into the shadow of the new SUV that clearly appeals to buyers wanting style over function.