Item: Audi RS Q8
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

There’s no such thing as a badly equipped RS Q8, with even this ‘entry-level’ model getting 20in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated front sports seats, ambient interior lighting, a 12.3in digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, rear seats that slide and recline, and keyless entry.

With 592bhp and 590lb ft of torque, the RSQ8 can blast from 0-62mph in 3.8sec and delivers immense overtaking power. You get a growling V8 soundtrack and a wonderfully bassy exhaust note, too, but fuel economy isn't a strong point, even when you drive gently.


RS Q8 TFSI Quattro

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV have all won their classes at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards in recent years, while the TT coupé is the most decorated car in the history of the ceremony.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

RS Q8

There’s no such thing as a badly equipped RS Q3, with even this ‘entry-level’ model getting dual-zone climate control, heated front sports seats, ambient lighting, a 12.3in digital instrument cluster, a 10.1in infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 20in alloy wheels, a rear bench that slides and reclines, and keyless entry as standard. 

RS Q8 TFSI Quattro 5dr Tiptronic

rs-q8-tfsi-quattro-5dr-tiptronic

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Aston Martin DBX

Audi RS Q3

Audi RS Q8

Audi SQ2

Audi SQ5

Audi SQ7

Audi SQ8

BMW X2 M35i

BMW X4 M Competition

Cupra Ateca

Ford Puma ST

Hyundai Kona N

Jaguar F-Pace SVR

Lamborghini Urus

Mercedes GLC 63 AMG

Mini Countryman JCW

Porsche Cayenne

Porsche Cayenne Coupe

Porsche Macan

Skoda Kodiaq vRS

Volkswagen T-Roc R

Volkswagen Tiguan R

Volkswagen Touareg R

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

You don’t need to go for the priciest trim level to get all the fancy chassis and suspension technology – it’s standard on the ‘entry-level’ RS Q8. Mind you, with a six-digit price tag, most would agree that it ought to be.

However, although it costs as much as a three bedroom house in Yorkshire, the RS Q8 represents good value against the more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/4x4/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> M Competition. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/coupe/review/n19924">Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupé</a> is also more costly, and requires you to make merry with the options list in order to spec it up to the level of the RS Q8.

Still, for those who crave even more features, Audi offers the Carbon Black edition, which liberally applies Alcantara-suede trim to the steering wheel, gear selector and headliner, and brings extra USB charging ports and a pair of electric sun blinds for the rear side windows. There’s also a fruitier sounding sports exhaust and a carbon exterior styling package.

Range-topping Vorsprung models, meanwhile, add an upgraded Bang &amp; Olufsen sound system, a panoramic glass roof, a head-up display for the driver, and heated rear seats. You’ll also get Audi’s full suite of safety technology, including front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, speed limit recognition software and a 360-degree bird’s-eye view camera.

Given the RS Q8’s 2.4-tonne weight and hugely powerful V8 petrol engine, it’s perhaps not surprising that single-figure fuel consumption figures are entirely possible if you make full use of its performance. However, even with your sensible trousers on, when you’re employing the mild hybrid and cylinder deactivation tech, the official average of 20.5mpg (for cars with the smaller 22in alloy wheels) is nothing to write home about.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/audi">Audi</a> finished in a slightly disappointing 20th place out of 31 car manufacturers in the latest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability survey</a>. Mind you, its rivals performed even worse: <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/bmw">BMW</a> was 21st, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/porsche">Porsche</a> 23rd and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/alfa-romeo">Alfa Romeo</a> 25th.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

As you’d expect, the RS Q8 is seriously fast, with 0-62mph covered in just 3.8sec. That means it matches the brawnier <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/4x4/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> M Competition and the far lighter <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/stelvio/estate/review/n18177">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a>.

It’s just a pity there’s often a significant gap between you flooring the accelerator and the eight-speed automatic gearbox changing down. In fact, if you want the RS Q8 to leap forward in a hurry, you’re better off being a little gentler with the accelerator so the gearbox doesn’t get involved; the engine produces so much torque that you’ll still surge towards the horizon, just without the initial pause.

When accelerating, you’re also rewarded with a growling V8 soundtrack and a wonderfully bassy exhaust tone. And yet, the RS Q8 cruises more quietly than rivals; the engine is hushed on the motorway and little wind noise enters the car. Only some rumble from the fat tyres intrudes on the calm, and this is far from excessive.

Permanent four-wheel drive helps you make the most of the performance, as does the car’s ability to shuffle power towards the axle, or indeed wheel, that has the most traction.

Meanwhile, there’s more clever technology in the suspension, which features active anti-roll bars; these counteract body roll in bends, before automatically disconnecting on straight roads in an effort to improve comfort.

Sure enough, most of the time the RS Q8 is remarkably forgiving when you leave it in Comfort mode – particularly given the mammoth 23in alloy wheels fitted to our test car. However, run into a large pothole and the result is a forceful thwack so loud and jarring that you’ll think you might have damaged something.

As for the handling, those active anti-roll bars help the RS Q8 corner more like a well-sorted <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a> than a 2.4-tonne SUV, while precise steering with sharp responses adds to your confidence. Just bear in mind that the Turbo version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/coupe/review/n19924/">Porsche Cayenne Coupé</a> is more involving at similar speeds.

When you need to slow things down, the RS Q8’s humongous brakes do a great job and resist fade well. And standard four-wheel steering makes this huge car surprisingly easy to manoeuvre in town and squeeze round tight car parks.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

RS Q8 TFSI quattro

rs-q8-tfsi-quattro

Pretty much everything about the Audi RS Q8 is huge, from the performance to the price to the car itself. Indeed, Audi admits that it couldn’t have made it any wider than it has, because it wouldn’t have fit through the factory paint shop.

This is a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-sports-suvs-2020/n20200">sports SUV</a> that’s as imposing as it is powerful, then, with the latter element down to a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 that develops 592bhp – 212bhp more than you get in a<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/911/coupe/review/n98"> Porsche 911 Carrera</a>.

The RS Q8’s engine isn’t just big, though; it’s also clever, shutting down half of its eight cylinders to save fuel when they’re not needed. What’s more, the car features a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/electric-cars-explained/n18052">mild hybrid</a> system which recoups some of the energy that would normally be lost when slowing down and allows you to coast for up to 40sec at a time with the engine off.

Add in trick suspension that’s designed to both minimise body lean and maximise comfort, and there’s no shortage of tech. But how does the RS Q8 stack up against rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/stelvio/estate/review/n18177">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/4x4/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> M Competition and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/coupe/review/n19924">Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupé</a>?

That’s what we’ll be exploring in this review. And remember, if you do decide to buy the RS Q8 or any of its rivals, be sure to check out <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">our New Car Buying service</a> which puts you in touch with What Car? approved dealers and saves you the hassle of haggling.

While the RS Q8 doesn’t look dramatically different to <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n17559">lesser Q8s</a> inside, aside from its sports front seats and some bespoke readouts for the digital instruments, that still means it feels more sumptuous than rivals.

Racy features include a g-meter, should you wish to know how much cornering force your passengers can withstand before they start to complain of motion sickness.

Meanwhile, driving position adjustments can be made electrically, including for the steering wheel as well as the seat and its lumbar support, so getting settled is effortless.

The RS Q8 also combines decent visibility with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. Plus, its standard LED matrix headlights automatically dim portions of the high beam to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic, while ensuring that you still get a bright view of the road ahead.

It’s just a pity you have to look away from the road to operate the twin touchscreens in the centre of the dashboard, with even simple things like the climate controls operated through these. The dial-based setups in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/stelvio/estate/review/n18177">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x6/4x4/review/n17306">BMW X6</a> M Competition are far less distracting.

An outrageously fast sports SUV that corners with composure and mostly rides well.

Despite its chunky front sports seats, interior space is similar to that of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n17559/space-practicality">standard Q8</a>, meaning you’ll be happy enough in the back, even if you’re tall. The sloping, coupé-like roofline isn’t so low that you feel hemmed in, while leg room is simply vast.

As a bonus, you can adjust the rear seat position for either greater passenger comfort or increased boot space, and there are some useful cubbies and storage areas for your gadgets.

A hands-free electric tailgate comes as standard, too, while the boot itself is square and generously provisioned with tie-down hooks.

True, the roofline is more of an issue here, limiting the height of the items you can carry. However, you’re still able to bring more luggage than you can in an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/stelvio/estate/review/n18177">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/coupe/review/n19924">Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupé</a>.

RS Q3

rs-q8

This trim boosts the RS Q8's already comprehensive specification with electric rear side sunblinds and rear-seat USB ports, but much of what it offers is cosmetic, including huge 23in alloy wheels, carbon fibre detailing inside and out, and leather for other interior surfaces besides the seats.


Carbon Black

carbon-black

Vorsprung

vorsprung

The Audi RS Q8 is an outrageously fast sports SUV that corners with composure, mostly rides well and betters its rivals for practicality. Just bear in mind that the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupé is a bit more fun.


<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Strong performance</li> <li>Precise, feelsome steering</li> <li>Agile, entertaining handling</li> <li>Reasonable ride comfort</li> <li>Smart and practical interior</li></ul>

Needing a&nbsp;practical load-lugger doesn't mean you need to scrimp on power and sporting prowess. In fact, most sporty manufacturers now have dedicated sports SUVs in their line-up with 0-62mph times to rival cars half their size.&nbsp;

Porsche, for example, offers two:&nbsp;the Macan and the Cayenne, both of which offer rapid performance and seriously impressive handling, as well as providing enough space for five people and a boot capable of fitting more than seven carry-on suitcases.&nbsp;

But even&nbsp;manufacturers not usually focused on track times are getting involved in this market. The Volkswagen T-Roc R is one of our favourites, too, with a 0-62mph time of 4.8sec&nbsp;and&nbsp;fuel economy of 31.5mpg. A sports SUV&nbsp;should satisfy anyone who doesn't want to trade speed for space.&nbsp;

Sports SUV

Audi RS Q8 review

Fill out our 2022 Reliability Survey - and win a prize!

Jaguar I-Pace

Mercedes EQA

Nissan Ariya

BMW 4 series

Hyundai Ioniq 5

Honda HR-V

Ford Mustang

/news/complete-the-2022-what-car-reliability-survey-for-the-chance-to-win-a-prize/n15554

New car deals >>

site ribbon config

Read review covering Audi RS Q8 boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

Despite its chunky front sports seats, interior space is similar to that of the standard Q8, meaning you’ll be happy enough in the back, even if you’re tall. The sloping, coupé-like roofline isn’t so low that you feel hemmed in, while leg room is simply vast.,As a bonus, you can adjust the rear seat position for either greater passenger comfort or increased boot space, and there are some useful cubbies and storage areas for your gadgets.,A hands-free electric tailgate comes as standard, too, while the boot itself is square and generously provisioned with tie-down hooks.True, the roofline is more of an issue here, limiting the height of the items you can carry. However, you’re still able to bring more luggage than you can in an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio or Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupé.

New car deals >>

Audi RS Q8 review

Porsche Cayenne Coupe

Volkswagen T-Roc R

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

What Car? has a buying service

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information