The Audi RS Q8 is the top-of-the-line Audi Q8 model that thrives in superiority. It looks stunning both inside and out, it offers upwards of 600hp, it comes with the latest Audi technology, and it is extremely comfortable and luxurious. With so many superlatives, it’s easy to conclude that the RS Q8 is the true flagship of the Audi SUV range. So, is Audi RS Q8 a good car?
Yes, it is. It may cost as much as a two entry-level Audi Q8, but it gets the very best of everything Audi has to offer. The V8 engine underneath the hood is powerful enough for the RS Q8 to even destroy some supercars of the line. The design of the RS Q8 resembles those of a Lamborghini Urus because these two share many parts between each other.
Reliability-wise, the RS Q8 seems to hold up nicely, but there are some issues worth talking about. Value-wise, it’s hard to justify a car that starts at $120,000 without many options, but you can’t buy many cars at that price that can truly rival the RS Q8.
Practicality is great because the Q8 platform offers lots of seating space and large trunk space. The rear seats aren’t sacrificed for design purposes as is the case with some of RS Q8s competitors. The car is also easy to get in and out of and the visibility is as good as it can be for a coupe SUV.
Audi RS Q8 – The powertrain
With a 4.0L twin-turbo V8, the RS Q8 makes upwards of 600hp and 590lb-ft of torque which is enough to propel this 5,000-pound behemoth from 0mph to 60mph in about 3.7 seconds which is crazy. For a spot of context, the 715hp 5.2L twin-turbo V12 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera also does 0-60mph in 3,7 seconds, yet it costs $315,300.
The RS Q8 is a permanent AWD Quattro car which is why it manages those 0-60mph times. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and the RS Q8’s best MPG results are somewhere around 20MPG combined.
All in all, the RS Q8 powertrain is almost identical to the one found in the Lamborghini Urus which costs twice as much like the RS Q8. When you look at it from this perspective, it’s easy to see why so many people deem the RS Q8 to be one of the best SUVs on the market in general.
Audi RS Q8 – Design and chassis
The Audi RS Q8 looks stunning both inside and out because it offers everything the Audi design department can offer. The car differs from the regular Q8 thanks to large intakes, carbon fiber, huge oval exhaust pipes, lower ride height, and a set of 22-inch and up wheels. The interior is also spruced up a lot thanks to carbon fiber, Alcantara, and aluminum.
The RS Q8’s driving experience is a lot more focused than in the regular Q8, but the RS Q8 is well dampened which means that it is not too stiff. It also comes with active anti-roll bars which keep the car flat through corners and thus make the car a lot more dynamic and better handling in the process.
Audi RS Q8 – Reliability and common issues
Reliability-wise, the RS Q8 is decent, but it could be better as some issues keep popping out over and over again. A car as expensive as the RS Q8 should and shouldn’t have faults because it is incredibly complex, but also incredibly expensive and people should not worry about stuff breaking all the time if they are paying huge sums of money.
The most common issues that plague the RS Q8 are associated with the car’s electricals, the engine, the suspension, premature tire wear, and performance issues. Most of these are just niggles, but can be annoying while performance issues can be a lot more serious.
Audi RS Q8 – Value and practicality
The RS Q8 is expensive and there is no way of getting around that, but on the other hand, the RS Q8 offers something few SUVs can. It is one of the most desirable German SUVs out there and it also retains its value really well. Dealers in the US are selling these for markups which hopefully will slow down because these markups can be ridiculous.
When it comes to practicality, the RS Q8 is the same as the regular Q8 which means that it offers seating for five and a relatively large hatchback trunk space. It’s easy to get in and out of the RS Q8, visibility is decent, and it is also a really good family car.
FAQ Section
Is the Audi RS Q8 better than the Mercedes GLE 63 Coupe and the BMW X6M?
These three are head-on competitors in this segment and can trade punches in almost all categories. The Mercedes GLE 63 Coupe offers 603hp and it costs $117,050 while the BMW X6M Competition costs more or less the same as the other two, but it offers 625hp and is the fastest one out of the three.
Deciding which one of these three is best is down to brand loyalty for the most part, but in my opinion, the RS Q8 and the X6 M and better than the GLE 63 S Coupe. They look better, they are not as compromised on the inside and they are cooler in general.
Is the Audi RS Q8 a good buy?
The Audi RS Q8 costs a lot of money and it is difficult to justify that. However, in this price category, there simply aren’t all that many cars that can offer what the RS Q8 offers. As such, it makes sense to buy the RS Q8 if you are able to afford one comfortably.
If you are stretching your budget, no car is worth it as having the best car is not the most important thing in the world. No matter what your situation is, the RS Q8 seems to be selling really well which means that it is indeed worth the money.
How fast is the Audi RS Q8?
We have already mentioned that the RS Q8 does 0-60mph in about 3.7 seconds, but its maximum speed is around 190mph if fully unrestricted. An 11.6-second quarter-mile time is a really good result for a 5,000lbs performance SUV because the McLaren SLR Roadster does a quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds as well.
The Mercedes GTR AMG Coupe reaches a quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds as well and so does the Nissan GT-R R35 from 2013. These are all impressive performance cars which means that the RS Q8 is a really fast car as well.
