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- 2021 Audi Q8
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The 2021 Audi Q8 finishes in the middle of our luxury midsize SUV rankings. This German SUV is posh and enjoyable to drive, but its small cargo hold and subpar fuel economy ratings keep it from challenging for a top spot in the class.
The 2021 Audi Q8's #6 ranking is based on its score within the Luxury Midsize SUVs category. Currently the Audi Q8 has a score of 8.0 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 13 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Yes, the Audi Q8 is a good luxury midsize SUV. It comes with a capable base V6 engine and offers two performance-oriented V8s. Gas mileage is far from a strong suit, but the Q8 has engaging handling and a cushioned ride. The interior is incredibly luxurious, and there are lots of easy-to-use features and ample passenger space. Cargo capacity is below average, however.
We don’t base our car reviews on our personal opinions. Instead, we combine the findings of professional test drivers with data such as reliability ratings and safety scores to give you a complete overview of every vehicle we rank.
This 2021 Q8 review incorporates applicable research for all models in this generation, which launched for 2019.
U.S. News Best Cars has been ranking vehicles since 2007, and our team has more than 75 years of combined experience in the automotive industry. Our car reviews are objective. To keep them that way, our editorial staff doesn’t accept expensive gifts or trips from automakers, and a third party handles all the advertising on our site.
In a vacuum, the Q8 is a terrific buying choice. It has plenty of all-around appeal, and it acquits itself well in a competitive class. That said, the Q8 isn't the best value in the segment because it carries a high price tag. You could argue that the price is justified given the Q8's quality, and there are rivals like the BMW X6 with similar starting prices. But there are also competitors like the Audi Q7, which offer almost everything the Q8 does but for much less money.
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There isn't a lot to separate the 2020 Audi Q8 from the 2021 model. The new Q8 gains a couple of standard driver assistance features (Audi Side Assist and Pre Sense Rear), but otherwise, it's largely unchanged from the 2020 model.
Compare the 2020 and 2021 Q8 »
Here are the key changes for the Audi Q8 over the past few years:
If you're considering an older model, be sure to read our 2019 Q8 and 2020 Q8 reviews to help make your decision. Also, check out our Best New Car Deals and Best New Car Lease Deals pages to learn about savings and discounts you can find on new vehicles.
The Q8 has a starting price around $69,000. That's one of the highest starting prices in a class where many models start below $55,000. The top trim with the base engine starts around $78,000, which is also higher than most competitors top-trim prices.
And those aren't even the most expensive Q8s – by a long shot. There are two performance models that cost significantly more. The SQ8 starts at about $89,000, and the RS Q8 starts at $114,500.
Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Audi dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Audi deals page.
The Audi Q7 places close to the Q8 in our luxury midsize SUV rankings, and these two have a lot in common beyond their German heritage. The Q7 and Q8 both have upscale interiors, sporty handling, and user-friendly features. The Q7 offers the same 335-horsepower V6 and 500-horsepower V8 engines that the Q8 does.
However, the Q7's third engine is a turbo-four that serves as its base unit, while the Q8 features an even more-powerful V8 at the top of its lineup. The Q7 has more cargo space than the Q8, and it seats up to seven people, while its sibling only seats five. The Q7's biggest advantage, however, is that it costs much less: Its starting price undercuts the Q8's by more than $10,000.
The BMW X6 is one of the most athletic vehicles in the class. Both of these SUVs handle well, but the X6 has more powerful engines. The X6 and Q8 have posh interiors and two rows of roomy, supportive seats, and cargo space is comparable between the two. However, the Q8's infotainment system is more user-friendly than the X6’s.
Many class rivals have more cargo space than the Q8, though admittedly that's because some competitors are larger, three-row SUVs. The Q8 gives you 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind its rear seats and 60.7 cubic feet with these seats folded.
This Audi seats five people in two rows. The front seats are comfortable, supportive, and quite spacious, and the driver has good visibility in all directions. The rear seats are similarly accommodating, even for taller adults.
The Audi Q8 has two complete sets of LATCH connectors for the rear outboard seats, as well as an upper tether for the rear middle seat. The anchors are easy to find and shouldn't be confused with other hardware.
Few rivals can match the Q8's cabin quality. It's stylish and elegant, and premium materials cover virtually every square inch of the interior. Additionally, occupants are well-insulated from outside noise.
This Audi SUV features the easy-to-use MMI infotainment system. There's a slight learning curve thanks to the dual-screen setup, but the system is intuitive once you get used to it. The touch screens provide haptic feedback, meaning they vibrate to alert you that your input registered. Still, the response times could be a smidge snappier.
There are three engines in the Q8 lineup, and they're all good power plants. Though it's the base engine, the V6 is no slouch. It's turbocharged, and it feels pretty energetic in all driving situations despite a teensy bit of turbo lag when you're starting out.
The performance-oriented SQ8 and RS Q8 feature twin-turbo V8s. These models are far more powerful than the V6 (both check in with at least 500 horsepower), and they're noticeably more energetic.
The 2021 Q8 gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, ratings that are a little below average for the class. The SQ8 returns just 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. The RS Q8 gets the worst ratings in the lineup: 13/19 mpg city/highway.
The Q8 is a great cruising vehicle, but it’s also reasonably athletic. The steering is responsive and well-weighted, and the Q8 feels balanced though tight turns. The brakes provide plenty of stopping power as well. The adaptive suspension yields a smooth ride, soaking up bumps and dips in the road.
When properly equipped, the Audi Q8 can tow up to 7,700 pounds.
The 2021 Audi Q8 has a predicted reliability rating of three out of five, which is about average.
Audi backs the Q8 with a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the 2021 Q8 an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, with five stars in the frontal and side crash tests and four stars in the rollover test.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not fully crash tested the 2021 Q9, but it gave this Audi the highest rating of Superior for its standard vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention systems.
Standard advanced safety features:
Available advanced safety features:
The Audi Q8 is 16.4 feet long. Its curb weight is 5,490 pounds.
Audi builds the 2021 Q8 in Slovakia.
The Audi Q8 comes in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige. There are also two performance variants, the SQ8 and the RS Q8.
The base Q8 Premium comes well-equipped, and it's a solid value for buyers. Still, the best pick in the lineup is the Premium Plus. It doesn't cost much more than the base trim, and it comes standard with more driver assistance and infotainment features than the Premium. The Prestige trim is the most luxurious model, but the features it adds are things that many shoppers can live without.
While it's nice to have the added power of the V8 engines, the drastic price increase means the SQ8 and RS Q8 probably aren't worth the money for most buyers, especially since they don't add any tech features.
The Q8 Premium has a starting price around $69,000. It comes with a 335-horsepower turbocharged V6 engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive.
Standard features include leather upholstery, heated front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, the Audi Virtual Cockpit, a panoramic sunroof, and a power liftgate. The standard MMI infotainment system includes 10.1-inch and 8.6-inch touch screens, navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, four USB ports, Bluetooth, a 10-speaker stereo, and satellite radio.
Standard safety features include a rearview camera, parking sensors, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and Audi Pre Sense Basic, Front, and Rear.
The Cold Weather package ($600) comes with heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel, and the Convenience package ($850) adds blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and wireless device charging.
The Q8 Premium Plus has a starting MSRP of about $73,000. This trim adds ventilated front seats, quad-zone automatic climate control, a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, a surround-view parking camera system, and the contents of the Convenience package.
The Cold Weather package carries over. Other options include upgraded headlights and taillights ($1,200) and an adaptive air suspension with all-wheel steering ($2,750). The Driver Assistance package ($1,750) adds lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control.
The Q8 Prestige trim starts around $78,000. It includes the contents of the Driver Assistance package, plus the upgraded headlights and taillights. Other features include a leather-wrapped dashboard, rear-window sunshades, power soft-closing doors, and a head-up display.
Most available features carry over. Options exclusive to the Prestige trim include a night vision camera system ($2,500), a 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo ($5,000), and the Luxury package ($6,150), which offers extended leather upholstery and massaging front seats.
The SQ8 starts at about $89,000 for the Premium Plus trim and $95,000 for the Prestige trim. A 500-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine comes standard in both models. Beyond that, the standard and available features resemble the Q8's Premium Plus and Prestige trims.
The RS Q8 starts at $114,500. Its twin-turbo V8 engine generates 591 horsepower. The standard and available features are similar to the Q8 Prestige trim's offerings.
Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Audi dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Audi deals page.
See 2021 Audi Q8 specs and trims »
The 2021 Audi Q8 brings a lot to the table. It's a great cruising vehicle that's fairly athletic, and it has a spacious, opulent cabin that's replete with technology. There are a few areas where the Q8 trails the competition, however, resulting in its midpack spot in our luxury midsize SUV rankings.
Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.
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#3 in Luxury Midsize SUVs
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