Compare the2026 Audi Q8VS 2026 Lexus RX

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Q8’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q8 and RX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q8 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The RX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Q8’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The RX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Audi Q8 achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Lexus RX has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q8. But it costs extra on the RX.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q8’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The RX doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The Q8 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The RX doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Q8 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The RX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Q8 and the RX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi Q8 is safer than the Lexus RX:

	Q8	RX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	235 lbs.	301 lbs.
Neck Compression	14 lbs.	17 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	82/59 lbs.	353/469 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	238	472
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	120 lbs.	160 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	47/47 lbs.	454/389 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q8 is safer than the Lexus RX:

	Q8	RX
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	43 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	15 inches
HIC	282	317
Hip Force	593 lbs.	919 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Q8’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the RX’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the Q8 for 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the RX (3/30,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Q8’s warranty.

Engine

The Q8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 89 more horsepower (335 vs. 246) and 136 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 233) than the RX 350h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Q8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 60 more horsepower (335 vs. 275) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 317) than the RX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Q8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 31 more horsepower (335 vs. 304) than the RX 450h+ Luxury’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q8 is faster than the Lexus RX:

	Q8	RX 350h	RX 350
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	7.4 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.4 sec	15.7 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.6 MPH	89.2 MPH	89.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Q8 and the RX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Q8s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The RX 350h/500h doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

The Q8 has 8 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 450+’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Q8 has 4.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the RX 350’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 17.8 gallons).

Transmission

The Q8’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The RX doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q8’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the RX:

	Q8	RX
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.4 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q8 has larger tires than the RX (285/45R21 vs. 235/60R19).

The Q8’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RX’s standard 60 series tires. The Q8’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the RX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q8 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the RX. The Q8’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the RX.

Suspension and Handling

The Q8 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The RX base model’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks. The RX 350h suspension doesn’t offer rear gas-charged shocks.

The Q8 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The RX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q8’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the RX (117.9 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Q8 Prestige handles at .83 G’s, while the RX 350 AWD pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q8 Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the RX 350h (26.9 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Q8 has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the RX.

Cargo Capacity

The Q8 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (30.5 vs. 29.6 cubic feet). The Q8 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (60.7 vs. 46.2 cubic feet).

Towing

The Q8’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RX’s (7700 vs. 0 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q8 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q8 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The RX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q8 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the RX’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

A manual rear sunshade is optional in the Q8 and power rear side window sunshades are standard in the Q8 Premium Plus/Prestige to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RX doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The Q8 Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RX.

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