2019 Audi Q8

There is perhaps no cooler-looking SUV in the midsize luxury class, and the all-new Audi Q8 backs that up that style with solid build quality and decent driving dynamics. It costs a pretty penny, however, and it makes a few compromises that prevent it from being the overall favorite in the class. But if you're looking for understated fashion, cutting-edge tech and a truly substantial feel on the road, the Q8 is bound to satisfy.

We took a 2019 Audi Q8 Quattro Prestige to the Edmunds test track to put it through its paces. Read on to see all of the numbers and information from our proprietary testing process, plus exclusive driving impressions from the best testing crew in the business.

2019 Audi Q8 Quattro Prestige Performance Testing Results

Price as tested: $88,690
Date of test: 4/29/2019
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Odometer: 3,264
Powertrain: 3.0L V6 Turbo | 8-Speed Automatic | AWD
Horsepower: 335 hp @ 5,000 rpm
Torque: 369 lb-ft @ 1,370 rpm

2019 Q8 Acceleration

"Just like it does on the street, the Q8 takes a full second to get going once you floor the accelerator from a stop. Power-braking greatly reduces this lag and seems to have a positive effect when revved up to 2,400 rpm. The quickest run was achieved operating in dynamic mode, with stability control off, though no wheelspin is experienced. Needing just over 5 and a half seconds to reach 60 mph, the engine proves capable of moving this hefty SUV at quick speeds. It just doesn't feel as lively out in the real world."

2019 Q8 Braking

"Like other Audi models, the Q8 sends a surprising amount of ABS braking noise into the cabin. It’s amazing Audi hasn't yet felt the need to filter out some of that noise. Audi pre-sense also retracts the seatbelts a bit, though to a less uncomfortable degree than other systems (talking to you, INFINITI!). Braking stability feels really good and there is a minimal amount of nosedive, which is also reassuring. The brake pedal maintains a firm amount of pressure, so you always feel confident that there’s braking capacity. The brakes lack a little consistency in stopping distances, but they don’t appear to fade in performance between our 60 mph runs either."

2019 Q8 Handling

"The Q8 is a big boy that exhibits relatively sound body roll control around the skid pad in dynamic mode. But there’s no hiding the mass. You can feel the weight of the Q8 throwing it to the outside, and the tire grip feels a bit mediocre with these all-season tires. Despite this, the Q8 manages a very respectable lateral G figure. With ESP on or in sport mode, you can hear the brakes on the inside wheel actuating to mitigate understeer. It's still faster with everything turned off. The Q8 has decent balance for a heavy all-wheel-drive vehicle. There's still a moderate amount of understeer, but we'd call it good for such a large vehicle. Steering effort feels really nice in dynamic mode, and while there's not a ton of feedback, it's sufficient."

2019 Audi Q8 Quattro Prestige Vehicle Details

Drivetrain
Drive Type: All-Wheel Drive
Engine Type: Conventional Gasoline                                                
Engine Configuration: V6                                                              
Engine Displacement (liters): 3.0                                                             
Engine Induction Type: Turbocharged                       
Indicated Redline: 6500                                                                
Actual Redline (rev limit): 6500                                                                
Fuel Type: 91 octane                                                                    
Transmission Type: Automatic                                                                
Transmission Speeds: 8
Paddle Shifters: Yes, wheel-mounted
Downshift Rev Match/Throttle Blip: Yes
Holds Gears at Rev Limiter: No   

Curb Weight and Weight Distribution
Curb weight as tested (lbs): 5,121                                                 
Weight L/F (lbs): 1,335                                                                 
Weight L/R (lbs): 1,184                                                                 
Weight R/F (lbs): 1,455                                                                 
Weight R/R (lbs): 1,147                                                                
Weight distribution, front (%): 54.5                             
GVWR (lbs): 6,471                                                                                 

Brakes
ABS Type: Full ABS                                                           
Brake Rotor Type - Front: 1-Piece Disc                     
Brake Rotor (other) - Front: Vented                            
Brake Caliper Type - Front: Fixed                      
Brake Pistons - Front: 6                                                                
Brake Rotor Type - Rear: 1-Piece Disc                      
Brake Rotor (other) - Rear: Vented                             
Brake Caliper Type - Rear: Sliding                               
Brake Pistons - Rear: 1                                                                 
Parking Brake: Button                           

Tires
Tire pressure spec - Front: 33                                                                 
Tire pressure spec - Rear: 36                                                                  
Tire Make: Continental                                                        
Tire Model: Cross Contact LX Sport                             
Tire Tread: Asymmetrical                                                              
Tire Type: Low Rolling Resistance                                
Tire Season: All-Season                                                               
Tire Size (sidewall) - Front: 285/40 R22 110Y    
Tire Size (sidewall) - Rear: 285/40 R22 110Y     
Spare Tire Type: Temporary                                   
Tire Treadwear Rating: 480                                                                    
Tire Temperature Rating: A        
Tire Traction Rating: A

About the Driver
From radar guns to GPS-driven data loggers, Jonathan has been pushing cars to their limits (for science!) since 2005. Today, he helps manage Edmunds' testing dream team.

Audi is going through a quiet renaissance as it emerges from the legal issues stemming from improper diesel emissions testing. The carmaker says it's using this opportunity to restructure and reinvest in its lineup, with one of the prime examples being the new 2019 Audi Q8.

The Q8 supplants the venerable Q7 as Audi's most expensive SUV. For most of us, giving a two-row SUV top-dog status seems odd, especially considering Audi's Q7 has historically been the grande dame of the fleet. All things being equal, Americans typically associate size with prestige. Audi argues that there is a decent percentage of people who would rather compromise on the passenger capacity in exchange for a better look, more dynamic performance and a roomier second-row seat. That sounds all well and good — but does the Q8 possess these things?

The Hardware

The Q8 is based on the same platform as the Q7. It has the same wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear axles) but is a little shorter overall and not as tall as the Q7. Its new engine, a mild-hybridized turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, produces 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is a little more power than the Q7's supercharged V6. But don't be fooled by the hybridization because fuel economy is actually lower. The EPA estimates the Q8 gets 19 mpg in combined city/highway driving, compared to the Q7's 21 mpg combined.

All-wheel drive is standard on the Q8, as it is on most other Audis. But the company did tune it to have an initial power distribution of 40:60, with more bias toward the rear axle. As a result, it has a sportier feel than its heavier sibling and sure-footed grip on slippery surfaces.

Suspension tuning is also on the sporty side. Standard adaptive dampers allow drivers to select the appropriate ride firmness or leave it on auto and let the computers figure it out. An optional air suspension adds the ability to control ride height and spring rate and further tailor the ride. It also gives you some ride-leveling capability for towing (up to 7,700 pounds), increased ground clearance for light off-roading, and a loading mode for a reduced liftover height.

If you opt for the air suspension, you'll also receive a rear-steer system that steers the rear wheels either in concert or against the front wheels depending on speed and severity of the turn. It effectively makes the Q8 feel like a smaller car, which translates into even sportier handling. Combined with the standard brake-based torque vectoring system, the Q8 can shuttle power to the wheel that has the most grip, ensuring forward progress on just about any surface.

As you'd expect for Audi in 2019, all exterior and interior lights are LEDs. The headlights and taillights incorporate turn signals that blink in a cool animated sequential pattern but still feature a traditional blinker for legality reasons. There's even a cutout in the grille so that the blinker can peek through to provide a wide angle of visibility. Unlike the standard headlight that uses one LED per beam, Audi's optional HD Matrix lights use an array of smaller LEDs to simulate the same effect.

Although the capability isn't legal in the United States, the array of LEDs can be selectively enabled or disabled to light up road signs and limit dazzle to oncoming drivers. This feature can be activated at a later date, should the government decide to reevaluate current headlight regulations.

The Interior

On the inside, the Q8 gains the new dual-screen infotainment system as seen on all-new Audi models. The 10.1-inch upper screen primarily governs the navigation system, while the 8.6-inch lower display handles climate control. Virtual Cockpit, Audi's digital dash system, is also standard, and it lets drivers see navigation or trip information in bold colors.

The dash is broad and glossy, and its open-pore wood blends nicely with the high-tech aesthetic. At night, ambient lighting accents the monolithic design cues. On properly equipped models, you can program the lighting to display different colors.

For most potential shoppers, the biggest differentiator here is the Q8's back seat. Because Audi didn't have to make room for a third-row seat, it was able to give extra space to the second-row seat. The doors feature frameless windows that are sleek but can contribute to road and wind noise, so the Q8 features dual-pane acoustic damping glass to reduce noise intrusion.

The Q8's roofline is more aggressively raked than the Q7, and Audi likes to mention that the muscular fender styling lines are reminiscent of those seen on Audi's first Sport Quattro hatchback rally machine. Thankfully, the Q8 doesn't go to the extreme of the near coupe-like silhouette of BMW's X6 or Mercedes-Benz's GLE Coupe, compromising rear-seat headroom. The back seat is actually suitable for full-size adults. Plus, you still have a tall roof when you have to use the Q8 to haul cargo. The rear seatbacks can recline or fold forward to make a flat-ish load floor. Although total capacity isn't as much as what you get from the Q7, the Q8 still has a respectable 30.5 cubic feet with the seatbacks up and 60.7 cubic feet with the seatbacks folded down.

Over the Road

Now that we know the basics of the Q8, we can go over how it all works together. Over the course of three days, we drove the 2019 Audi Q8 from Park City, Utah, to Telluride, Colorado. Road conditions varied from snowy, slushy and icy, and we drove over highway, twisty mountain passes and even some fire roads.

The Q8 is more athletic than the Q7, with heavier steering, a stiffer ride and flatter cornering. The adjustable ride modes have adequate spread between modes, so you'll probably want to leave it in Auto or Comfort when you're traveling over most road surfaces. Sport stiffens the suspension and increases steering weighting while letting the engine rev higher before shifting. Air suspension-equipped models come with an off-road mode that raises the ground clearance and adjusts the suspension and traction control system to pre-empt wheelspin.

A note on performance: Our test car was equipped with 21-inch wheels and winter tires, and this setup worked great on all the various winter surfaces we drove on. We anticipate higher-performance limits on warmer dry pavement with the standard all-season configuration, but we appreciated the winter tires in Utah and Colorado. A summer tire is available on the optional 22-inch wheels, which should offer the highest amount of traction and performance in the dry.

Creature Comforts

Audi's rotary-knob based MMI system has a lot of fans. You have access to plenty of functionality right at your fingertips. So it's understandable that some drivers may not like Audi's new haptic touchscreen MMI system.

At first glance, the climate control panel's layout can look overly busy, while the upper navigation panel is relatively traditional. The lower panel not only handles climate control, but it also displays user-selectable favorites and vehicle functions. These exist on submenus that you have to watch out for, so non-detail-oriented drivers may experience some frustration with accessing and editing certain preferences or controls.

The upper panel primarily handles navigation and smartphone mirroring, and it works just like the infotainment setups found on many other cars. There's a configurable bar on the left side of the display that keeps your favorite functions at your fingertips, and the ordering of the icons on the main menu is completely flexible as well. Some drivers will likely view all of the capabilities as information overload, while others will drool at the thought of expertly customizing every nook and cranny of the infotainment system.

Seat comfort, on the other hand, is uncontroversially excellent. The front seats are comfortable for long stretches and provide a wide range of adjustability. Compared to the Q7, the Q8's second row is positioned slightly more rearward, making the rear seat an extremely roomy place to be. Adult passengers can easily cross their legs.

2019 Audi Q8 Pricing and Release Date

So is it better? We believe it is. The 2019 Audi Q8 prioritizes style and performance while focusing its functionality on just four or five passengers. It has adequate cargo space and towing capability, and its in-car technology is more modern. Its styling is functional and aggressive, but we suspect the Q8 will start to disappear into the crowd once the other Audi Q models begin to take on the same face.

The Q8 is meant for people who realize buying a three-row SUV for "just in case" doesn't make a lot of sense. Drivers who appreciate style and performance will also enjoy the Q8's capabilities. Its starting price of $68,400 (including destination) puts it in a broad price category among many two- and three-row luxury SUVs. But it features more functionality than its wannabe-coupe SUV competitors, and it has better dynamics than more bloated three-row models.