2019 Audi Q8 vs 2020 Audi Q7

What's the difference?

The Audi Q8 is a compelling and impressive new entrant into the luxury SUV fray, and it deserves to do well considering the pricing and specification on offer. I have no doubt that an even more enticing version of the Q8 - be it an SQ8 or RS Q8 - is on its way, and it’s bound to be even more impressive again.

The Q7 was at risk of irrelevancy due to the unfortunate timing of its rivals' life cycles, but Audi made sure that wasn't going to be the case.

As far as mid-life facelifts go, Audi has knocked it out of the park with the Q7, so much so that the case can be made it's now the class leader.

In many ways this Q7 feels like an all-new model, which is quite something. More importantly, the positives well and truly outweigh the negatives.

It isn’t a coupe-style SUV, but it also kind of is. That’s what’s most interesting about the design of the Q8, which has muscular haunches, a huge grille with a polarising silver trim ‘mask’ around it (which thankfully can be had in gloss black, too), and a body that may look familiar to you if you like big luxury SUVs.

That’s because it’s got some stuff in common with the likes of the Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga, which share some underbody components. If you squint there’s a bit of family resemblance, but the Q8 is convincingly different enough to justify some attention in its own right.

There are standard-fit LED headlights and daytime running lights, plus massive 21-inch wheels that fill those copious arches. And if those aren’t big enough, there are optional 22-inch alloys, too.

The lines that run the length of the body aren’t over the top, and the beautifully named “blisters” that run over the tops of the wheel arches are pronounced, but not shouty. The tail-light garnish really accentuates the broadness of the Q8, and in an interesting styling highlight, the big Audi has pillar-less doors - hello Subarus from the 1990s!

It’s exceptional to look at from the outside, with a strong road presence that helps it stand out from the round-edged Q5 and Q7 models that sit below it. The dimensions definitely help out in that regard - the Q8 is 66mm shorter than Q7 at 4986mm long, and has the same wheelbase (2995mm). It is 2190mm wide (up 27mm on Q7), but sits 1705mm tall (38mm shorter).

The interior? Well, there’s quite a bit of pleasantness there, too. Check out the interior images for yourself.

Good on Audi for throwing the kitchen sink at the second-generation Q7. As far as mid-life facelifts go, this is a really good one.

Up front, the headlights, 'Singleframe' grille and bumper have all been redesigned to ensure the Q7 isn't out of place in Audi's new-generation line-up. Either way, this is a large SUV with presence in spades.

Changes around the side are less drastic, limited to new sills and fresh sets of alloy wheels, including the 20-inch items seen here, which we reckon are pretty unexciting.

The rear end is the best angle thanks to the redesigned tail-lights and rear diffuser, both of which look great. We particularly like the former's segmented design, shared with the headlights.

That said, the real story is happening inside, where Audi has well and truly flipped the script. The old cabin was ageing well in some regards, but not others, and that was reason enough for a complete overhaul.

If the new interior design looks familiar, it's because it is, having been lifted from the much newer – and mechanically related – Q8 large SUV.

Needless to say, it's a technological tour de force, with not one, not two, but three large display screens dominating the cockpit.

Of course, Audi's much-loved version of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is one of them, although it's running new software now.

What is completely new, however, is the pair of stacked central touchscreens, with the top unit measuring 10.1 inches in diameter and the lower item checking in at 8.6 inches apiece.

Both are powered by Audi's latest-generation multimedia system, with the former handling most functions, while the latter is responsible for the climate controls.

Aside from being a fingerprint magnet, this set-up works pretty damn well. Yes, some functions require a few too many taps to get to, but the acoustic and haptic feedback bring some unexpected tactility to what is a largely buttonless system.

Look past the obvious, though, as it's more or less business as usual for the Q7, which is chock full of lovely materials, including the 'Cricket' leather upholstery seen here.

Take for instance the soft-touch plastics used on the upper dashboard and door shoulders. Even the hard plastics found lower down look and feel suspiciously good!

Metallic trims are used throughout to brighten up the interior, while gloss-black finishes are liberally applied to the dashboard and centre console. Frankly, we could do without them as they are fingerprint magnets. Yep, keep a microfibre cloth in the glove box.

If you’re considering the Q8 as an alternative to the Tardis-like Q7, you’ll be upset. It may pay to think of it as a slightly larger Q5 in terms of cabin space, because despite its imposing dimensions, the Q8 is cosier inside than you might think.

That isn’t to say it’s small or cramped. Not at all. And the raked roofline of the Q8 isn’t as big an imposition on passenger comfort and space as it is in its direct German competitors.

For someone my height - 182cm - there’s enough headroom in the rear seat to be comfortable with a similarly sized driver in front, and the legroom and foot room is well considered, too. The back seat slides fore and aft in a 60:40 ratio, up to 100mm, so if you have smaller back-seaters, you can allow for a bigger boot space.

Storage is well considered for all occupants, with bottle-sized door pockets all around, cupholders between the seats (in a flip-down armrest in the back), plus some extra loose item and covered storage up front -along with a wireless phone charger in the centre console.

And in terms of boot space and luggage capacity, the Q8 is better than many SUVs in the class; with the seats pushed all the way back there is 606 litres of space available, and should you need more space, the second-row slide function liberates 75L more (total: 681L). That expands to 1755L with the rear seats folded down (which can be done in a 40:20:40 ratio, making for easy stowage of skis or other long items).

Up front, there are comfortable seats with nice amenities, and the design of the dashboard is neat and tidy. Very minimalist.

As for the tech interface and media screens, there is some learning required to get the hang of how to use them. The top screen controls the media and navigation function, while the lower one manages climate and car controls. Both are touchscreens, but both have haptic feedback which makes it feel like you’re hitting a physical button rather than the screen.

The resolution of both screens is lovely, with superb 3D mapping and even a surround-view camera system that uses AI to give you a 3D view of the car and its surroundings.

But the menus aren’t as intuitive as they could be - things like the fact you have a lane keeping assistance button that sits separate to the rest of the safety controls, and that’s separate again to the button on the end of the indicator stalk that adapts the active cruise control/lane keeping system. There’s a voice control system if you think the screens will be too distracting to use while on the move.

One issue with fit and finish - the dash top didn’t align perfectly with the plastic below in all cars present on test, whether equipped with the standard plastic dash finish or the optional leather-trimmed version. It’s something that’s hard to un-see.

Measuring 5063mm long, 1970mm wide and 1741mm tall in facelifted form, the Q7 is large for a large SUV, which goes some way to explaining why it's only available with seven seats.

That said, the third row is more of temporary solution than a permanent one, even for kids.

Granted I'm an adult that's 184cm tall, and therefore not the target audience here, it's still tight back there, albeit up with the best in class.

With the second slid all the way forward, I manage to have my knees pressed up against the seat backrest, while headroom is severely limited.

Footwell space is okay, and so too is toe-room. Again, children will cope, but only on shorter journeys.

Ingress and egress to the third row is made easier by the 40/20/40 split-fold middle bench, which can tumble forward easily with the pull of a tab and then a latch. It's not glamorous, but it's doable.

Conversely, the second row is spacious and easy to get in and out of, even when set up to make the rear occupants as comfortable as possible.

Behind our driving position, around 10cm of legroom is available, depending on the positioning of the bench. No matter what, though, there's plenty of toe-room, and two inches of headroom is on offer, despite the panoramic sunroof.

Indeed, this is one of very few SUVs that can accommodate three adults abreast in relative comfort, even with the transmission tunnel reducing footwell space.

For reference, top-tether and ISOFIX child-seat anchorage points are spread across the second and third rows.

Cargo capacity with the power-folding third row stowed is generous, at 865L, and can be expanded up to 2050L with the middle bench stowed. An undisclosed amount of space is available with all seven seats in use. Either way, it's more than enough for the weekly shop (as you can see in our pics).

The boot is made more useful thanks to the inclusion of four tie-down points and one side storage net, while the lack of a load lip makes dealing with bulkier items a lot easier.

The only real issue we had was where to store the load cover when not in use. There's no false floor to gobble it up, meaning it'll annoyingly live at home when you've got six or more people on board.

That's not to say the Q7 doesn't have other storage options; it's got plenty of them, such as the useful storage nets on the back of the front seat backrests.

The glove box is pleasingly large, although the central storage bin is not, with most of its space taken up by the wireless smartphone charger.

The door bins are simply massive, with the front items capable of accommodating a large bottle and two regular ones, while their rear siblings can take one of each.

Two cupholders are located between the driver and front passenger, while another pair is hidden in the middle row's fold-down armrest. Rear occupants are treated to two smaller items.

Connectivity-wise, in an old-school twist, four USB-A ports are split between the first and second rows. In both instances, a 12-volt power outlet is found nearby.

The former's input options are located in the central storage bin alongside SD and SIM card readers, while the latter's reside at the rear of the centre console, below the central air vents and climate controls.

The entry-level 45 TDI variant kicks off the new Q7 line-up from $101,900, plus on-road costs – $4100 higher than its direct predecessor, although Audi claims more than $15,000 of value has been added.

Meanwhile, the mid-range 50 TDI version tested here costs $6000 more than before, at $112,900, in exchange for more than $20,000 of added value. It can also be had in S line guise for an $11,000 premium.

Standard equipment not already mentioned in the 50 TDI includes matrix LED headlights, dusk-sensing lights, rain-sensing wipers, 285/45 tyres, a tyre repair kit, auto-folding side mirrors (with heating and auto-dimming), and a hands-free power-operated tailgate.

Inside there's, satellite navigation (with live traffic updates), Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay support, digital radio, a windshield-projected head-up display, keyless entry and start, power-adjustable front seats with heating, four-zone climate control, a power-adjustable steering column, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and ambient lighting.

Not only are the rivalling BMW X5 xDrive30d ($117,900) and Mercedes-Benz GLE400d ($124,400) more expensive, but neither matches the Q7 50 TDI on value-for-money.

Under the bonnet of the 55 TFSI model is a hard-hitting horsepower hero - a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol producing engine specs of 250kW of power (at 5500rpm) and 500Nm of torque (at 2090-5300rpm).

It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system, and the brand claims it will slingshot from 0-100km/h in just 5.9 seconds.

For context, the equivalent Benz GLE 43 has 287kW/520Nm and does the sprint in 5.7sec (claimed), while the BMW gets a stonking 4.4L turbo V8 in 50i spec with 330kW and 650Nm, with a resulting sprint claim of 4.8sec. Yeah, so those two are a bit speedier - is that enough to justify the additional expense?

If petrol vs diesel is important to you, here’s how the 50 TDI stacks up: it has a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine with 210kW of power and 620Nm of torque, and again has an eight-speed auto and quattro AWD. Audi claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.3sec for this model.

As for weight, the Q8 tips the scales at a not unsubstantial 2265kg (including 75kg driver) in 55 TFSI spec. Towing capacity is rated at 750kg for an un-braked trailer, and a huge 3500kg for a braked trailer, which is better than a Toyota Prado.

The 50 TDI is motivated by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine, producing 210kW of power from 3500-4000rpm and 600Nm of torque from 2250-3250rpm.

For reference, the 45 TDI has the same unit but develops 170kW from 3250-4750rpm and 500Nm from 1750-3250rpm.

The former sprints from a standstill to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, while the latter is 0.8s quicker, putting it in hot-hatch territory.

Either way, an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission sends drive to all four wheels via Audi's signature quattro system.

Both variants also feature a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which consists of a belt alternator starter (BAS) connected to the crankshaft, and a 10Ah lithium-ion battery pack located under the boot floor.

And for those looking to do a little more than usual with the Q7, maximum braked towing capacity is 3500kg.

Claimed fuel consumption for the 55 TFSI is rated at 9.2 litres per 100km - which is on the high side (some may say, the ‘realistic’ side), and it’s not far off the V8-powered BMW X6 (9.7L/100km) and Benz GLE 43 (9.8L/100km).

It employs 48-volt mild hybrid technology which is said to decrease consumption by 0.7L/100km, so it could have been even thirstier, theoretically. The system is able to shut the engine down and coast at speeds between 55-160km/h for up to 40 seconds, and it can also shut the engine of when decelerating at speeds of 22km/h or less.

Our drive route - which included twisty mountain roads, city driving, flowing country roads and about 30km of dirt/gravel - saw an indicated return of 10.5L/100km. That’s not bad at all.

The Q8 55 TFSI requires 95RON premium unleaded petrol, and it has a fuel tank capacity of 85 litres.

If petrol vs diesel is something you’re weighing up, the fuel use figure for the Q8 50 TDI is a bit better, claimed at 6.7L/100km.

The 50 TDI's claimed fuel consumption on the combined cycle test (ADR 81/02) is 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres, while carbon dioxide emissions are 180 grams per kilometre.

Audi says the aforementioned 48V mild-hybrid system reduces fuel consumption by 0.7L/100km thanks to its coasting ability, which sees the engine turn off for up to 40 seconds between 55km/h and 160km/h. It also engages idle-stop from 22km/h. In reality, it all works pretty well.

During our week of testing, we averaged 8.9L/100km with limited highway driving, which is a pretty solid result. Naturally, longer journeys will see that figure come closer to the claim, if not exceed it.

It's also worth noting the standard fuel tank takes 75L of diesel, although the optional item accommodates 85L. The 50 TDI also requires AdBlue, with a 24L tank on board.

For reference, the 45 TFSI manages 7.0L/100km and 184g/km.

It’s rare for a brand like Audi to offer up the chance to drive a pricey model like the Q8 in a spec that is basically free of options, but that was what I started with. And it was good, but not great.

With the standard steering system and the standard steel springs paired to adaptive dampers, the Q8 felt rather large through a series of twisting bends, with a bit of body lean and a tendency to feel like it wanted to push on a bit rather than bite harder in the corners. The traction was good, though, with a firm footprint and all-wheel drive ensuring things were kept under control.

Things were markedly more impressive in the model with the dynamic steering pack with four-wheel steering. Its behaviour in the bends was noticeably different. It tucked into the corners more, with a quicker steering action that made the big SUV shrink around you, making it feel like it had been on Lite n' Easy.

And it’s not just at higher speeds on challenging roads that you can feel the effect of the four-wheel steering, it also works to reduce the turning circle by 1.1m at lower speeds by allowing up to five degrees of steering (the opposite angle to the front wheels) to be applied at the back axle. That lower-speed turning circle improvement is worthy of mention, because otherwise the radius (at 13.3m with the standard steering) is worse than some dual-cab utes.

That model also had the adaptive air suspension setup, which offered a very similar ride quality to the normal car despite sitting atop 22-inch rims. Both were comfortable in Comfort mode, and predictably more chuckable in Dynamic, though the air suspension version looked a lot meaner when the latter mode was selected as it drops the body by about 40mm over those huge rims.

There’s an off-road mode, which Audi labels Allroad, and it eases up the traction control and ABS as well as adjusting the reactiveness of the steering, throttle and transmission. In the version with airbag suspension the body rises up to allow a huge 254mm of ground clearance - 50mm more than standard running height.

Not that an off-road review is overly important in a car like this, but my stint was confined to the model without airbag suspension and it still had good running clearance, the big wheels didn’t crunch or crash too hard into pockmarked gravel roads, and the handling was predictable.

The quietude of the cabin hits the Luxury Level for sound insulation, with only a bit of tyre roar and some wind noise from the large wing mirrors at highway speed. It’s mostly very hushed and very pleasant.

But that might be a bit of a disappointment to some; the sound of the V6 engine is muted, and never really sounds as enticing as you might want it to. This is a big, brash, Look At Me SUV, but it never feels it from the driver’s seat, because there’s no rasping or raucousness when it revs. Maybe we’ll have to wait for an even sportier version to bring the noise…

And the engine itself is willing, but slightly inhibited by the weight of this big truck. It is refined and certainly powerful enough, but doesn’t quite hit the ‘wow that’s fast’ benchmark that you’d get in the V8-powered Bimmer.

My biggest driving annoyance was the lane keeping assist system - not just how it’s a separate button to the rest of the assist systems, but that it triggers back on whenever you stop the engine. I found myself hitting the button every single time I got into a different car or back into the driver’s seat, because the system makes the steering feel unbearably artificial and interruptive.

Happily, if you are purchasing one of these vehicles, Audi can set it up so that the button is a ‘steering assist on’ switch rather than ‘steering assist off’.

The Q7 is a big beast, but it's not as intimidating to drive as you may think.

In fact, it's very easy to live with, if you don't mind managing its size in certain scenarios, such as finding a park in a busy shopping centre.

The SUV's electric power steering is speed-sensitive, which means fewer inputs are required at low speed, making parking and other manoeuvres easier, while stability is improved at high speed.

While not the first word in feel, this system is nicely weighted and surprisingly direct, endearing the Q7 with some sports-car characteristics.

That said, our favourite element is its independent suspension set-up, which consists of multi-link axles with air springs and adaptive dampers.

Needless to say, ride comfort is superb, with the SUV just floating along, even on uneven surfaces.

Introduce a coarse-chip road or a pothole, though, and the Q7 does become unsettled. But this is probably more noticeable because the ride is otherwise so sublime.

Instead, it's through the corners where it's truly exposed, with body control decent but nowhere near class-leading. Yep, it's here that its 2135kg unladen weight (excluding 75kg for driver and luggage) is really felt.

Flick the SUV into its Dynamic drive mode and things noticeably pick up, with extra heft added to the steering and the suspension firming up and hunkering down by up to 40mm. It's an improved experience in the bends, but not a memorable one.

However, our biggest bugbear is the exaggerated turbo lag served up by the 50 TDI's engine. Below 2000rpm, it has absolutely no go. Above it, though, it hammers.

Being a diesel unit, it doesn't have a lot of revolutions to play with, so you find yourself hunting for its upper reaches when accelerating, even around the town.

Making the most of the situation, the 50 TDI's smooth automatic transmission is responsive to kick-downs, but it's not lightning quick, meaning progress is stunted more often than not.

It also doesn't help that the eight-speeder is tuned for economy and therefore likes to keep engine speeds just above idle. This is particularly evident when attempting to power out of a corner.

When playing in the engine's upper reaches, the 50 TDI well and truly comes alive, serving up punchy acceleration, which is easier to access with the aforementioned Dynamic drive mode engaged. It makes shift patterns more aggressive and prompts more consistency.

ANCAP awarded the Q7 range (excluding SQ7) a maximum five-star safety rating in 2015.

Advanced driver-assist systems extend to autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), lane-keep and steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control (with stop and go functionality), driver attention alert, hill-descent control, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring, surround-view cameras, and front and rear parking sensors.

Other standard safety equipment includes eight airbags (dual front, front and rear side, and curtain), electronic stability and traction control systems, anti-skid brakes (ABS), brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, among others.

Audi Australia offers a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. That’s about average for the luxury car segment, but falls short when you consider what mainstream brands are moving towards (five years or more). The argument - and it’s a valid one - is that most luxury car buyers don’t hang onto their cars for more than three years anyway.

At the time of writing, Audi hadn’t announced official pricing for its capped price service plan, which is called Service Plan Pricing, but it must be pre-purchased at the time of delivery (the good news is that you can roll that cost into your finance package).

For three years/45,000km of servicing, you can expect to pay about $2000 - meaning the average cost is $666 per 12-month/15,000km visit.

You get included roadside assist as part of the ownership plan. It spans the cover of the warranty.

All Q7 variants come with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is well short of the premium market's new five-year standard.

Audi also bundles in three years of roadside assistance, although this term can be extended up to nine years if the vehicle is serviced at an authorised dealership, which is nice.

Speaking of which, service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Capped-price servicing plans are available, costing $2310 for three years or $3190 for five.