Holden Acadia vs Audi RS Q8
What's the difference?

Holden Acadia

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2020 price

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Audi RS Q8

$230,827 - $255,727

2026 price

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Summary

2020 Holden Acadia

2026 Audi RS Q8

By Laura Berry

By Stephen Ottley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

V6, 3.6L

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Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

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Fuel Efficiency

8.9L/100km (combined)

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Seating

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Likes

Truck-like looks
Advanced safety tech
Good value

Immense performance
Excellent handling for a big SUV
Premium design

Dislikes

2000kg braked towing capacity
Engine needs to rev hard to make grunt
Wireless charging not standard on LT

Big power equals big thirst
Seven-year warranty costs extra
No current ANCAP rating

2020 Holden Acadia Summary

If the Acadia had an accent it would be a southern drawl because this big seven-seat SUV is built in Tennessee, USA, and wears a GMC badge when it’s at home.

In Australia of course it wears a Holden one and comes straight from the factory in right-hand drive. So how does it suit Aussie conditions? Does it even know the importance of a sausage on a piece of bread bought outside a hardware store on a Saturday?

All this and more was learnt when the entry grade LT front-wheel drive came to live with my family.

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2026 Audi RS Q8 Summary

Not to spoil the illusion, but at their core the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne all share the same base mechanical DNA. And yet despite their huge price tags and enviable reputation for performance, the fastest SUV isn’t one of them - it’s an Audi.

The new Audi RS Q8 Performance, to be precise, which has lapped the famous Nurburgring in Germany in record time, usurping the Cayenne Turbo GT in the process.

Boasting the most powerful internal combustion engine Audi has ever installed in a production car, ceramic brakes and a highly advanced suspension package, the RS Q8 Performance takes the German brand’s SUVs to a new level of, how do I put this… performance.

So it’s an appropriate name, but is it an appropriate car for Australian buyers looking for something fast, spacious and special? Read on to find out…

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Deep dive comparison

2020 Holden Acadia 2026 Audi RS Q8

Verdict

The Holden Acadia is a proper seven-seater SUV in that it will fit adults in the third row without turning your friends into enemies. It’s also practical and well fitted out with storage places and utilities such as USB ports.

I was particularly impressed with the advanced safety equipment on-board even at this entry LT level. Yes, it’s a V6 petrol and it’s not the most fuel-efficient SUV, but our time with it showed that with cylinder deactivation and the stop-start system it might not be as thirsty as you’d think.

Verdict

The Audi RS Q8 Performance is a lot - of everything. It offers lots of power, lots of performance, lots of space and lots of luxury. But it’s also a lot of money, and at more than $250k it’s not going to be on everyone’s shopping list. It’s a very niche proposition for a small group of buyers. For those select few, those who want a lot of everything and who crave the ultimate of whatever product they’re buying, then the RS Q8 Performance is going to be a very tempting proposition - even if they never set any lap record in it.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Holden Acadia vs Audi RS Q8 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Holden Acadia vs Audi RS Q8
What's the difference?