To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q8. But it costs extra on the XC60.
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 XC60 doesn’t offer a night vision system.
Both the Q8 and the XC60 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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 and available around view monitors.
The Audi Q8 weighs 930 to 1100 pounds more than the Volvo XC60. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.
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 Volvo XC60:
|
Q8 |
XC60 |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.5 inches |
.5 inches |
Neck Stress |
120 lbs. |
179 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
47/47 lbs. |
329/351 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, results indicate that the Audi Q8 is safer than the Volvo XC60:
|
Q8 |
XC60 |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
60 |
73 |
Chest Movement |
.7 inches |
.7 inches |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
141 |
185 |
Spine Acceleration |
43 G’s |
45 G’s |
Hip Force |
684 lbs. |
906 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.