Compare the2023 Audi Q8VS 2023 Infiniti QX50

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

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 QX50 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q8 and QX50 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 QX50’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 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The QX50 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q8. But it costs extra on the QX50.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q8’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The QX50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

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 QX50 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Q8 and the QX50 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, 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 824 to 1155 pounds more than the Infiniti QX50. 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 Infiniti QX50:

	Q8	QX50
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Stress	235 lbs.	245 lbs.
Neck Compression	14 lbs.	42 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	82/59 lbs.	155/130 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	238	333
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	120 lbs.	161 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	47/47 lbs.	504/622 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 Infiniti QX50:

	Q8	QX50
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	60	98
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	128 lbs.	151 lbs.
Hip Force	260 lbs.	306 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	17 inches
HIC	282	333

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q8 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The QX50 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Q8’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the QX50’s (12 vs. 7 years).

There are over 50 percent more Audi dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q8’s warranty.

Engine

The Q8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 67 more horsepower (335 vs. 268) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 280) than the QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q8 is faster than the Infiniti QX50:

	Q8	QX50
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.4 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.6 MPH	91.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the Q8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The QX50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Q8’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Q8 has 6.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX50 (22.5 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q8’s brake rotors are larger than those on the QX50:

	Q8	QX50
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	12.1 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q8 has larger tires than the QX50 (285/45R21 vs. 235/55R19). The Q8’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the QX50 (285/45R21 vs. 255/45R20).

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 QX50’s standard 55 series tires. The Q8 Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q8 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the QX50. The Q8 Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph.

The Q8 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the QX50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Q8 has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The QX50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q8’s wheelbase is 7.7 inches longer than on the QX50 (117.9 inches vs. 110.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Q8 is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the QX50.

Passenger Space

The Q8 has 2 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the QX50.

Towing

The Q8’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the QX50’s (7700 vs. 0 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q8 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the QX50. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Infiniti. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 3% lower rating, Infiniti is ranked 9th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the QX50 Luxe/Sport/Sensory/Autograph, the Q8 Prestige offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the Q8 and the QX50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Q8 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Q8’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The QX50’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q8 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The QX50 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A manual rear sunshade is optional in the Q8 and power rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q8 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The QX50 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Q8 Prestige offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the QX50.

The Q8 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

The Q8 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q8 will retain 48.72% to 49.32% of its original price after five years, while the QX50 only retains 43.84% to 45.08%.