Compare the2024 Toyota Highlander HybridVS 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Highlander Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q8 e-tron, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Highlander Hybrid	Q8 e-tron
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	-10 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-23 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
Warning Issued-Low beams	2 sec	1.9 sec

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Highlander Hybrid’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander Hybrid and the Q8 e-tron have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q8 e-tron:

	Highlander Hybrid	Q8 e-tron
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	38%

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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q8 e-tron:

	Highlander Hybrid	Q8 e-tron
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	79 lbs.	117 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	123
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	579 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	60 G’s

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

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Highlander Hybrid 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q8 e-tron. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q8 e-tron ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q8 e-tron.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander Hybrid’s reliability 34 points higher than the Q8 e-tron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Audi is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 19th.

Brakes and Stopping

The Highlander Hybrid stops shorter than the Q8 e-tron:

	Highlander Hybrid	Q8 e-tron
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Highlander Hybrid’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Q8 e-tron’s (37.4 feet vs. 40 feet).

Chassis

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1450 to 1500 pounds less than the Audi Q8 e-tron.

Passenger Space

The Highlander Hybrid offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Q8 e-tron can only carry 5.

The Highlander Hybrid has 38.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q8 e-tron (141.8 vs. 103).

The Highlander Hybrid has 3.1 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q8 e-tron.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander Hybrid’s middle and third row seats recline. The Q8 e-tron’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Highlander Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q8 e-tron.

	Highlander Hybrid	Q8 e-tron
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	28.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	56.4 cubic feet

Towing

The Highlander Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q8 e-tron’s (3500 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Highlander Hybrid uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Highlander Hybrid’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q8 e-tron’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Highlander Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q8 e-tron only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q8 e-tron’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Hybrid Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The Highlander Hybrid is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Highlander Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Audi Q8 e-tron by almost 20 to one during 2023.