Compare the2024 Audi Q8 e-tronVS 2024 Lexus RZ

The Q8 e-tron’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RZ doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q8 e-tron and RZ have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q8 e-tron 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 RZ’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 e-tron’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The RZ doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The Q8 e-tron has Car-to-X Services, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The RZ doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

Both the Q8 e-tron and the RZ have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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 and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q8 e-tron weighs 1179 to 1797 pounds more than the Lexus RZ. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Q8 e-tron’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the RZ’s (12 vs. 6 years).

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Q8 e-tron’s warranty.

The Q8 e-tron’s standard electric motors produces 201 more horsepower (402 vs. 201) and 294 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 196) than the RZ 300e’s standard electric motor. The Q8 e-tron’s electric motors produces 94 more horsepower (402 vs. 308) and 169 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 321) than the RZ 450e’s optional electric motors. The SQ8 e-tron’s standard electric motors produces 188 more horsepower (496 vs. 308) and 396 lbs.-ft. more torque (717 vs. 321) than the RZ 450e’s optional electric motors.

The Q8 e-tron can travel longer on a full charge than the RZ on a full charge:

The Q8 e-tron’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The RZ doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Q8 e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the RZ:

The Q8 e-tron stops shorter than the RZ:

For better traction, the Q8 e-tron has larger standard tires than the RZ (255/50R20 vs. 235/60R18). The Q8 e-tron’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RZ (265/45R21 vs. 235/60R18).

The Q8 e-tron’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RZ’s standard 60 series front and 55 series rear tires. The Q8 e-tron’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the RZ’s optional 50 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q8 e-tron has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the RZ. The Q8 e-tron’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the RZ.

The Q8 e-tron 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 RZ; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The front and rear suspension of the Q8 e-tron uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the RZ, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Q8 e-tron 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 RZ’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Q8 e-tron has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q8 e-tron’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The RZ doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q8 e-tron’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the RZ (115.1 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Q8 e-tron is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the RZ.

The Q8 e-tron 55 Launch Edition handles at .85 G’s, while the RZ 450e Premium pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Q8 e-tron has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RZ (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Q8 e-tron to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Q8 e-tron has 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the RZ.

The Q8 e-tron has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RZ with its rear seat folded (56.4 vs. 55.6 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q8 e-tron’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The RZ doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Q8 e-tron. The RZ doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Q8 e-tron offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity. The RZ has no towing capacity.

The Q8 e-tron uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The RZ uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

A Service Interval Display is standard on the Q8 e-tron to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for vehicle inspections, vehicle inspection based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Lexus doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the RZ.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the RZ, the Q8 e-tron Prestige has a 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 e-tron and the RZ have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Q8 e-tron is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The RZ prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Q8 e-tron the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the RZ can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q8 e-tron has a standard rear wiper. The RZ doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Q8 e-tron’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the RZ’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q8 e-tron to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RZ doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Q8 e-tron Prestige/Launch Edition has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RZ.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q8 e-tron and the Lexus RZ, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Audi Q8 e-tron outsold the Lexus RZ by 59% during 2023.