Compare the2024 Audi Q8VS 2024 Lexus GX

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 GX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q8 and GX 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 GX’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.

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

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 GX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Q8 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The GX uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Q8 and the GX 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, all wheel drive, 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 Q8’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the GX’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’s warranty.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q8 is faster than the Lexus GX:

On the EPA test cycle the Q8 gets better fuel mileage than the GX (17 city/23 hwy vs. 15 city/21 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Q8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GX 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 GX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Q8 has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GX (22.5 vs. 21.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

For better traction, the Q8 has larger tires than the GX (285/45R21 vs. 265/55R20).

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 GX Overtrail’s standard 70 series tires. The Q8’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the GX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q8 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GX Overtrail.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q8’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the GX (117.9 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Q8 Prestige handles at .83 G’s, while the GX Overtrail+ pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q8 Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the GX Overtrail+ (26.9 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

The Audi Q8 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 pounds less than the Lexus GX.

The Q8 is 8.2 inches shorter in height than the GX, making the Q8 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Q8’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The GX doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Q8 has a much larger cargo volume than the GX with its rear seat up (30.5 vs. 10.3 cubic feet).

While the GX Luxury+ can only tow 6780, any Q8 can tow a minimum of 7700 pounds.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the GX, 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 Q8’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the GX.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q8 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, standard on the Q8 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the GX’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

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 GX doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

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 GX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.