Compare the2025 Cadillac Escalade IQVS 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback

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 Escalade IQ are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Escalade IQ has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Escalade IQ has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade IQ 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 Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Escalade IQ’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 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Escalade IQ and the Q8 e-tron Sportback 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the Escalade IQ 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q8 e-tron Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Q8 e-tron Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 85 percent more Cadillac dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escalade IQ’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 28 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Cadillac higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 79 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Cadillac higher than Audi.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Cadillac 3 places higher in reliability than Audi.

The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 348 more horsepower (750 vs. 402) and 295 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 490) than the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s standard electric motors. The Escalade IQ’s electric motors produces 254 more horsepower (750 vs. 496) and 68 lbs.-ft. more torque (785 vs. 717) than the SQ8 e-tron Sportback’s standard electric motors.

The Escalade IQ can travel longer on a full charge than the Q8 e-tron Sportback on a full charge:

For better traction, the Escalade IQ has larger tires than the Q8 e-tron Sportback (275/50R24 vs. 255/50R20). The Escalade IQ’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q8 e-tron Sportback (275/50R24 vs. 265/45R21).

The Escalade IQ’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q8 e-tron Sportback Premium ultra’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade IQ has standard 24-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Q8 e-tron Sportback Premium ultra. The Q8 e-tron Sportback’s largest wheels are only 22-inches.

The Cadillac Escalade IQ’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Escalade IQ has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Escalade IQ’s wheelbase is 21.1 inches longer than on the Q8 e-tron Sportback (136.2 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escalade IQ is 4 inches wider in the front and 4.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Q8 e-tron Sportback.

For better maneuverability, the Escalade IQ’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s (39.3 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Escalade IQ uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Escalade IQ has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Q8 e-tron Sportback can only carry 5.

The Escalade IQ has 59.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q8 e-tron Sportback (161.9 vs. 102).

The Escalade IQ has 5.4 inches more front headroom, 4.4 inches more front legroom, 6.8 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom and 6.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q8 e-tron Sportback.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Escalade IQ’s middle row seats recline. The Q8 e-tron Sportback’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Escalade IQ’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q8 e-tron Sportback.

The Escalade IQ’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s (8000 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Escalade IQ uses the StabiliTrak® 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 Sportback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 29% lower rating, Audi is ranked 18th.

The Escalade IQ’s cruise control switch is lit from behind, making it plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q8 e-tron Sportback’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 Escalade IQ has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q8 e-tron Sportback only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Escalade IQ has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Escalade IQ also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Both the Escalade IQ and the Q8 e-tron Sportback offer available massaging front seats. The Escalade IQ also offers optional massaging second row seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging rear seats aren’t available in the Q8 e-tron Sportback.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cadillac Escalade IQ has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console for two separate devices. Only the Q8 e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging, and only charges one device. The Escalade IQ also offers Qi charging for two devices in the second row seat. The Q8 e-tron Sportback doesn’t offer wireless charging in its rear seat.

The Escalade IQ 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 Sportback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Escalade IQ’s Adaptive Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Auto Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Q8 e-tron Sportback Prestige/Launch Assist’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

The Cadillac Escalade outsold the Audi e-tron by almost five to one during 2023.