Compare the2025 Lincoln AviatorVS 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron

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 Aviator 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Aviator has standard Reverse Brake Assist 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 Aviator’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 Aviator and the Q8 e-tron 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 all wheel drive.

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

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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Audi Q8 e-tron:

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

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

There are over 75 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Aviator’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Lincoln 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 Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 24 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Lincoln higher than Audi.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Lincoln Aviator is faster than the Audi Q8 e-tron (base engine):

The Aviator stops shorter than the Q8 e-tron:

For better traction, the Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q8 e-tron (275/40R22 vs. 265/45R21).

The Aviator’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q8 e-tron’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Q8 e-tron’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The Aviator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 4 inches longer than on the Q8 e-tron (119.1 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Aviator is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q8 e-tron.

For better maneuverability, the Aviator’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Q8 e-tron’s (39.2 feet vs. 40 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q8 e-tron (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Lincoln Aviator may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1050 to 1200 pounds less than the Audi Q8 e-tron.

The Aviator Reserve/Black Label 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 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Aviator offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Q8 e-tron can only carry 5.

The Aviator has 37.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q8 e-tron (140.6 vs. 103).

The Aviator has 3.4 inches more front headroom, 2.2 inches more front legroom, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom and 4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q8 e-tron.

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

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

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q8 e-tron’s (5000 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Aviator uses the AdvanceTrac® 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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s exterior PIN entry system. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Aviator 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.

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

The Aviator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Aviator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q8 e-tron.

The Aviator 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.

The Aviator (except Premiere)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Q8 e-tron Prestige/Launch Assist’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

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

The Lincoln Aviator outsold the Audi Q8 e-tron by 82% during 2023.