Compare the2025 Audi RS Q8VS 2024 Mercedes G-Class

Both the RS Q8 and G-Class have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The RS 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 G-Class’ 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 RS Q8’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 G-Class doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The RS Q8 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The G-Class doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

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

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the RS Q8 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 G-Class doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The RS Q8 has a standard Top View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The G-Class only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the RS 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 G-Class uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the RS Q8 and the G-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The RS Q8’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the G-Class’ (12 vs. 5 years).

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 10 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The RS Q8’s 4.0 turbo V8 produces 215 more horsepower (631 vs. 416) and 177 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 450) than the G 550’s standard 4.0 turbo V8. The RS Q8’s 4.0 turbo V8 produces 54 more horsepower (631 vs. 577) than the AMG G 63’s standard 4.0 turbo V8.

On the EPA test cycle the RS Q8 gets better mileage than the G-Class:

Regenerative brakes improve the RS Q8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The G-Class doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

For better stopping power the RS Q8’s brake rotors are larger than those on the G-Class:

The RS Q8 has standard heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The G-Class doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

For better traction, the RS Q8 has larger tires than the G-Class (295/40R22 vs. 275/55R19).

The RS Q8’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the G 550’s standard 55 series tires. The RS Q8’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the G-Class’ optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RS Q8 has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the G 550. The RS Q8’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 22-inch wheels optional on the G-Class.

For superior ride and handling, the Audi RS Q8 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mercedes G-Class has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The RS Q8 has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The G-Class doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

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

The RS Q8 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Mercedes doesn’t offer an active suspension on the G-Class.

The RS Q8 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The RS Q8’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 G-Class doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RS Q8’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the G-Class (117.9 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RS Q8 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the G-Class.

The RS Q8 handles at .98 G’s, while the AMG G 63 pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the RS Q8’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the G-Class’ (43.5 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

The RS Q8 is 10.7 inches shorter in height than the G-Class, making the RS Q8 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the RS 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 G-Class doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The design of the Audi RS Q8 amounts to more than styling. The RS Q8 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .36 Cd. That is significantly lower than the G-Class (.55). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the RS Q8 get better fuel mileage.

For excellent aerodynamics, the RS Q8 has standard flush composite headlights. The G-Class has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The RS Q8 has 2.9 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the G-Class.

The RS Q8’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The G-Class’ swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the RS Q8’s power cargo door can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The G-Class doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

The RS Q8’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the G-Class’ (7700 vs. 7000 pounds).

The RS Q8 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The G-Class doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The RS Q8’s standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless-Start standard on the G-Class only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RS Q8 has standard extendable sun visors. The G-Class doesn’t offer extendable visors.

A manual rear sunshade is standard in the RS Q8 and power rear side window sunshades are optional to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The G-Class doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The RS Q8 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the G-Class.

The RS Q8’s optional 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 G-Class’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The Audi Q8/SQ8/RS Q8 outsold the Mercedes G-Class by 35% during 2023.