Compare the2025 Mercedes EQS SUVVS 2025 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 EQS SUV 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.

The EQS SUV 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 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The EQS SUV has a standard Maneuvering Brake 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 EQS SUV’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 EQS SUV and the Q8 e-tron have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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 and rear cross-path warning.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the EQS SUV’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes 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 Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 57 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The EQS SUV has more powerful engines than the Q8 e-tron:

As tested in Consumer Reports the EQS SUV 450+ electric motor is faster than the Audi Q8 e-tron (base engine):

On the EPA test cycle the EQS SUV gets better mileage than the Q8 e-tron:

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

For better stopping power the EQS SUV 580 4MATIC’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q8 e-tron:

The EQS SUV stops much shorter than the Q8 e-tron:

For better traction, the EQS SUV has larger standard tires than the Q8 e-tron (275/45R21 vs. 255/50R20). The EQS SUV’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q8 e-tron (F:275/45R22 & R:285/45R22 vs. 265/45R21).

The EQS SUV’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q8 e-tron’s standard 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EQS SUV has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 20-inch wheels are standard on the Q8 e-tron. The EQS SUV’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Q8 e-tron.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the EQS SUV can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The EQS SUV’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 EQS SUV’s wheelbase is 11.3 inches longer than on the Q8 e-tron (126.4 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the EQS SUV is .4 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Q8 e-tron.

The EQS SUV 450+ handles at .86 G’s, while the Q8 e-tron pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The EQS SUV 450+ executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Q8 e-tron (26 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 26.6 seconds @ .71 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the EQS SUV’s turning circle is 4 feet tighter than the Q8 e-tron’s (36 feet vs. 40 feet).

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

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

The EQS SUV has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q8 e-tron with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 56.4 cubic feet).

The EQS SUV’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q8 e-tron’s (3500 vs. 0 pounds).

Optional Trailer Stability Assist on the EQS SUV uses the Electronic Stability Program 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.

The EQS SUV’s optional power side swing out doors make it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the sport utility. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer a power rear door.

The EQS SUV’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q8 e-tron’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the EQS SUV to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

Consumer Reports rated the EQS SUV’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Q8 e-tron’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the EQS SUV Maybach has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The EQS SUV has standard front air conditioned seats and the EQS SUV Maybach also has them 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.

Both the EQS SUV and the Q8 e-tron offer available massaging front seats. The EQS SUV Maybach also has standard 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes EQS SUV has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q8 e-tron. The EQS SUV also offers Qi charging in the second row seat. The Q8 e-tron doesn’t offer wireless charging in its rear seat.

The EQS SUV 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 Mercedes EQS SUV outsold the Audi Q8 e-tron by 5% during 2023.