03-05-2025
Why Audi RS Q8 is one of best performance SUVs money can buy
The funky Audi SUV is primed for above-average sporty driving treats.
It has two sport modes: RS1 and RS2 where the dampers stiffen, the exhaust butterflies open and the eight-speed transmission has sharpened responses.
The RS2 mode unshackles the traction control system when selected.
Every sports driving component is in sync, and the quattro AWD system and other functions like torque vectoring manage the physics for impressive clawing in corners while the communicative steering makes it easy to point and place the wide car anywhere on the road.
It is no wonder the RS Q8 is the fastest SUV on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
In 2024, the SUV blitzed the 20.832km track in just 7 minutes 36.698 seconds , some six seconds faster than the previous generation model.
The RS Q8 has an off-road setting that raises the suspension rising to clear obstacles, but let's be real; the low-profile rubber contradicts such ambitions.
Relatively, it is a bargain buy compared to rivals, respectively costing R76K and R552k less than the BMW X6M and Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe 63 SE.
The Audi RS Q8 is also a whopping R1.2m saving on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, formerly the fastest SUV at the Nurburgring.
After spending a week with the SUV my verdict is that it is one of the best-built, best looking, sweetest handling, satisfyingly comfy, fast and charismatic luxo-speed barges money can buy.
