2025 Audi RSQ8 Performance review

7NEWS

10-07-2025

The most powerful production Audi with a combustion engine isn't the R8 supercar, nor the stonking RS6 Avant super wagon. Actually, it's this – the 2025 Audi RSQ8 performance.
Based on the flagship Q8 large luxury SUV, the RSQ8 performance has the most powerful combustion engine ever fitted to a series production Audi, and it's also the fastest SUV around the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife, with a verified lap time of 7:36.698 minutes.
It's no small feat, given the Audi RSQ8 shares its Volkswagen Group MLB evo underpinnings with the likes of the Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini Urus. And it beat the Cayenne Turbo GT around the 'Green Hell' by more than two seconds.
At the heart of the RSQ8 performance is its beefed-up powertrain, with the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with 48V mild-hybrid assistance massaged to deliver 471kW of power (+30kW) and 850Nm of torque, which is enough for Audi to claim a 0-100km/h acceleration time of just 3.6 seconds (-0.2s), making it one of the world's quickest SUVs bar none.
While the asking price has risen substantially, a number of equipment items included with the new RSQ8 performance were previously options on the pre-facelift RSQ8 to go with the boosted drivetrain – namely the carbon-ceramic brakes, which previously formed part of the optional $19,500 'RS dynamic package plus' pack.
So if you're in the market for a properly fast luxury car that can cart the whole family around affluent suburbs, is the RSQ8 performance your best bet?
We attended the Australian media launch to find out…
How much does the Audi RSQ8 cost?
The Audi RSQ8 performance is priced from $255,800 plus on-road costs, making it a smidgen under $25,000 dearer than the just-announced non-'performance' RSQ8 that has been confirmed for Australian release later this year.
Compared to the pre-facelifted model, the 'standard' RSQ8 is about $2000 pricier than before, but it also brings the enhanced equipment levels applied across the updated Q8 range.
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What is the Audi RSQ8 like on the inside?
If you like the interior of the standard Q8, you'll feel pretty at home here.
Save for the RS-specific front sports seats and flashes of available carbon twill trim inserts, it's very much the same tactile, attractive and premium-finished cabin from the base Q8.
The front seats offer full electric adjustment with memory presets, as well as heating and ventilation. Opt for the Sensory package ($9700) and you'll get massaging front seats alongside a suede headliner and a thumping 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D premium sound system.
As standard, the Australian-spec RSQ8 performance gets the extended leather package, which applies fine Nappa leather trim across interior surfaces like the dashboard and upper instrument panel. Lower elements like the door armrests and centre console inlays are finished in regular leather.
The lovely Valcona leather upholstery on the seats looks and feels suitably high-end and, as you'd expect, the stitching and perforation details are top-notch.
Ahead of the driver are the usual 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit (instrument cluster) and 10.1-inch MMI touch (infotainment) digital displays, which are more integrated and conventional than the free-standing tablet-style displays from rival brands.
I personally love Audi's approach, from the configurable virtual dials to the retro line-bar tachometer and speedometer readouts, as well as the clicky haptic feedback you get from the central display, and the 8.0-inch touchscreen below it which acts as a climate control hub.
While the overall setup and interface hasn't changed much, the revised Q8 range gets new menus including a real-time driver assistance display, RS performance-specific virtual cockpit layouts, and a new homescreen for the MMI touch navigation display which also now offers app integration.
It may not be as flashy as the multimedia systems from BMW or Mercedes-Benz, but there's next to no learning curve required here. I will say, however, that the low-set climate controls aren't in the best position if you want to actually look where you're pressing.
We didn't spend much time in the second row, but being a full-size SUV that rides on a 2998mm wheelbase (slightly shorter than the standard Q8) pays dividends if you're transporting fully grown adults often.
Like its platform mates – think Audi Q7, Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne – the Audi Q8 easily accommodates above average-size humans (like 6'1″ me) and offers plenty of knee and leg room, as well as sufficient headroom despite the tapered rear roofline.
Standard amenities in the rear include a third zone of climate control with directional air vents, a pair of USB-C chargers with a 12V outlet, and netted pockets on the front seat backs.
You can also slide and recline the rear seats for added comfort, and also extend the cargo area should you need the extra load-lugging capacity.
Speaking of which, the Audi RSQ8 performance offers the same 605 litres of boot space as the standard Q8 with the second row in place, expanding to 1755 litres when they're folded.
The cargo area is nice and square, and there's no hump between the floor and seat backs when they're stowed. All variants come with a space-saver spare wheel under the boot floor, too.
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What's under the bonnet?
The RSQ8 performance gets a more powerful version of the mild-hybrid 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 fitted to the 'standard' RSQ8 as well as other Audi RS models like the RS6 and RS7.
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How does the Audi RSQ8 drive?
I've always said the Q8 and, better still, the RSQ8 would be my dream 'dad car' if I'm ever fortunate enough to have kids and enough money to be shopping at this end of the market.
Firing up the RSQ8 performance brings you a sinister growl amplified by the standard RS sports exhaust system and the fact the 'performance' spec removes about 5kg of sound deadening material from the rear-end to allow more of that glorious V8 note into the cabin.
We drove the RSQ8 from Brisbane Airport through to Kilcoy, about 100km northwest, over a mix of highways and winding B-roads, via a stop-off at Lakeside Raceway to do some 0-100km/h acceleration testing of both the RSQ8 and the new RS e-tron GT performance.
On the freeway, the RSQ8 performance is surprisingly calm and collected despite its massive 23-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber. In its 'balanced' drive mode it strikes a nice… erm… balance between comfort and control, and even on coarser bitumen the tyres don't make much of a racket.
The lighter steering weight makes this hulking 5022mm-long, 2007mm-wide go-fast family hauler pretty easy to manoeuvre in daily settings, and the clever adaptive cruise assist function centres the vehicle within its lane while keeping a set distance from the car in front – taking the load off extended stints on the open road.
The roads around Lakeside Raceway are winding, leafy B-roads that gave us a good chance to get a feel for the RSQ8's impressive dynamic abilities.
Really, I don't know how Audi Sport's engineers have done it, given this vehicle weighs a claimed 2350kg unladen. To put this into simpler terms that the majority would better understand, it's like selecting Bowser in Mario Kart but getting the dynamics of Toad.
It's astonishing how well the RSQ8 performance grips up and changes direction. There's a lot of tech wizardry underneath, like the 48V anti-roll system and rear-wheel steering, but the sheer mechanical grip that comes from the massive 295/35 tyres is immense.
The big, fast Audi could benefit from more steering feedback, which is arguably what usually separates the brand's products from the Porsche stable, but while it's not super communicative it's certainly quick and accurate. I'd also like a little more weight as it feels a touch over-assisted.
On the makeshift dragstrip on Lakeside's main straight I couldn't quite match the electric RS e-tron GT's acceleration in the V8-engined RSQ8, but boy does this thing get moving in a straight line – and wow, the noise!
The reduced rear sound deadening really does let more exhaust note into the cabin, and who doesn't love the rumbling bellow of a German V8 combustion engine. All-paw grip gets it off the line very quickly, and Audi's 3.6-second claim from 0-100km/h is nothing to sneeze at.
It's a similar story in the bends as mentioned before, with the RSQ8 performance able to muscle itself out of corners and blast towards the horizon or the next bend faster than you can say 'oh mein Gott!' The air suspension hunkers down in dynamic mode and stiffens the dampers, making this a surprisingly capable corner-carver.
Some parts of physics refuse to go away, however. As hard as the clever chassis tries, it can't fully mask the sheer weight of this thing during hard cornering, where the elevated driving position further amplifies the weight transfer.
As noted earlier, Audi's technological know-how is evident in the driver assistance systems, which are both easy to use and intuitive in their execution.
The aforementioned adaptive cruise assist makes this feel like any other Q8 on the highway, and the standard 360-degree parking cameras with 3D projection means you won't fret about scratching those gorgeous rims.
Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic assist also aid over-the-shoulder visibility, which is somewhat impeded by the Q8's Sportback rear pillar design. It also has an automated parking assistant, if you're game.
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
The Audi RSQ8 performance builds on the already comprehensive specification of the base RSQ8.
2025 Audi RSQ8 equipment highlights:
441kW/800Nm 4.0 TFSI V8
0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds
23-inch alloy wheels in 6-Y-twin-spoke design
HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser light
Rear OLED lights
Dynamic all-wheel dteering
RS adaptive air suspension sport
Electromechanical active roll stabilisation
Quattro sport differential
RS sport exhaust system
Metallic paint
RS sport front seats – heated, ventilated
Fine Nappa leather upholstery with honeycomb stitch
Inlays in matte aluminium race, anthracite
4-zone climate control
Panoramic sunroof
Power assisted door closure
Electric tailgate
Air quality package incl. ioniser
12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit
Bang & Olufsen 3D sound
10.1-inch MMI navigation plus with MMI touch response
Audi smartphone interface
Audi phone box light – wireless phone charger
Audi connect plus – online navigation, info services
4 x USB ports – 2 x front. 2 x rear
RSQ8 performance adds:
471kW/850Nm 4.0 TFSI V8
0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds
RS ceramic brakes
23-inch forged lightweight alloy wheels
Pirelli P Zero tyres
Audi virtual cockpit incl. additional RS layout
Inlays in aluminium brushed diagonal black
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Options
A number of option packages are available with the Audi RSQ8 performance.
Sensory package: $9700
Bang & Olufsen 3D Advanced Sound System
Dinamica headliner – black
Seat massage function – front
Matte carbon and black exterior styling package: $9800
Matte carbon exterior accents
Trim strips on side windows – gloss black
Singleframe mask in matte carbon
Exterior mirror housings in matte carbon
RS design package plus – grey, red or blue: $4100
Steering wheel in Alcantara
Door inserts, gear lever in Dinamica
Sides of centre console in Dinamica
Seat belts for front and outer rear seats
Floor mats in black with RS logo on front mates
Seat centre panels in black Valcona leather
Centre armrest in Dinamica
Single-item options include:
Premium metallic paint – Ascari blue or Sakhir gold: $1800
Audi exclusive individual paint: $11,700
Night vision assist: $4900
Towbar – tongue and towball purchased separately: $1500
Inlays in carbon twill, matte: $2300
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the Audi RSQ8 safe?
The Audi Q8 has a five-star safety ANCAP safety rating, though this applies only to 3.0-litre petrol and diesel models and is based on testing conducted in 2019.
Standard safety equipment includes:
Autonomous emergency braking
Adaptive cruise assist
Blind-spot monitoring
Lane-keep assist
Parking sensors – front, rear
Parking system plus
Rear cross-traffic alert
Safe exit warning
Surround-view cameras
Traffic sign recognition
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the Audi RSQ8 cost to run?
Like the wider Audi range, the RSQ8 and RSQ8 performance are covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
In addition to the five-year 'Service Plan', the company also offers 'Audi Advantage' packages which tack on two years of additional coverage to the warranty, service plan and roadside assistance for an upfront fee.
For the Audi RSQ8, where eligible*, the two-year Audi Advantage extension costs an additional $5720.
*If your vehicle is under eight years of age and travelled less than 120,000km
**Price shown for pre-update RSQ8
To see how the Audi RSQ8 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert's Take on the Audi RSQ8 Performance
The Q8 and SQ8 are already lovely examples of the large premium SUV breed, but the RSQ8 can only be described as an outstanding feat of engineering.
A quarter of a million dollars buys you a 'sports' SUV that hammers hard in a straight line and can actually go around a bend. Of course, that's selling this car a little short – it's faster than any other SUV around the 'Ring, so you could really tear up a track in one of these if you really wanted to.
While $255,000 is quite a lot of money, the RSQ8 performance is still a relative bargain when you consider rivals from other brands – including some based on the same underpinnings.
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT? It costs $375,000 and it's slower around the Nurburgring (duh). Lamborghini Urus? More expensive again! The BMW X5 M Competition is admittedly $10,000 more affordable, though the hulking Mercedes-AMG GLE63 is $20,000 dearer.
And if $255k is a little steep for you, Audi will soon offer the regular RSQ8 with only a little less grunt and without some of the track-capable equipment, for $25,000 less. It's otherwise got the same general look and all the creature comforts, and what's 0.2 seconds between friends anyway?
All told, the RSQ8 performance may not have quite the enthusiast's appeal of an RS6 Avant, but boy you could do a lot worse if you're lucky enough to be shopping at this end of the market.
Interested in buying an Audi RSQ8? Let CarExpert find you the best deal here
Pros
Stonking performance
Looks the business
Relative bargain
Cons