Compare the2025 Audi Q8 e-tron SportbackVS 2025 Mercedes EQE SUV

Both the Q8 e-tron Sportback and EQE SUV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q8 e-tron Sportback 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 EQE SUV’s 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 Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The EQE SUV doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback 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 EQE SUV 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q8 e-tron Sportback. But it costs extra on the EQE SUV.

Both the Q8 e-tron Sportback and the EQE SUV 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The EQE SUV has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the EQE SUV’s (12 vs. 5 years).

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

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback (base engine) is faster than the EQE SUV 350+ electric motor:

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

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

For better stopping power the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the EQE SUV:

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

The Q8 e-tron Sportback has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the EQE SUV; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the EQE SUV don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The front and rear suspension of the Q8 e-tron Sportback uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the EQE SUV, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback handles at .92 G’s, while the EQE SUV 350+ pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the EQE SUV 350+ (25.4 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.4 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

The front grille of the Q8 e-tron Sportback uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The EQE SUV doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback has .2 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the EQE SUV.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback has a much larger cargo volume than the EQE SUV with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 14 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The EQE SUV doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Q8 e-tron Sportback. The EQE SUV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q8 e-tron Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The EQE SUV doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Standard air conditioned seats in the front and rear seats keep the Q8 e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The EQE SUV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback 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 EQE SUV.

The Q8 e-tron Sportback Prestige’s 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 EQE SUV’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its October 2023 issue and the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback won out over the Mercedes EQE SUV 350+.