Model research hub
Audi SQ8
Car and Driver says the SQ8 SUV has the performance chops of a Lamborghini and the sophistication of an Audi, calling it a more sophisticated, and considerably less expensive, take on the Lamborghini Urus, and that the step-down SQ8 still packs 500 horsepower while costing nearly $30,000 less than the related RS Q8. Audi's own site prices the 2026 SQ8 Premium Plus starting MSRP at $99,700. Kelley Blue Book says the 2026 SQ8 gets 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, and that user sentiment suggests the overall quality of the 2026 Audi SQ8 is below average for its class.
A cheaper Lamborghini Urus alternative
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says the SQ8 SUV has the performance chops of a Lamborghini and the sophistication of an Audi, calling the 2026 SQ8 a more sophisticated, and considerably less expensive, take on the Lamborghini Urus, and that while it's hard to advocate for inferior performance, the step-down SQ8 still packs 500 horsepower and costs nearly $30,000 less than the Audi RS Q8 (opens in a new tab).
Price
Audi's own site (opens in a new tab) prices the 2026 Audi SQ8 Premium Plus at a starting MSRP of $99,700.
Fuel economy and owner sentiment
Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) says the 2026 SQ8 gets 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, and that user sentiment suggests the overall quality of the 2026 Audi SQ8 is below average for its class.
Questions buyers ask
How much horsepower does the Audi SQ8 have?
Car and Driver (opens in a new tab) says 500 hp.
How much does the 2026 Audi SQ8 cost?
Audi's own site (opens in a new tab) prices the Premium Plus at a starting MSRP of $99,700.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2027 Audi SQ8 is built around 4.0L turbo V8, rated at 500 horsepower across its full-size performance SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2027 U.S. lineup has 2 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2027 SQ8 seats 5 and is a Full-size performance SUV.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings for the 2027 SQ8.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2027 Audi SQ8
Both SQ8 trims share the same 500-horsepower turbo V8 and S-tuned adaptive suspension; Prestige adds noise reduction and comfort equipment over Premium Plus.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
3 indexed Audi SQ8 model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Audi SQ8 | 2027 record → | |
| 2026 Audi SQ8 | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Audi SQ8 | 2025 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Audi SQ8.
The Audi SQ8 is built alongside the Audi Q8, and public records cover the two together. Generation history, the fact box and background are on the Audi Q8 page; the safety record for the Audi SQ8 itself follows.
Recent recalls (2 campaigns across the latest model years)
- December 2025, Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2019-2026 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply… Consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- November 2025, Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Audi RS Q8, Audi Q8, Audi Q7, and Audi SQ8 vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt buckles may be missing a rivet that secures the buckle to the seat belt… Consequence: A seat belt that is missing a rivet may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Year by year
The Audi SQ8 across 8 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Audi SQ8 | 16 | $5,000 | 1 | ||
| 2026 Audi SQ8 | 16 | $4,850 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2025 Audi SQ8 | 17 | $4,550 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 Audi SQ8 | 17 | $4,550 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 Audi SQ8 | 17 | $4,550 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2022 Audi SQ8 | 17 | $4,550 | 1 | 3 | |
| 2021 Audi SQ8 | 17 | $4,550 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 2020 Audi SQ8 | 17 | $4,550 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Audi SQ8, one model year at a time.
| Step | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint |
|---|---|
| 2025 to 2026 | 17.0 to 16.0 |
Buying used
What the Audi SQ8 recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2025 | 2 | seat belts (front); back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2024 | 2 | air bags (side/window); back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2023 | 2 | air bags (side/window); back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2022 | 3 | back over prevention (sensing system); equipment (electrical) | None |
| 2021 | 6 | engine; seat belts (rear/other); tires; 3 more | None |
| 2020 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 3 | 50% | 2024 (2) |
| power train | 2 | 33% | 2021 (2) |
| engine | 1 | 17% | 2020 (1) |
| suspension | 1 | 17% | 2021 (1) |
| lane departure | 1 | 17% | 2024 (1) |
| forward collision avoidance | 1 | 17% | 2024 (1) |
Trim by trim
Every 2027 Audi SQ8 trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Plus | AWD | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 568 | 5,247 | 7,700 | 16 | $101,895 |
| Prestige | AWD | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 568 | 5,247 | 7,700 | 16 | $109,395 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2027 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Audi SQ8 model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,247 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2026 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,269 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2025 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,269 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2024 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,004 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2023 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,004 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2022 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,004 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2021 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,004 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
| 2020 | 2 | 4.0-liter V8 (Twin Turbo) | 500 | 5,004 | 7,700 | 22.5 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Model-year recall record
Audi SQ8: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2021 Audi SQ8 : 6 recalls on file, most commonly affecting backup camera and seat belts.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | not available | backup camera |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | seat belts, backup camera |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | airbags, backup camera |
| 2023 | 2 | not available | airbags, backup camera |
| 2022 | 3 | not available | backup camera, equipment |
| 2021 | 6 | 3 | backup camera, seat belts, tires, engine |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | backup camera |
| 2019 | not available | ||
| 2018 | not available | ||
| 2017 | not available | ||
| 2016 | not available | ||
| 2015 | not available |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi SQ8 model years 2022, 2023, 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Audi SQ8?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2021 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Audi SQ8 model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2021 Audi SQ8 has 6 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting backup camera, seat belts, tires. Always confirm the open/completed status of every campaign for the specific VIN: a recall on this list may already be repaired on the vehicle in front of you.
Q03What are common recall-related problems on the Audi SQ8 by model year?
2026: backup camera. 2025: seat belts, backup camera. 2024: airbags, backup camera. 2023: airbags, backup camera. 2022: backup camera, equipment. 2021: backup camera, seat belts, tires, engine.
Q04Why do some Audi SQ8 model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Audi SQ8 model years 2022, 2023, 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Climate and electrical, Buying, records and recalls, Brakes, tires and steering, Engine and cooling.
2021 Audi SQ8 owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls and Brakes, tires and steering and Engine and cooling.
Compared with
Models this Audi SQ8 is most often compared with.
Nearest Audi models
Other Audi models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2027 SQ8 come in?
The 2027 Audi SQ8 (full-size performance SUV) comes in 2 trims: Premium Plus, Prestige.
Q02What are the 2027 SQ8 trims?
The 2027 Audi SQ8 trims are Premium Plus, Prestige, listed from the entry Premium Plus up to the top Prestige.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2027 SQ8 use?
The 2027 Audi SQ8 is built around 4.0L turbo V8, rated at 500 horsepower across its full-size performance SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2027 SQ8 have?
The 2027 Audi SQ8 is rated at 500 horsepower (4.0L turbo V8).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2027 SQ8?
The 2027 Audi SQ8 is offered with Standard AWD.