The RS Q8 sits at the very top of Audi’s SUV lineup. It’s based on the Q8 that hit the market in 2019 and, in RS form, debuted in 2020 as the most potent version of the brand’s two-row crossover. An update for the 2025 model year that saw the Performance moniker appended to the RS Q8 nameplate brought 631 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful Audi with an internal combustion engine in the automaker’s history.
2026 Audi RS Q8 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Audi RS Q8
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Audi RS Q8
One year after receiving significant upgrades, the Audi RS Q8 sees limited updates for the 2026 model year. The 2025 refresh brought revised styling, more power, an improved all-wheel-drive (AWD) setup, and an advanced suspension system. That all carries over to 2026, and a new version of the RS Design Package adds blue contrast stitching to the interior, along with blue brake calipers.
Design
Audi’s signature singleframe grille sits at the front of the 2026 Audi RS Q8, in this case with a unique honeycomb pattern. As if that weren’t a big enough opening, additional air intakes sit below and to either side of the grille, while the HD Matrix-design LED headlights bracket its top. A large rear diffuser draws attention at the back of the RS Q8, along with dual oval exhaust tips. A set of 22-inch 10-spoke wheels comes standard and, depending on the package, three different 23-inch wheels are optional. A Black Optic Package includes 23-inch bicolor wheels and black and anthracite-gray exterior badging. The Matte Carbon Package has matte black 23-inch wheels, dark exterior badging, and matte carbon exterior elements.
Powertrain
The RS Q8 could be considered a Lamborghini Urus in grown-up Audi clothing. Although the RS Q8 lacks the Lamborghini’s plug-in hybrid setup, its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission are similar, and that powerplant sends 631 hp and 627 lb-ft to the ground via Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) setup that features a self-locking center differential. Audi estimates the 2026 RS Q8 can dash from 0–60 in 3.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 190 mph.
Interior
The Audi RS Q8 has plenty of room inside for four or even five adult passengers. The Q8 on which the RS Q8 is based doesn’t have a third row like the mechanically similar Q7 series, but it’s still a large SUV, and the RS version amps up the sportiness. Heavily bolstered front seats with perforated leather and honeycomb stitching, carbon-twill molding, and lots of RS logos remind the driver that this is a high-performance SUV. Audi’s RS Design Package—available in blue, gray, or red—adds unique contrast stitching, an Alcantara steering wheel, Dinamica shift lever and console sides, and fancy seatbelts bordered in the chosen hue.
Technology
Audi’s Virtual Cockpit Plus puts a digital gauge cluster directly in front of the driver on a 12.3-inch display. Various modes allow the driver to tailor the cockpit display, with RS-themed modes catering to enthusiasts. A stacked pair of touchscreens that sits in the center of the dashboard makes up the MMI infotainment system and offers various haptic controls for audio and climate settings, among others. A head-up display is also available. The 2026 Audi RS Q8’s standard Electromechanical Active Roll Stabilization system uses electric motors in the SUV’s stabilizer bars to reduce body roll through corners. Adaptive air suspension automatically controls the ride height and the damping to provide comfort when desired and stiffness when required for high-performance driving.
