How economical and inexpensive can a 600 hp V8 turbo SUV be used in everyday life? We tested it and calculated it.
Following the laws of physics, vehicles of the caliber of an Audi RS Q8 don't have it easy when it comes to costs. 600 hp, a displacement of four liters, an unladen weight of 2.4 tons and acceleration values of less than four seconds are usually a guarantee for excessive tank orgies as well as high taxes and insurance costs. Especially when the car is as much fun as our test editor Clemens Hirschfeld attests. Because after the test drive, he wonders whether Albert Einstein was wrong with his physical theories, given all the driving dynamics that the RS Q8 shows thanks to all-wheel drive, rear-axle steering and electromechanical roll stabilization. But does the positive impression still exist when you look at the consumption characteristics and the cost balance for yourself?
Our test consumption
Audi states a WLTP standard consumption of 13.2 liters for its top SUV model. In the test, this turns into 14.1 liters of Super Plus, which results in fuel costs of 28.34 euros for the 100-kilometer distance. At 10.4 liters, the Eco consumption is well below the WLTP level; the equivalent of the petrol required for 100 kilometers drops to 20.90 euros. A sporty driving style catapults consumption to 17.5 liters and with it fuel costs to 35.16 euros per 100 kilometers. These values are calculated using the daily updated fuel price on our partner portal mehr-tanken.de (06/03/2022 /Super Plus: 2.01 euros/litre).
Monthly maintenance costs
As with any other car, vehicle taxes are also due for the Audi RS Q8 year after year. They amount to 776 euros for the large sports SUV. According to Allianz Direct, liability insurance costs 479 euros for the same period. A partially comprehensive upgrade adds another 326 euros. An additional 1,145 euros are due for the fully comprehensive policy. The bottom line is that the monthly maintenance costs amount to 708 euros if the RS Q8 is driven 15,000 kilometers a year. If the mileage doubles, the Audi costs 1,284 euros per month. We leave out the loss in value in this calculation.
How to test
The auto motor und sport test consumption consists of three differently weighted consumption runs. So-called “commuter consumption” accounts for 70 percent. This is a journey from home to work, which averages 21 kilometers. A particularly economical, approx. 275-kilometre-long eco-lap is included in the rating with 15 percent. The remaining 15 percent is accounted for by the sports driver lap. The length is roughly the same as the eco lap, but the route includes a larger proportion of motorway and thus higher speeds on average.The basis for calculating the fuel costs is always the price quoted on the "more tanken" portal on the day the article was created.
The monthly maintenance costs include maintenance, wear part costs and vehicle taxes assuming an annual mileage of 15,000 and 30,000 kilometers without loss of value. The calculation is based on the test consumption, a three-year holding period, no-claims class SF12 for liability and fully comprehensive insurance with Allianz Direct, including discounts for garage parkers and the restriction to certain drivers (accident-free/annually 15,000 km/resident in the postcode area 70174/not under 21/partner driver older than 25 years).
Conclusion
The Audi RS Q8 with a powerful 600 hp 4.0-liter V8 turbo petrol engine costs at least 133,000 euros and consumes an average of 14.1 liters, which entails fuel costs of 28.34 euros per 100 kilometers. The monthly maintenance costs are 708 euros for an annual mileage of 15,000 kilometers. If this increases to 30,000 kilometers, the amount per month increases to 1,284 euros.
