BMW X Models vs Audi Q8

What's the difference?

There is little doubt the new X2 represents a vast improvement over the original model. The design alone gives it a lot more presence. 

More interior and boot space also helps widen the SUV’s appeal and the significant tech updates are welcome.

It is on the pricey side and there are a few too many options that should be standard. 

However, the M35i is hard to ignore as a sporty premium crossover, and the iX2 xDrive30 is the sort of electric SUV that should worry Volvo.

They both have their own distinct flavours, so there’s no dud in this line-up. Of course, we will hold final thoughts for the local launch when we can drive all four grades. But until then, it’s a welcome return to form for the X2.

The Audi Q8 60 TFSI e offers an interesting engine combination but with its small electric driving range and strictly AC charging, I kind of feel like it’s a case of ‘what’s the point?’

It’s expensive compared to its fuel-based cousins and it’s only a little bit more for the fully electric Q8 e-tron. That being said, I like everything else that it offers.

The luxurious appointments, comfort and the awesome handling helps to make up for the shortfall of the plug-in hybrid component for me. Regional or country folk might not wring out the full plug-in potential, but urban dwellers will find better luck. 

The second-gen X2 looks very different to the original from 2018. That first X2 had a squat stance, looked more like a hatchback than an SUV, and the glasshouse appeared as though it had been squished into the body of the car.

The 2024 X2 adopts a similar design philosophy to the X4 and X6 - swoopy, coupe-like roofline and liftback, and bold styling elements at the front and rear.

It has a much more upright, flush front end, freshly designed large kidney grille and an edgy headlight design. There’s flared wheel arches and broad shoulders at the rear, as well as a cool new horizontal tail-light signature.

The X2 has grown in size in a big way. It’s 194mm longer, 21mm wider, and 64mm taller than the outgoing model. That naturally means more space inside, too.

Inside there are big changes. The X2 adopts elements introduced by the excellent iX SUV a couple of years ago. They include the curved display, and a floating arm rest with a control panel. Some of this is also familiar from the X1.

The materials mostly look and feel like they are high quality, and there is an appealing minimalism to the overall design and layout. The chunky sports steering wheel is visually appealing, but it’s a bit too thick in my hand.

The Q8 e is one of the few coupe-style SUVs that doesn’t feature a rear that is too pinched-looking. It has a more understated kerb-size appearance and yet still looks like it means business with its massive but well-proportioned body and wide stance.

Some design highlights include the upgraded 22-inch alloy wheels and sporty red calipers, black accents across the car and large air-intake vents at the front.

The updated grille is enormous and wide set but complemented by the HD Matrix LED headlights which makes the front really pop at night time.

Head inside the cabin and you’ll notice a luxuriously appointed but, again, understated aesthetic.

The supple Valcona leather upholstery and Nappa leather trims add refinement but it’s the flush joinery and the way the dashboard seems so well settled that makes the cockpit look good. Add the LED ambient lighting with its 30 colour choices and combos and the interior can be customised to your liking.

Being a hybrid model, you do miss out on any frunk storage and the boot capacity drops by 100L to accommodate the battery. Other than those items, the added electrical component doesn’t affect the design.

Where the previous X2 was a very small crossover with niche appeal, the increase in size for the new model means more people will be interested in it. Possibly even people with a small family.

Those increased dimensions pay dividends inside, with ample headroom up front and more than enough space across the front row, although the raised armrest console is somewhat narrow. 

The seats in both the iX2 xDrive30 and the M35i xDrive are very supportive thanks to ample bolstering, but both were also on the firm side. The iX2’s synthetic leather was slightly more comfortable than the M35i’s sports-focused front seats.

The power-adjustable seats and height- and reach-adjustable steering wheel means it’s not hard to find a decent driving position, but forward vision is impeded by a very thick A-pillar, and the letterbox-like rear windscreen in the X2 means rearward vision is limited. Good thing it has excellent parking cameras and sensors. 

Storage is decent in the X2, with room for big bottles in the door cavity, and a few nooks and large open spaces in the console. Although secure storage is limited with the armrest housing a very shallow space. I do like BMW’s phone charger setup. Rather than lying on a pad, it slots into a vertical holder that has a latch to keep it in place when cornering. The only drawback is that you can see the screen which could potentially distract some drivers.

The X2 introduces operating system nine to iDrive, which is housed in the central part of the curved display and operated by touchscreen or the controller on the floating central console. After some familiarisation, the functionality isn’t that much different to the previous version of the operating system. The main menu looks cool and is mostly easy to navigate. The sub-menu icons - of which there are heaps - look a little Microsoft Windows.

The X2 has drive modes that also interact with the interior of the car and change lighting, EV noise and more. They include Personal Mode, Sport Mode and Efficient Mode as standard, but if you opt for (and pay extra for) BMW Digital Premium, the modes extend to Expressive Mode, Relax Mode and Digital Art Mode. Some of these are quite cool, especially some of the EV sounds, but would I use them everyday? Probably not.

The clearest indication of increased space is in the second row. There’s much more legroom than the old X2, and behind my six-foot frame I had enough space with a couple of centimetres between my knees and the front seat backs. Toe room was very limited, however. 

The roof has been scalloped out to ensure more headroom, which is welcome given the extra sloping roofline.

There are a pair of USB-C ports back there, lower air vents, map pockets, decent door storage, and a centre armrest with cup holders.

The boot is sizeable, in both engine grades but you only get a tyre repair kit. There is underfloor storage for the charging cables in the iX2.

At 560 litres with all seats in place and 1470L with the second row stowed, the petrol grades have a bit more space than the iX2 at 525L (all seats in place) and 1400L (second row lowered).

The cabin feels spacious in both rows for head- and legroom. The wide door apertures and higher ground clearance also make it an easy car to get in and out of.

When it comes to seat comfort, the front seats feel ergonomic with the adjustable lumbar and under-thigh supports. The seats sit low and you sit in them rather than perch on top like some SUV set ups.

The rear seats are comfortable and the back rest supportive, so even adults will be happy on a long journey.

The individual storage is pretty thin up front and the cabin gets messy quickly because of it. You get a shallow shelf as a middle console, glove box and two cupholders but the storage bins in each door are quite big, which is a plus.

The storage in the back seat is much better with two large net map pockets, two cupholders in the fold-down armrest and large drink bottle holders/storage bins in each door.

The boot is a good size at 505L but the sloped roof does mean you can’t position bulkier items at the front. The loading space is level and if you need to, you can adjust the height of the car via the adaptive air suspension.

The back seat has a 40/20/40 split and the boot features a luggage racking system with adjustable anchors, which opens up storage options.   

Amenities is both rows are what you hope for at this price point with three-zone air-conditioning, two USB-C ports in each row and a total of three 12-volt ports, as well. The front also gets a wireless charging pad.

The rear also has reading lights, four directional air vents and its own digital climate control but curiously, the fan control remains manual. The electric sunblinds were a hit for my seven-year old and I like that each door has a control of each blind – perfect for when you’re travelling solo in the back and want to adjust it.

Onto the other technology, the touchscreen multimedia system has haptic feedback, which means it vibrates when you press it - a bit gimmicky for me but the system itself is easy enough to use once you spend some time with it. You also get built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The climate control panel can feel fiddly to use at times but on a whole, the cockpit feels very driver-orientated.

There is only one variant available for the Q8 60 TFSI e and it’s priced at $152,500 before on-road costs and optional extras. That positions it towards the higher end of the rival line-up but the starting prices for the BMW and Porsche are $149,900 and $154,600, respectively.

The Q8 e is a well-specified SUV and you get lots of premium features, like a panoramic sunroof, heated and electric front seats, Valcona leather upholstery and high-end haptic feedback technology screens like the 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system and the 8.6-inch climate control panel. However, at this price point, I am surprised that you miss out on a ventilation function for the front seats.

Other standard technology highlights include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, coloured head-up display, digital instrument panel, three-zone climate control and a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with a whopping 17 speakers. Hello, in-car concert!

Adaptive air suspension, HD Matrix LED headlights, keyless entry and start, electric steering wheel adjustments, a handsfree powered tailgate and a bunch of safety features round out the package. 

Our test vehicle is also fitted with the Full Leather package for $8900, which adds Nappa leather trims throughout the car, as well as electric sun blinds on the rear outboard windows. The Waitomo Blue paintwork tacks on an additional $2300, as do the upgraded 22-inch alloy wheels. So, our test model actually swings in at $163,700 before on roads.

Value for money-wise, if you compare only to its rivals, it’s not outrageous but if you compare it to its fuel-based cousins, which are around $15K less, it might be harder to justify. And if you’re looking for an electric alternative, the Q8 e-tron is only a little more expensive.

Each of the four grades come with a different powertrain, and the xDrive20i kicks it all off with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, making 150kW of power and 300Nm of torque. It drives all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and can hit 100km/h in 7.4 seconds.

The xDrive M35i ups the fun factor with a gruntier 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, driving all four wheels via the same transmission as the 20i, all while delivering power and torque of 233kW/400Nm This ensures a 0-100km/h dash of 5.4 seconds.

The iX2 eDrive20 is powered by a 150kW/247Nm electric motor on its front axle, and the iX2 xDrive 30 uses two motors - one on the front and one on the rear axle for all-wheel-drive traction. The total system output is 230kW and 494Nm and the xDrive30 gets to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.

The Q8 60 TFSI e has a 3.0-litre, V6 turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid powertrain for a combined power output of 340kW and 700Nm of torque. You’ll get a happy tummy sucking sensation if you ever have to put your foot down because it can do a 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.4 seconds.

The Q8 e features an eight-speed automatic transmission and is an all-wheel drive. The switch between the petrol and electric engine components is seamless leading to a pleasant driving experience.

Being a plug-in hybrid, the Q8 e has a 17.9kWh lithium-ion battery that produces a pure electric driving range of 47km WLTP, although I only ever saw a top range of 43km. You will chew through that range quickly.

The Q8 e has a Type 2 charging port but misses out on the fast DC charging component, so you’re stuck with AC charging. Audi says the charging speed is 2.5 hours but you’ll need a 7.2kW wall-box for that. Expect much longer from a wall socket. You also can’t charge larger appliances as it lacks a standard three-pin household plug port.

A fuel-use figure for the xDrive20i is yet to be confirmed, but the front-wheel-drive sDrive20i offered in Europe with a three-cylinder engine sips as little as six litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle. Expect the Australian version to be a little higher than that given it’s AWD and has a more potent engine.

The M35i consumes 7.7L/100km. 

The high-voltage 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery in the iX2 ensures a driving range on the WLTP cycle of between up to 477 kilometres in the eDrive20 and between 417 and 449km for the xDrive30. 

The latter has an energy efficiency range of 16.3 to 17.7kWh/100km, and BMW says you should be able to top up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 29 minutes at a fast charging station.

That driving range is not bad compared with the Lexus UX300e and Peugeot e-2008, but not quite as impressive as the Volvo C40 twin-motor. 

I missed out on checking the energy efficiency figure of the iX2 xDrive30 following our drive, but after an 88km drive loop, the iX2’s range had dropped by 91km, which is just a 3km difference.

The official combined fuel cycle is 2.6L/100km but that’s in a perfect world when the electric battery remains charged at all times. Realistically, my best onboard fuel figure is 4.9L in hybrid mode but when the battery is depleted, my figures hovered around the 9.1L mark.

Overall, not a terrible consumption figure, given how large and powerful the car is but as with most plug-ins, you get the best fuel economy if you charge the battery regularly. For someone who lives regionally and typically does longer trips, it’s not the best combo for me but for an urban dweller, it might be perfect.

The regenerative braking doesn’t feel particularly strong but you do gain percentage when going down a mountain. My average kWh usage sat around 8.7kWh/100km when cruising but hit the mid-to-high 30s when accelerating.

The M135i xDriveis undeniably quick off the mark. The lovely 2.0L turbo engine is well matched to the seven-speed dual-clutch and it’s responsive and willing from a standing start and when overtaking.

The engine sounds lovely too, although we suspect it’s amplified in the cabin, and steering is as sharp as it should be in a warmed-up performance SUV. We darted through some very twisty roads outside Lisbon and had quite a lot of fun in the process, so the M Performance badge is justified. 

I drove the previous-generation X2 M35i a few years back and was disappointed with the ride quality. It was quite jiggly on uneven road surfaces and way too firm.

While the new version still has a firm tune to aid dynamic driving, it is much more compliant than the old car and overall ride comfort has improved.

The iX2 is also quick off the mark and in xDrive30 guise is only 0.2sec slower to 100km/h than the M35i. 

That lively, smooth EV acceleration is present here, adding a sense of fun to the iX2.

It too has sharp steering, and the cabin is hushed. Not just because it’s an EV either. We were on coastal roads on a windy day and there was only a hint of wind noise in the cabin.

In some instances taking corners that had typical European walls or houses right up against the road, the iX2 would slow before I had a chance to tap the brakes. But it was hard to tell if that was a vehicle safety function, or the regenerative braking.

The ride in the iX2 was a bit of a mixed bag. It coped with some of the pockmarked roads exceptionally well, soaking up the imperfections. But then on other roads it was a little choppy.

It also bounces a little when you go over speed bumps, but that’s not exclusively an iX2 trait. I’ve felt it on many an EV, given the placement of the very heavy battery packs under the floor.

On the driving tech front, the X2 has a well executed head-up display projected directly onto the windscreen. It includes the speedo of course, nav guidance, a crystal clear display and more info. 

The Q8 PHEV has plenty of power and you never feel like you’re tapping into the full scope of what it could do.

There are moments where the acceleration from a full stop can feel a little anaemic in the sense that it doesn’t ‘jump to it’ as quickly as what the 5.4-second 100km/h sprint time would suggest.

That being said, those moments are short lived and the Q8 PHEV has proven to be a fun ride overall.

The steering and nimble footing produce dynamic handling when you’re hitting corners or winding roads. You feel confident tackling terrain like this at speed. Taking it camping also proves it can handle damp grassy campgrounds and the gravel/dirt stuff very well.

The adaptive air suspension makes for a comfortable ride and even though you have those 22-inch wheels, the outside world sounds wonderfully muffled. The engine is near silent most of the time and honestly, a bit too quiet for my liking with a V6 engine on board but that also helps create a Zen-like cabin space.  

At 4986mm long, 2190mm wide and 1705mm high you’d be forgiven for thinking the Q8 e would feel big to drive but it doesn’t at all. At least, not until you come to park it.

It can feel cumbersome to manoeuvre in tight spaces due to its 13.3m turning circle but the ultra-clear 360-degree view camera system helps takes out the guesswork.

The front and rear parking sensors are also great but I downgraded the sensitivity of the collision avoidance detection system because it activates too early, or when there is seemingly nothing behind it to set it off.

The Q8 has a lot of standard safety features, but a highlight is the adaptive cruise control with its lane keeping and stop and go functions – it has the right balance of sensitivity and doesn’t slow down dramatically when approaching cars in front.

Other standard features include daytime-running lights, lane-keeping aid, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, collision avoidance assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning, intelligent seat-belt reminders, 360-degree camera system, front and rear parking sensors.

The Q8 PHEV variant is untested by ANCAP and thus unrated but its fuel-based cousins all achieved a maximum five-star rating in 2019. The Q8 e has eight airbags, including side chest airbags for both rows but it’s common to only find these on the front.

For any families out there, you have ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tethers. You may be able to fit three skinny child seats and there is plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat installed.

The X2 range is covered by BMW’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty - something the German giant only increased from three years back in 2022. This is now the minimum standard.

The battery warranty for the iX2 is eight years or 160,000 kilometres. 

BMW does not have scheduled servicing terms, instead, servicing is condition-based and the car’s computer will alert the driver when to book in for a service.

A five-year servicing package will cost you $3171 for the petrol X2s, while the iX2 is $2186 for six years.

The Q8 e comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is a normal term for the class.

There is a five-year or up to 75,000km servicing plan which costs $3570 or an average of $714 per service, which is reasonable for the class.

Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months of 15,000km, whichever occurs first.