Audi Q8 SUV vs BMW 223d xDrive Active Tourer G42: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Q8 SUV hits 100 km/h in 6.93 s versus 7.43 s for the 223d xDrive Active Tourer. At this point, the Q8 SUV leads by 0.50 s and sits roughly 16 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Q8 SUV is doing 119 km/h against 121 km/h for the 223d xDrive Active Tourer. The gap is 0.54 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the Q8 SUV crosses the line in 15.03 s versus 15.43 s. The 0.40 s gap represents roughly 17 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Q8 SUV maxes out at 226 km/h while the 223d xDrive Active Tourer keeps accelerating towards 233 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.24 s.

Around 967 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the 223d xDrive Active Tourer overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 7 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the 223d xDrive Active Tourer finishes in 27.75 s versus 27.77 s. The 0.02 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Q8 SUV is capped at 226 km/h, the 223d xDrive Active Tourer at 233 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (9.35 kg/hp vs 7.84 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.52 seconds. The 0.50 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.