Q8 or other alternatives?
 

I own a Q7 and I love it. I am in the market for a second SUV. I am considering the Q8. I am also considering Maserati Levante and the new BMW X5.

I have very little information on the Levante. What do you guys think are the pros and cons of Levante? I will be test driving the Levante over the weekend but I am concerned about its reliability and maintenance.

Thanks,
Ven

Review by Doug DeMuro:

Huh, Thanks. No wonder the Levante is being discounted by 15K.

From a value proposition, the X5, or for that matter the Q7 or Q8, are much better values for what you get. Just depends on whether you are in love with the Italian flair or logo, or have a garage stocked with Maseratis. I suspect reliability isn't at the top either, but not sure. The new X5 certainly gives Audi competition now, and I'm not sure my next car will have rings based on my short Audi experience (deleting Google Earth for MY18 in 2020, spotty connectivity, on/off functioning of overhead camera view, the threat - on their website - of removing all connectivity in 2021 and beyond). The tech in the Audi has proved disappointing, and Audi really doesn't seem interested in addressing some of the universal problems described here, in addition to withholding some key convenience features for US cars - no auto-hold for hills, for example; no real parking assist function (at least for MY18), no headlight washers for cars not equipped with NV, although the bumper cutouts are still present. They may have included some of those features for MY19 and beyond, but 2018 is pretty far along to have deleted or withheld those features that other luxury brands have included all along on this side of the ocean. The cars drive great, the actual business of driving has been great, cars have been (relatively) trouble-free. But my impression is that Audi in recovering from "Dieselgate" has cut corners and made compromises, and I don't know that they won't do that in the future - in fact I don't trust them not to. BMW and MB already have the tech that Audi once claimed premier - 4-wheel steering, air suspension, semi-autonomous driving, virtual cockpit; heck, even Volvo has it. And they include features that Audi doesn't have, and don't threaten to remove them from cars you already own in the out years. So there are other fish in the sea than Audi, and I'll certainly cast my net broader when looking for a replacement next round.

The new G05 X5 is at the top of my list. I have already eliminated the Range Rover Velar and Porsche Macan. In the end it will come down to Q8 and X5 and the X5 might just cut the deal I think.

Thanks for posting that video. I had looked at a 2018 Levante and I was disappointed with the infotainment interface for the same reasons as the reviewer. I like the styling, but overall it just didn't excite me as much as some other cars, and I expected more from the Maserati name.

I never drove a Q7 only because I didn't want a 3rd row seat.

I also test drive the following vehicles before I made my decision:
- Volvo XC60 Inscription Plug-In Hybrid. Very comfortable and easy to drive, but plug-in hybrid won't work for my driving distances.
- Range Rover Sport. Loaded with features, but couldn't get past the feeling that I was driving a large carton down the highway. Also, infotech looked cobbled together -- the upper and lower screens almost looked like they were made by two different car manufacturers.
- MB GLE 430 Coupe. Liked it a lot, except that it still has an outdated infotainment interface and no HUD. Won't be updated until 2020 or so, and I'm not enthusiastic about the 2020 SUV styling in the photos that I'm seeing.
- MB AMG GLC 63S Coupe. Definitely the funnest to drive, the best exhaust note, a total blast, but impractical for me. At the time I shopped, if was difficult to find winter tire packages for this beast, and in the US midwest, summer tires won't cut it for a daily driver. Also, with a 17.4 gallon fuel tank capacity, driving range would be short before a fill up is needed.
- BMW X6 35i Interior felt dated, but fun to drive. Considered the 50i, but preferred the AMG over the BMW.

However, I'm old and crabby now, and while I like the fun factor in cars, I especially liked the sheer luxury feeling I got inside and driving the Q8. Now that I've had a chance to play with it at the dealer, I love the digital tech in the Q8. I find the touch screen refined and very intuitive, especially when compared to the Levante and Range Rover Sport. I expect that within a few weeks of ownership I'll be able to make my touchscreen selections with just a glance off the road. However, I may be biased; the Q8 will be the 10th Audi in my immediate family over the years.

More than that. I've seen $20-25k off if you get loaded trims.

This isn't some Audi-specific issue. BMW has done the same with their Assist connectivity on older models.

Again, not Audi-specific. G05 X5 does not come with headlamp washers, unless you get Night Vision. They used to be included in the Cold Weather Package.

Wow, this is a case where too much discount means something is not good. May be I should avoid it altogether. I will still test drive it and check.

Actually to be fair, BMW didn't discontinue Assist - service providers just no longer support 2G technology in older cars. And all BMWs since 2013 whose providers use 3G/4G are still supported. 2021 seems a bit close for Audi to announce they may not support connectivity if it's because of technology - although maybe they know something we don't. Didn't see headlight washers mentioned anywhere on BMW's configurator, even for NV, but you could be right since German law doesn't require them for headlights whose lumen output is below a certain level, and LEDs have less output than the previous HID lamps in Bimmers.