Audi Q8 vs Nissan Armada: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Audi Q8 burns about $3,800 of fuel annually against $3,850 for the Nissan Armada. That $50 yearly gap compounds to roughly $250 over five years and $400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Audi Q8 leads in both cycles — 18 mpg city and 23 mpg highway against 16 and 20 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Audi Q8 is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI; Mild Hybrid), the Nissan Armada with 4 (SIDI, SIDI; MDPV, SIDI; LDT). Across 9 recorded Audi Q8 configurations and 29 for the Nissan Armada, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Audi Q8 is offered with All-Wheel Drive, the Nissan Armada with Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Audi Q8 emits 439 g/mile of CO2 versus 497 g/mile for the Nissan Armada. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.