Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs Audi RS Q8 Comparison 2026: Price, Mileage, Features

Comparison overview: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class starts at ₹2.20 Cr and the Audi RS Q8 at ₹2.34 Cr, a difference of ₹13.83 L ex-showroom. On-road in New Delhi that gap becomes roughly ₹15.35 L. Here is what the extra money actually buys.

Engine and performance: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class uses a 2,925cc Petrol making 429.12bhp and listed torque with Automatic. The Audi RS Q8 uses a 3,998cc Petrol making 632bhp and listed torque with Automatic.

Mileage and running cost: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class Petrol Automatic is rated at 32.3 kmpl and the Audi RS Q8 Petrol Automatic at 9 kmpl. At 1,000 km a month, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class saves you about ₹8.42 K a month and ₹1.01 L a year on fuel.

What one gives that the other does not: The Mercedes-Benz S-Class adds No. of Airbags, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Rear Camera and Tyre Type. The Audi RS Q8 adds Child Safety Locks, Seat Belt Warning, Door Ajar Warning, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Speed Sensing Auto Door Lock. The rest of both spec sheets is shared.

Which one should you buy?

Buy the Mercedes-Benz S-Class if you drive mostly in the city, you want the lower running cost, and you would rather keep the ₹13.83 L for your down payment than spend it on features.

Buy the Audi RS Q8 if you do regular highway runs, you carry luggage or a pram often, and you want Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) without waiting for the next facelift.

The one thing that settles it: Mercedes-Benz S-Class offers No. of Airbags.

Before you sign anything:

Ex-showroom price is not what you pay. Add registration, road tax, insurance and handling, and expect the final figure to land ten to twelve percent higher. Road tax changes state to state, so a car that costs the same in two cities does not cost the same to own.

Ask the dealer four things before you book. What is the current waiting period for the variant you want. What is the on-road figure.

Then drive both cars back to back on the same day, on a road you actually use. Take your family. Put your usual luggage in the boot. Most people decide in the first ten minutes, and it is rarely for the reason they expected.