Compare the2026 Rolls-Royce CullinanVS 2026 Audi SQ8

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The SQ8 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Cullinan and the SQ8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available night vision systems.

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan weighs 893 pounds more than the Audi SQ8. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Cullinan comes with a full 4-year/unlimited-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The SQ8’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires sooner.

Rolls-Royce pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cullinan for 1 year and unlimited miles longer than Audi pays for maintenance for the SQ8 (4/unlimited vs. 3/30,000).

The battery on the Cullinan is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Cullinan’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The SQ8’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The Cullinan’s standard 6.8 turbo V12 produces 63 more horsepower (563 vs. 500) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 568) than the SQ8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid. The Cullinan Black Badge’s standard 6.8 turbo V12 produces 91 more horsepower (591 vs. 500) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (664 vs. 568) than the SQ8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

The Cullinan has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the SQ8 (23.8 vs. 22.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Cullinan stops much shorter than the SQ8:

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Cullinan can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The SQ8 doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Cullinan’s wheelbase is 11.7 inches longer than on the SQ8 (129.7 inches vs. 118 inches).

The Cullinan has 4.8 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more rear headroom and 2.7 inches more rear legroom than the SQ8.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Cullinan when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the tailgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The SQ8 doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Cullinan has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the SQ8 with its rear seat folded (68.2 vs. 60.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Cullinan easier. The Cullinan’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.7 inches, while the SQ8’s liftover is 33.7 inches.

The Cullinan’s cargo area is larger than the SQ8’s in almost every dimension:

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the Cullinan’s rear seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The SQ8 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Cullinan’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The SQ8’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Cullinan’s power side reverse swing out doors make it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the sport utility. The SQ8 doesn’t offer a power rear door.

The SQ8’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Cullinan’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Cullinan has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The SQ8 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Cullinan has standard massaging front seats. Massaging front seats are only available on the SQ8 Prestige. The Cullinan also offers optional massaging rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging rear seats aren’t available in the SQ8.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Rolls-Royce Cullinan retains 55.58% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 41.48% resale value of the 2026 Audi SQ8 after five years, which can save the Rolls-Royce’s owner.