Audi SQ8 vs BMW X6 M60i vs Land Rover Defender (2026)
The classic luxury suv shortlist, settled with numbers (October 2026):
- Pick the Audi SQ8 as the balanced middle path — it wins no single spec outright but concedes little anywhere.
- Pick the BMW X6 M60i as the balanced middle path — it wins no single spec outright but concedes little anywhere.
- Pick the Land Rover Defender if you want the lowest starting price (₹99.00 Lakh), the most power (626 bhp), the most seats (8).
Three-Way Specification Comparison
Audi SQ8 in short
The SQ8 arrived in India in March 2026 as a fully-imported performance flagship: a 507 PS 4.0L twin-turbo V8 in the Q8's coupe-SUV body, monospec at ₹1.777 crore. It slots between the standard Q8 (₹1.131 crore) and the wilder RS Q8 (₹2.338 crore), and lands within ₹20,000 of the BMW X6 M60i — the most directly matched pair of rivals in Indian luxury pricing.
Full SQ8 prices & variants →BMW X6 M60i in short
The X6 returned to India in June 2026 in a single V8-only specification: the M60i xDrive at ₹1.779 crore, packing a 530 PS 4.4L twin-turbo V8. The original 'Sports Activity Coupe' now exists here purely as a performance statement — there is no six-cylinder entry variant this time. Its coupe-SUV rivals are the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupé (₹1.52 crore) and Audi's SQ8 (₹1.777 crore), which matches it almost to the lakh.
Full X6 M60i prices & variants →Land Rover Defender in short
The Defender is Land Rover's icon and its widest Indian range: three body lengths (three-door 90, five-door 110, eight-seat 130) and five engines spanning ₹99 lakh for the 2.0 petrol 110 X-Dynamic HSE to ₹2.62 crore for the 635 PS OCTA Black — the most extreme Defender ever made. In between sit the 350 PS D350 diesel, the 5.0L V8 across all three bodies, and the twin-turbo 4.4L V8 OCTA flagship. Since 27 October 2026 the Defender 110 is assembled in India, which cut the 2.0 petrol to ₹99 lakh and the 3.0 D350 diesel to ₹1.18 crore; a 3.0 P400 petrol joins at ₹1.18 crore. All prices are from Land Rover India's official pan-India price list. Its only real rival in capability-plus-status terms is the Mercedes G-Class, at roughly double the entry money.
Full Defender prices & variants →Head-to-head pairs
Frequently Asked Questions
SQ8 vs X6 M60i vs Defender — which should I buy?
Pick the Audi SQ8 as the balanced middle path — it wins no single spec outright but concedes little anywhere. Pick the BMW X6 M60i as the balanced middle path — it wins no single spec outright but concedes little anywhere. Pick the Land Rover Defender if you want the lowest starting price (₹99.00 Lakh), the most power (626 bhp), the most seats (8). Test-drive at least two before deciding — ride and dealer experience differ by city.
Which is the cheapest among SQ8, X6 M60i, Defender?
The Land Rover Defender starts lowest at ₹99.00 Lakh, against ₹1.78 Crore for the SQ8 and ₹1.78 Crore for the X6 M60i (ex-showroom, October 2026).
Which is the safest of the three?
Audi SQ8: not yet NCAP-tested; BMW X6 M60i: not yet NCAP-tested; Land Rover Defender: not yet NCAP-tested.