Excessive and dangerous delay in throttle response due to auto start/stop system causing vehicle to coast when slowing down at a yield sign or intersection etc before transmission re-engages. The vehicle is powerless for several seconds despite application of gas pedal, causing oncoming traffic to potential collide with "stalled" Q8. This is a major design defect in the auto start/stop system and occurs every time the system is active.

- Park City, UT, USA

The auto stop/start system on the Audi Q8 presents a dangerous situation when a driver attempts to accelerate from a complete stop. Frequently, when I do this (with the auto stop/start engaged - it's default setting) the car will not move for approximately 2-4 seconds. When it does engage, it finally does so with excessive force. This is particularly dangerous when taking a left hand turn either across a lane of traffic or taking a left turn onto a road. For the driver, it's very disconcerting as (1) you don't get the power when you want or need it and (2) when the power finally does come, it's excessive and if you may need to slam the brakes on to avoid traffic that you were not expecting to be close when you first began the turn. This happens repeatedly. If the auto stop/start system is disengaged, then this behavior goes away and the car operates as expected. However it relies on the driver to remember to disable the "feature" each and every time. For someone like my wife, who will use the car a few times each year (when her car is unavailable), she may not be aware (or I may forget to tell her) how to adjust the car. Same with anyone else who might drive the car.

- Walpole, MA, USA