Although big and pricey, the Audi Q7 is unsurpassed in its versatility, usefulness, and attention to detail. It is still among the top vehicles in its class even after many years after its debut.
We’re now evaluating the Audi Q7, which won’t be popular with environmentalists. They’ll assume you don’t care about climate change or, worse still, that you could be overcompensating for something when they see its enormous size and muscular design.
The Q7’s primary flaw is out of the way, but it is not the only one. You see, there isn’t a single area in which the large seven-seat SUV from Audi doesn’t perform well. Because of this, it stands out as the greatest all-arounder in its class and is one of the best SUVs now available despite its age.
The most prominent opponent of the Audi Q7, the BMW X5, is among its main competitors. However, the outstanding Land Rover Discovery, Volvo XC90, and Mercedes-Benz GLE are all fierce competitors.
It’s a fantastic automobile for a large family, first and foremost. With ample space around each of its seven seats and a wide variety of configurations for how much of the area is utilized for passengers and how much is used for freight, it is one of the roomiest vehicles of its kind. The luxurious amenities and superb cabin quality will make everyone on board feel pampered.
Additionally, the way it drives makes it the perfect family vehicle. The Audi Q7 maintains comfort and quietness on various routes, ensuring a relaxing and tranquil drive.
It also maintains stability and safety for passengers in tight spaces while surprising the driver with its outstanding agility in turns. Here’s a short warning: the top Audi Q7s have air suspension. Before the 2019 makeover, this was an option, but starting in 2019, it became standard. Ensure the automobile has air suspension if you’re purchasing an older model since you’ll want it.
The engines, however, provide an excellent balance of performance, economy, and refinement, and your family will be well taken care of thanks to a wealth of safety features and a five-star Euro NCAP certification. Any grievances? There isn’t much to complain about other than that the automatic transmission may sometimes be faster to react, and the touchscreen infotainment system in post-facelift vehicles can be a little fussy and distracting.
Some members of the motoring press criticized this vehicle for being uninteresting and without personality when it was initially introduced in 2015. Although we disagree, everyone has a right to their views. Who needs character when it is unquestionably good at everything else, anyway?
Does the 2022 Audi Q7 fit your needs?
Do I want the probably most excellent all-around seven-seat SUV money can buy? You do, of course. How could you not? Is the Audi Q7 it if that is the case?
It is not the largest, most expensive, most recent, most useful, or most ergonomically designed automobile. While it excels in many areas in its class, it is competitive with similar vehicles in places where it falls short. Because of this, the Audi Q7 is a beautiful all-arounder that will fit easily into the daily routine of any wealthy family, making it immediately more straightforward, enjoyable, comfortable, and classy.
However, the Land Rover Discovery will be better if you prefer a premium off-road vehicle with seven seats to an SUV. However, if you’re like most SUV customers and only rarely leave the muddy parking lot of your neighborhood farm store, the Q7 will make the ideal family vehicle.
Which of the available Audi Q7 models and engines is best?
We suggest one of the 3.0 liter TDI V6 diesel engines, regardless of the model year of the Audi Q7 you are contemplating. Because of its increased muscle and more relaxed performance, the more powerful of the two is worth the extra money if you can afford it, but in reality, most drivers will probably be okay with the weaker one.
If you’re thinking about the older vehicle, there isn’t much that the entry-level SE car doesn’t provide you, so we’d recommend sticking with that to keep the cost low. However, if you can, look for a vehicle with the optional air suspension installed since it completely changes how the Audi Q7 drives. Happy days, and again, stay with the entry-level trim, renamed Sport, after the redesign.
Of course, there’s always the Audi SQ7 if you want your seven-seat SUV to transform into a road rocket after you’ve done the school run. A powerful twin-turbo diesel V8 with 435PS was standard on pre-facelift vehicles, providing a significant low-rev punch and reasonable fuel efficiency. For the Audi SQ7 TFSI facelift, that was altered, and a 507PS twin-turbo petrol V8 was installed in its place. Nobody buys something like an SQ7 for fuel efficiency since it’s more responsive and sounds better, even if it consumes more gasoline than diesel.
What other vehicles compare to the Audi Q7?
The Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery are the Audi Q7’s most direct competitors as significant, opulent seven-seat SUVs. Discussing an Audi offering would be incomplete without addressing BMW and Mercedes. Although the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE are five-seat vehicles by default, seven-seat versions are optional.
You may also consider the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS from the same stables if you want to increase in size and price. The Lexus RX-L would also be vying for your business in the luxury market. Less expensive options include the Peugeot 5008, Skoda Kodiaq, and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.
Interior comfort and design of the Audi Q7
The infotainment displays are the most significant difference between pre- and post-facelift automobiles, but there are other spec changes. Overall, Q7 is a fantastic spot to sit, with top-notch quality and plenty of room.
Early models of the Audi Q7, available from 2015 on, featured traditional controls for the ventilation and other little extras right in the center of the dashboard, while the infotainment screen electronically sprang out from the top of the dash. The many dials and buttons were well-labelled and functional. Instead of the traditional analog dials, the instruments were digital devices that offered the driver various functions and information. They also functioned well.
The 2019 redesign, however, completely altered the dashboard’s appearance. This brought the design in line with Audi’s most recent premium products, such as the A8 limousine and e-tron electric SUV. It also replaced the traditional ventilation controls with another touchscreen display.
If we’re being honest, ergonomically speaking, that was a step back. While the previous controls were easy to locate by feel, the screen requires you to focus carefully on the tiny on-screen symbols to make any adjustments, which may be distracting while driving. Everything seems extremely interesting, and the ‘haptic’ feedback, which sends a pulse through the screen to confirm your choice, is helpful.
All models have supportive chairs with electrically adjustable positions to assist you in achieving a comfortable driving posture. Wide rear window pillars might impair your ability to see behind you even when seated high and have a great view of the road ahead. At the very least, each variant has a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.
Design and Quality
It should be no surprise that the Q7 excels in this area as it is an Audi hallmark. All the materials on display, including the glossy veneers, stitched leather, solid soft-surfaced plastics, and authentic metallic accents, are of the highest quality and have been intelligently and tastefully combined to create an air of effortless luxury.
Before you locate a single panel whose quality isn’t entirely up to the excellent standards of the rest of the Audi Q7’s interior, you have to go very far down, and even then, the variations are negligible.
The Q7’s competitors, even larger and more expensive ones like the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS, cannot match the precision and firmness with which everything is put together or the smooth, deftly-damped way all the switches and buttons operate. Due to the additional screen, newer models seem somewhat more high-tech than older ones, but both models are almost faultless in quality.
Audi Q7 infotainment has a touchscreen, USB, navigation, and radio.
As we’ve previously said, the 2019 facelift drastically altered the interior and infotainment system of the Audi Q7, so we have two methods to discuss here.
The last one was excellent. A rotary dial controller and a few shortcut buttons were used to browse the logical on-screen menus while an 8.3-inch screen rose electronically from the top of the dashboard. Simple, intuitive, and unobtrusive. Although using the offered touchpad to handwrite instructions was a bit of a hassle, there was nothing you couldn’t do without it if you desired.
However, the automotive industry’s fascination with touchscreen technology took over with the 2019 facelift, and this system was replaced with a new twin-screen setup operated by poking fingers at a screen. Honestly, with crisp visuals and rapid reflexes, it’s not awful for touchscreens. The reality is that touchscreens are far more distracting while you’re driving than conventional controls, even when some of the on-screen symbols are tiny and difficult to press.
However, every feature you’d anticipate in a premium vehicle includes wireless phone charging, DAB radio, and GPS.
boot space
The Audi Q7 is about as practical as it gets, especially regarding huge, opulent seven-seat SUVs. Given the item’s sheet size, it’s possible it is not surprising.
The Audi Q7 measures 5,063mm long, 1,968mm wide, and 1,741mm high from the outside. That is longer than the Land Rover Discovery and the Volvo XC90 by more than 100mm. However, the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS are still longer. However, unless you lived in North America, you would never describe the Q7 as agile or small.
Naturally, the front of the Audi Q7 has a ton of space, while the middle row’s three separate seats provide enough head and legroom for tall people to sit comfortably. The center seat on the back bench is nearly as wide as the seats on each side, but whoever occupies it will have to sit with their legs spread out on either side of a large transmission tunnel. However, there is enough shoulder room for three persons to fit across the rear bench.
The outside seats in the center row tip and tumble enough out of the way to make it quite simple to reach the third row, and each of the middle row chairs glides and reclines individually. Not nearly as much as in a Land Rover Discovery or a BMW X7, but it certainly outshines a BMW X5 or Mercedes GLE in terms of available room around the rearmost seats. Adults of average stature can fit, although those much taller than six feet would likely choose to bag it in one of the seats farther front for lengthy trips.
With seven seats in position, the Audi Q7’s 295-litre cargo capacity is more than that of many competitors and can accommodate a few big shopping bags. In standard five-seat mode, the rearmost seats can be folded flat into the floor to create a vast 865-litre trunk, which can accommodate pushchairs, children’s bikes, and anything else a family would need to transport. You are left with an extended load bay that is level and true, not to mention enormous, since the middle row also lowers flat to the ground.
Ride and handling quality:
It should be noted that the Audi Q7 performs best with air suspension, which is standard on facelifted versions and available as an option on older vehicles. It’s a choice worth considering since it vastly enhances the driving experience.
The air suspension was not a standard feature on the first Audi Q7s of this generation. Although they’re not horrible, the essential rest allows for a little too much body lean and doesn’t provide the smooth ride you anticipate from a high-end SUV at slower speeds.
Finding a vehicle with optional air suspension or choosing a post-facelift vehicle with it as standard, though, would make the Q7’s balance of capabilities genuinely stunning. Most notably, it is comfortable for a vehicle intended to transport prominent families.
One of the coziest, most calming vehicles in its class, the suspension virtually imperceptibly absorbs bumps of all sizes and forms. Given its incredible comfort, it’s probably even more impressive than the Q7, which feels so nimble around the corners. The vehicle seems to shrink around you on a curvy road because of its massive grip levels and uncannily great control over body motions. Sometimes, You can have fun with well-weighted, precise, and responsive steering.
Air suspension is also included in the Black Edition and Vorsprung variants. However, it is 15mm lower. The consequence is that the ride is still more comfortable than it should be but not quite as effortlessly plush as in Sport and S line versions. It is astounding to realize that the Vorsprung sports enormous 22-inch wheels while keeping you comfortable. With its even sportier suspension and large wheels, the SQ7 does give up some rolling comfort.
engines and gearboxes
Early in the Audi Q7’s existence, there were two 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines to choose from, each producing 218PS or 272PS. The latter was fantastic, but we never drove the former. It was able to move the massive Q7 quickly and efficiently, whether you were approaching the target or gaining speed while moving. Your progress always seemed as easy as it did rapidly.
Later, the output of these engines was increased to 231 PS or 286 PS, and they were given new names—the 45 TDI and 50 TDI, respectively. With the invisible advantage of a few tenths against the stopwatch, the more powerful one feels almost identical to the one we just described.
While the less powerful version will be enough for most drivers, it does need a little bit more effort to get a similar level of performance, which is why our preferred model is the one with a higher power.
The only “normal” gasoline model is the 55 TFSI, which has a 3.0-litre, 340 PS engine. Although we haven’t tried it yet, it probably has to be pushed harder since it lacks some of the low-down oomph of the diesel.
The top-of-the-line Audi SQ7 has been available in two flavors during its existence. The earliest model boasts a 435PS 4.0-litre diesel V8 with plenty of low-end punch and a firm feel, giving the SQ7 a remarkable turn of speed and halfway respectable fuel efficiency at cruising speeds. Although the throttle response isn’t the finest, it even sounds fantastic.
Later, SQ7s with the TFSI label were equipped with a 507PS twin-turbo petrol V8. These are more responsive to throttle inputs than gallons of diesel and provide more performance over a more comprehensive rpm range. They are notably thirstier; however, buying an SQ7 may not be a huge deal if you want to buy it.
A diesel plug-in hybrid variant is also available; it combines a V6 diesel engine with an electric motor to produce 258 PS and has a limited all-electric range of a few kilometers. However, a few of those versions are on the market, so we haven’t tried it yet.
All variants come with an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts through the gears fast, effortlessly, and smoothly. However, it might be reluctant to oblige when you request a fast acceleration. You can say that about most vehicles of this kind, but the Q7 makes it especially clear.
Refinement and noise levels
The Audi Q7 also excels in this area, which is a huge accomplishment. Even on a freeway with a rough surface, there is very little road noise, and wind noise is also exceptionally well separated. Even when road bumps do their best to disturb the peace, you won’t hear a peep from the suspension.
However, the engines we’ve tested do a fantastic job of finishing the job. When you first turn them on, you’ll hear a little clatter, but after they’ve warmed up, they disappear, and after that, they’re smooth and silent. Because of the engines’ incredible power, you rarely need to get bogged down to hear them, and even then, the slight noise you hear is enjoyable rather than bothersome.
However, vehicles with giant wheels and low-profile tires (like the SQ7) make more noise on the road. But it’s rarely bothersome.
Safety equipment:
It should come as no surprise that the Audi Q7 received the highest five-star rating in crash testing, given the quantity of essential safety equipment it comes with. There are six Isofix mounting points for child seats, front and rear LED lighting, a ton of airbags, tire pressure monitoring, automated emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, and lane departure warning.
Although the top-of-the-line Vorsprung version comes with a head-up display and a vast array of autonomous driving aid systems that, in certain situations, will essentially drive the vehicle for you, the feature set doesn’t vary all that much as you go up the range.
Electric range and charging
The maximum potential range of the Audi Q7 plug-in hybrid on electric power is reportedly slightly under 40 miles. Still, your actual mileage may vary depending on your driving style, the weather, the amount of traffic, and other variables. It would be best if you didn’t plan on traveling more than 25 to 30 miles in poor weather. The battery can be fully charged in around three hours with a 7kW wall box charger or extended with a domestic three-pin outlet.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Throughout the life of the Audi Q7, the trim levels offered and what they included varied a little. Remember that there will be variations in older examples as we focus on post-facelift vehicles. The entry-level Sport edition is the best option, including all the gear you need and a few extras.
This includes front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a motorized tailgate, dual-zone temperature control, and keyless entry. The S line is still the most popular trim, even though it offers improved leather sports seats and a few design features.
The Vorsprung comes loaded with everything the ordinary owner of a luxury vehicle might want. At the same time, the Black Edition adds a few additional aesthetic cues, sports suspension, and four-zone temperature control. Other features include soft-close doors, four-wheel steering, heated back seats, a BOSE audio system, a head-up display, and autonomous driving assistance.
