Audi Q7 review

‘Versatility’ is the best way to sum up the Audi Q7 in one word. It can seat up to seven people in lavish comfort and yet has the driving manners of something much smaller and lighter. It can thrill with its straight-line acceleration but it can also travel in smooth silence on electric power alone. It’s a great tow car, too, and can even manage a bit of off-roading.

Indeed, the five-metre-long Audi Q7 has always been one of the very best luxury SUVs, despite it competing against some fine alternatives, including the BMW X5, BMW X7, Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Defender and Volvo XC90.

Audi has given all of the regular petrol and diesel versions mild-hybrid assistance, allowing the engine to switch itself off when decelerating to save fuel. And an update to the plug-in hybrid version has made its pure electric range much more competitive than before. But is the Q7 still at the top of its class?

What’s new?

- April 2024 - The Q7 gains a new look, and 20in alloys, a rear camera, three-zone climate control and adaptive air suspension as standard. Vorsprung versions gain four-wheel steering and new TFSIe plug-in hybrid gains an up-to 52-mile electric range

Even the less powerful of the Audi Q7's two 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines (the TDI quattro 231) has 228bhp and delivers gutsy acceleration. Mind you, the 282bhp TDI quattro 286 feels considerably punchier still. In our hands, we managed a 0-60mph sprint in just 6.2sec.

Acceleration builds strongly from just 1500rpm, making the Q7 effortless to drive briskly and more than quick enough for a luxury SUV. Both diesels can pull a braked trailer weighing up to 3500kg, meaning the Q7 is a really capable tow car.

The V6 petrol is called the TSFI quattro 340 and is gutsy enough at low revs, so you don’t need to work it hard – and with 335bhp, acceleration is more than a match for either of the diesels. Poor fuel economy aside, there’s lots to like about it.

The plug-in hybrid TFSIe, meanwhile, has been greatly improved for this latest Q7 in terms of pure electric range, now officially offering up to 50 miles. That’s up from 29 miles previously, and is also further than the official 44 miles a plug-in hybrid Volvo XC90 can manage. The switch from petrol to electric power is smooth, and the straight-line pace is similar to that on offer from the V6 petrol version.

However, if you're more interested in barnstorming acceleration than thrifty fuel economy, there's also a sports SUV version with an astonishing 500bhp petrol engine – you can read about that in our Audi SQ7 review.

Air suspension comes as standard on all versions of the Q7, but it’s the S Line version that delivers the most comfortable ride. In fact, in that trim, the Q7 is one of the most relaxing cars to waft around in, proving far comfier than the Land Rover Discovery and the Volvo XC90. Only the more expensive BMW X7 and Range Rover Sport have the edge over the Q7.

If you go for Black Edition or Vorsprung trim, you'll get a 'sports' air suspension system instead. It drops the Q7 15mm closer to the road, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that bumps aren't smothered quite as well. That said, it's still relatively supple – a fact made even more impressive when you consider that the Vorsprung is shod with enormous 22in wheels.

The Q7 is tailored more towards luxury and comfort than sporty handling, but it’s still remarkably agile for a five-metre-long SUV with seven seats. Compared with an X7 or Discovery, for example, it feels positively compact along narrow lanes, with minimal body lean (especially with the sports air suspension setup). There's also lots of grip and it's balanced well between the front and rear wheels.

The steering is accurate, too, with better-judged weighting than an XC90's, even if you don't feel a great deal of sensation streaming to your fingertips. If you want a really big SUV that’s notably better at cornering, you’ll need to look at the Porsche Cayenne.

You'll hear a distant background clatter from the diesel options when starting from cold, but this fades away once the engine is up to temperature. Otherwise, you only really hear the engine under hard acceleration. That said, the straight-sixes in the X7 and Discovery are even more refined.

The petrol is smoother and quieter than diesel versions of the Q7, and sounds sweeter when revved hard. Nevertheless, the quietest version of the Q7 is the plug-in hybrid, thanks to its ability to use electric power at low speeds. Meanwhile, wind and road noise are well contained at motorway speeds – even in Vorsprung versions with their enormous 22in wheels – although you can hear the Q7's suspension working away along badly surfaced roads.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox fitted to all versions changes smoothly up and down through the ratios, although sometimes proves annoyingly hesitant when you're trying to accelerate briskly away from a standstill.

“Four-wheel steering really helps to make giant SUVs like this much more manoeuvrable at low speeds – it’s a shame it’s only available with Vorsprung models.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

All Audi Q7s come with an electrically adjustable driver’s seat. The range of adjustment – which includes an extendable seat base and four-way lumbar adjustment – makes it easy to find a comfortable driving position.

You’ll also find that the pedals, seat and steering wheel are aligned neatly for a natural driving posture, and there’s a well-positioned footrest to the left of the brake pedal. In fact, our only gripe relates to the climate controls. Adjusting these involves faffing around with a touchscreen, set low down under the main infotainment screen. And because the icons are so small, you have to look away from the road. The BMW X5 and BMW X7 both feature physical buttons for climate control, so they’re less distracting to use on the move.

The Audi Virtual Cockpit set-up is fitted as standard via a 12.3in digital panel that sits behind the steering wheel. This can display speed, revs and other driving essentials alongside a full-screen sat-nav map, phone or audio information.

As is the case in most big SUVs, you sit up high in the Q7 for a commanding view of the road ahead, and the relatively slim windscreen pillars do little to obstruct your vision at junctions. 

Large, heated door mirrors offer a clear view of what’s approaching from the side, and the left-hand mirror tilts down automatically when you select reverse for a better view of the kerb when parking. Powerful LED headlights are standard on all Q7s, and they can stay on main beams without dazzling other drivers. 

Thick rear pillars and the rear headrests block much of your over-the-shoulder view, especially when people are sitting in the third row of seats. Yet with a rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors standard on all trims, you shouldn't find reversing too much of an issue. A 360-degree camera comes as standard if you go for range-topping Vorsprung trim – it’s optional on other trims.

While the Q7 doesn’t have many physical buttons, the main 10.1in touchscreen on the dashboard responds quickly to presses and gives you haptic feedback, making it obvious when you’ve pressed the screen.

It’s better than the infotainment system you get in the Volvo XC90, but the BMW X5 and X7, and the Mercedes GLE are ahead when it comes to usability because they both feature separate controllers and shortcut buttons. All trim levels come with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, a natural speech voice recognition system (which allows you to bypass the touchscreen for some functions), wireless phone-charging and a 10-speaker sound system. Premium stereo upgrades are available for you audiophiles out there.

The Q7’s interior is a universe of soft-touch materials, glossy black veneers and smart brushed metal trims, along with well-damped, precision switches and some multi-coloured ambient lighting. Any lower-grade plastics are confined to places where you won’t see or feel them as a matter of course, which isn’t something we'd say about the Mercedes GLE.

In short, the Q7 feels incredibly well screwed together, with tight gaps between the exterior body panels and interior trims. All things considered, the Q7 is classier inside than nearly all its direct rivals – the exception being the slightly pricier BMW X7.

“Physical controls would always be better, but at least the Q7’s climate control touchscreen is permanently visible and easily reachable from the driver’s seat.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews editor

Even those well over six-feet tall will find the Audi Q7 roomy in the front. Head room is very generous and the seats slide back a long way to deliver lots of leg room. It's wide inside, too, so there’s loads of elbow room.

The large door bins will each take a 1.5-litre bottle, and there are two cupholders next to the gear selector. Under the front centre armrest, you’ll find another cubby with a protective rubber tray that makes it an ideal place for stowing your mobile phone. 

Meanwhile, the glovebox is big enough to hold bulkier objects, such as a can of de-icer or a window scraper.

Getting in and out of the second-row seats is easy, thanks to large rear door openings and slim sills. The Q7 offers a few centimetres more leg room than the BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery and virtually matches that of the Volvo XC90. That means tall adults have plenty of space for their knees, and there's a generous amount of head room, too. There’s also enough shoulder room for three adults to sit side by side comfortably. 

Tall adults won't want to sit in the two third-row seats on long trips, but anyone under six feet won’t feel ridiculously cramped. Sitting right at the back of a Q7 is certainly a more pleasant experience than it would be in, for example, an X5 or a Mercedes GLE. The Discovery and BMW X7 are better choices if you regularly need to carry seven adults, though.

The Q7 is one of the very few cars on sale with six Isofix seat mounts, so it's a seriously child-friendly choice.

All three second-row seats slide backwards and forwards independently and have reclining backrests. The outer two seats tumble forwards pretty easily to allow access to the third-row seats.

If you need extra luggage space, the second-row seat backrests can be folded down in one simple operation using a lever at the base of each seat. They fold in a 40/20/40 split, so you have the flexibility to carry long loads between rear passengers sitting in the outer seats. 

Meanwhile, the two third-row seats lie flush with the boot floor when folded away. They are raised or lowered individually at the touch of a button using controls placed just inside the rear doors as well as inside the boot itself.

In five-seat mode, even with the second row of seats slid fully back, the boot is big enough to take 10 carry-on suitcases or a couple of buggies below the tonneau cover. There are four lashing eyes, plus a small cubby on the left-hand side.

With all seven seats in place, the boot shrinks to less than half its size but will still hold a couple of carry-on cases. In this arrangement, you'll fit more luggage in the Q7 than you would in the Land Rover Discovery. 

If you fold down all five rear seats, you’re left with a vast space and a flat extended load area. This makes loading bulky items a piece of cake, especially as there’s no lip at the boot entrance. All Q7s have an electric tailgate.

If you go for a plug-in hybrid Q7, then boot capacity drops by more than 200 litres – which is substantial, and makes it smaller than the boot you get in the plug-in hybrid XC90.

By the way, if practicality is not a concern and you don't need seven seats, you might be interested in the Q7's coupé SUV counterpart – see our Audi Q8 review.

“It’s helpful having a button in the boot which helps you raise and lower the car’s suspension as standard, to help with lifting things in and out of it.” – Lawrence Cheung, New cars editor

The Audi Q7 is priced slightly above the Volvo XC90 but is cheaper than the BMW X7 and Range Rover Sport. Sizeable discounts are often available via our New Car Deals service or by haggling with your dealer directly, and resale values for the Q7 are strong, comparing well with those of most other premium-badged luxury SUVs.

The plug-in hybrid version is the most expensive Q7 and therefore only really recommendable for company car buyers (but remember that a fully electric alternative would be considerably cheaper in this instance).

As standard, entry-level S line models get things like 20in alloys, keyless entry, adaptive air suspension, dual-zone climate control and wireless smartphone mirroring. It’s our pick of the range.

However, if you want even more luxuries, Black Edition adds the ‘sports’ air suspension, 21in alloys and some sporty styling tweaks, while the range-topping Vorsprung brings gigantic 22in wheels, soft-closing doors and heated outer rear seats.

In the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, the Q7 proved to be the least reliable seven-seater and the lowest-scoring luxury car. None of which is very good, to say the least. As a brand Audi finished a lowly joint 22nd out of 30 manufacturers.

All versions get a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, but that isn’t particularly impressive, either.

For a fee, Audi will extend the warranty for up to five years or 90,000 miles, but you have to buy this when you order the car new – it can't be applied retrospectively. If you don't order it and decide subsequently that you want a warranty beyond the first three years, you’ll only be able to choose a less comprehensive used car warranty rather than an extended manufacturer's warranty.

Given the reliability record we’ve highlighted, this is worth considering.

All versions of the Q7 come with plenty of active safety equipment to help prevent a crash, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), which alerts you to potential frontal collisions with cars or pedestrians and applies the brakes if necessary. You also get lane-departure warning and a camera that reads speed limit signs and displays them on the dashboard.

The optional City Assist pack (which comes as standard on Vorsprung models) adds various other active safety technology, including blind-spot monitoring (Side Assist in Audi speak).

Euro NCAP awarded the Q7 its full five-star rating for overall safety in 2019. A closer look at the scores reveals that the Q7 is slightly better for adult occupant crash protection than the BMW X5 and similar to the Land Rover Discovery. The Q7 is noticeably better at protecting child occupants than the Discovery and slightly better than the X5. Nevertheless, the Q7’s test result is so old that this rating has technically expired.

“The official figure of 77mpg for the plug-in hybrid sounds amazing, but remember that as with all plug-in hybrids the real-world fuel economy will be considerably worse than this on most journeys.” – Claire Evans, Consumer editor

Buy it if…

- You like a smooth, composed ride

- A plush, well-built interior is important to you

- You value a spacious boot (as a five-seater)

Don’t buy it if…

- You prefer physical buttons to touch-based controls

- You want a seven-seater with the most third-row space

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