Overview & Reviews

One of the more attractive luxury crossover SUVs available, the Audi Q7 comes with all the quality and understated opulence buyers have come to expect from the respected German marque. The Q7's bloodlines are evident in its incredibly swank interior. Craftsmanship is first-rate throughout, and the big SUV is decked out with a wide array of sophisticated luxury and safety features.

The Q7 isn't without its flaws, however. The vehicle's full complement of features contributes to its ponderous curb weight, which strips some crispness from its maneuverability and makes its below-par cargo space and third-row seat room all the more disappointing. As such, there are more sensible large SUVs available, but there's certainly no arguing with its luxury credentials.

Current Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is a luxury SUV that seats up to seven. Audi's largest crossover emphasizes performance and luxury, as its car-based unit-body construction and flurry of high-end accoutrements attest. It is available in 3.0T Premium, TDI Premium and 3.0T S line Prestige trims.

Standard features even on the base "Premium" trims are impressive, with highlights including xenon headlights, leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, Audi's MMI control interface and a power liftgate. Adding optional packages or stepping up to the Prestige adds things such as an air suspension, adaptive cruise control, a panoramic sunroof, keyless ignition and entry, a navigation system, a rearview camera, a surround-sound audio system and a rear-seat entertainment system.

The 3.0T Premium is powered by a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that produces 280 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The 3.0T S line Prestige gets a more powerful version of that engine, producing 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. An alternative choice is the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 found in the Q7 TDI. It produces 240 hp and a robust 406 lb-ft of torque, while returning a relatively frugal 22 mpg combined. All engines are mated to "Quattro" all-wheel drive and an eight-speed transmission with manual shift control.

The Audi Q7 shines on pavement. Its optional adjustable air suspension helps it navigate bumps and ruts with panache, and Audi's all-wheel-drive system keeps the wheels firmly glued to the road. The SUV is somewhat porcine, which of course hurts acceleration and fuel efficiency.

The Audi Q7's cabin manages to be both high-tech and warm at the same time. There's lots of burled wood on display, and come nighttime, the gauges light up with a pleasing red glow. The construction is arguably class-leading, while materials quality is first-rate. The navigation, climate control and audio systems are all accessed via Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI). Once you get up to speed on the system, it's fairly easy to use. Third-row seating is strictly for the kids, making rivals from Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti more family-friendly. Both the second and third rows may be folded flat to swallow 72.5 cubic feet of cargo, which is below that of most other competing large luxury crossovers.

Used Audi Q7 Models
Audi introduced the Q7 for the 2007 model year. Initially, engine choices consisted of a 3.6-liter V6 (280 hp and 266 lb-ft) or a 4.2-liter V8 (350 hp and 325 lb-ft), both matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. Neither was an ideal choice, as the V6 was underpowered and the V8 was thirsty. For 2009, the turbodiesel-powered Q7 TDI (225 hp and 406 lb-ft) debuted, while other trims saw a shuffling of features. The following year saw a mild refresh, with updated front and rear styling and an updated MMI system.

Extensive engine lineup changes occurred for 2011, with the previous V6 and V8 engines being replaced by supercharged 3.0-liter V6s known as the 3.0T (272 hp and 295 lb-ft) and 3.0T S line (333 hp and 325 lb-ft), respectively. This year also saw an eight-speed automatic become standard on all Q7s. For the next year, the base 3.0T's output increased slightly, to 280 hp. Other than a modest bump in horsepower for the TDI (to 240 hp), things stood pat for 2013. Other than some minor equipment shuffling, these latter Q7s are similar to today's version.

User Reviews:

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  a beautiful lemon - 2009 Audi Q7
  By humerus - January 16 - 9:45 am

  I have had this car/truck/suv for 6 years now. Pros: First of all, a lot of people come up and tell me how cool looking this car is. A lot of folks take pics too. Second, - the car has awesome 4WD on ice and the way it handles overtaking(passing) and gets a vroom is nice. third- the interiors are awesome looking. Cons: a) While under warranty the battery broke, the amplifier broke, the no sensor broke, some other electrical issues. b) as soon as the 4 year warranty ended, the ad-blue pump broke malfunctioned and had to be replaced for 2000 bucks. c) on its 5 year run- the a/c compressor broke costing 3000 repairs, the rear light holder burnt, front lights broke...lemon. dont buy

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  Had a car for over three years love/hate - 2009 Audi Q7
  By audi_fan_777 - January 8 - 9:43 am

  When the car has no problems it runs great, performance is very good, ride control is spectacular ride conform on the rough side. Problems i had included water inside the car because of poor design for drain pipes coming from the roof lines. All of the electronics went out, had it fixed under pre-owned warranty but had to hassle to get it done. Audi was trying to convince me that it was my problem that I did not clean the drain pipes, very hard to do especially if you dont have a large garage with tons of space. Audi dealer fixed only one drain pipe the rear still collecting water in the trunk area after a car wash. Rear tailgate stopped functioning, closes by itself, super dangerous.

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  front interior - 2014 Audi Q7
  By jm1938 - June 16 - 11:54 am

  Im frustrated with the layout of the center console: I have to take my eye off the road to use the radio/navigation MMI controls. Also the same with the cup holders as they are too far back. Voice control doesnt understand my commands or maybe I dont understand what to say. Radio knob is out of the way and when out of my usual territory it is difficult to find a radio station. The cruise control is visually difficult to see. I dont like the wiper system as when I turn them on the rear wipers seem to go on too due to its location on the stick. Vehicle has a lot of road noise. I thought Id get better fuel mileage with the diesel but am only getting 25 mpg on the highway.

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  great larger vehicle, large maintenance expenses - 2007 Audi Q7
  By cosicoop5 - March 1 - 9:13 am

  I have had my Q7 for 7 years and have loved it. For a family of 5 it has been a great traveling car and very comfortable and convenient for every day carpooling and use. No major problems popped up along the way, just the usual...squeaking breaks, break replacement a few times, tire replacement 3 times and cracking in the drivers seat base (3 inches long). Check-ups and other service visits seem to be over $500 a piece, but overall the car has been wonderful to have, reliable and comfortable. I would like another Q7, but dont want to spend the money. May consider a smaller Audi model but not convinced I want to pay the hefty service fees with kids going to college. Overall very happy.

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  Disasterous Q7 experience - 2007 Audi Q7
  By horribleq7 - August 1 - 12:21 pm

  Where do I start? 2000km off warranty, the engine blew up and cost $15k to replace and install. the brakes have been replaced a dont know how many times(last count 4). Brand new exhaust system installed at 100k kms @$3800 and now a new fuel tank to the tune of $3200 and $1200 in labour. Car has only ever been serviced at Audi dealers. This is my 5th audi in 13 years and will be my last. Audi Canada has been very difficult to deal with and unresponsive. The obviously have no idea how much it costs to create the type of brand loyalty they r losing. As I type, i am booking a test drive in the 2013 BMW 5 series sport wagon. Good by and good ridance Audi. I should have done this long ago.

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  Very pleased with my Q7 TDI - 2013 Audi Q7
  By lttmkd5 - July 10 - 3:58 pm

  Wanted to wait until after my first required service for a true evaluation of the Q7. Bought my Q7 TDI after driving/considering the X5D, ML350 Bluetec, Toureg TDI. Only the TDI provided me with the space I needed in cargo area and fairly useable 3rd row, even if only occasionally. I have my own soccer training business and none of the others would fit my gear without much struggle. Close 2nd were the ML, which rode wonderfully, and the X5D which felt very much like a BMW. The Audi is a great combo of all the things I needed. Very powerful, quiet, and tremendous gas mileage! Came from an 07 MDX where I struggled to get 330 miles from full tank, I now get that on a half tank!

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  Best SUV you can buy - 2013 Audi Q7
  By huntm2000 - April 7 - 1:02 am

  The 2013 Audi Q7 is a great SUV. It has great power, handling, and safety you can ever ask for. It has plenty of room for hauling the family around including the dog (75 lbs) to and front soccer, grocery store, and family road trips. So far i have al but positive experiences with the Q7.

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  New to 35K review - 2012 Audi Q7
  By boyracer3 - January 20 - 6:32 pm

  Phenominal vehicle. The engine delights me still. Lots of torque, feels sporty despite its size. 7000 lb towing capacity, seats 7 and will get 32 mpg on the highway. Theres a 400 mile stretch of desert through AZ and NM where Ive done this twice! Gets almost as good mileage, in town, as my A8 gets on the highway. love the wifi hotspot, thought it was a silly gimmick, but my wife uses it with the iPad often. Wifi is tmobile so coverage isnt great but its great for looking at restaurant reviews and researching hotels etc. Love the google driven Nav. The satellite overview makes exploring easier and adds visual interest. Makes driving at night and in the rain more engaging.

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  Q7: Power and Luxury is possisble! - 2013 Audi Q7
  By texasrich1 - January 1 - 9:57 am

  The Q7 TDI with the 8 speed automatic is a pleasure to drive. This is not your typical diesel found in US cars. The TDI is very quiet but really strong, the torque provides a very smooth acceleration and the 8 speed transmission shifts flawlessly. On a recent highway trip to Atlanta, Ga we locked the cruise in at 78 and were getting 26.6 MPG with 3 adults. The Audi MMI ( multi media interface that controls the nav, music and voice recognition works great. I really like the Goggle Earth Navigation. The MMI allows for up to 8 devices to be connected through WiFi. The seats are comfortable and 2 position seat memory works well for the needs of 2 different sized drivers.

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  very nice CUV - 2010 Audi Q7
  By billyq - September 7 - 12:07 pm

  had this truck for about six months has less than 11,000 miles very fun to drive a tank this size like a sports car really drive great on the twisties, and off road - WOW i cannot believe some of the stuff ive climbed with this truck it just goes up dirt and mud road, will report back when snow finally falls in the Lake Tahoe area, i gave a "3" for interior design cause a small spill on the MMi cost $1,100 dollars to replace, oh well no drinking in the truck.