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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  Love it - 2017 Audi Q7
  By Koshy Samuel - July 11 - 5:31 pm

  Love it

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  Perfect Q7? - 2013 Audi Q7
  By David Porter - July 10 - 1:51 pm

  If performance is critical, you really need to verify you are getting the 333hp engine. Very confusing and I missed it. I think that you are limited to the Prestige package.?

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  Let down - 2007 Audi Q7
  By TerryLI - June 12 - 12:07 pm

  Finally plunked down the cash for a German driving machine. Great handling, solid engine, but what a disappointment on the rest. From a jerky transmission (no trouble found of course)and creaky transmission to a $1200 MMI console from 2 drops of water and a door handle that fell off (these last two I hear happen all the time). Finish is falling off the console, cargo net fell off twice, gas door sticks open. I expect far better for this price car. Who is giving this all those 9.5s? Are their cars still in the dealer lot, or did I get a lemon?

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  Dream come true - 2008 Audi Q7
  By leshek - June 8 - 12:41 am

  Shopped for while... Mercedes, BMW... test drove all. All great but Q7 won. Special ordered, S-line, adaptive cruse and adaptive suspension together was worth waiting for. Love line assist and parking assist system. Bought 16GB USB drive and have all my favorite music at my steering wheel controls.

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  SUVs arent dead - 2008 Audi Q7
  By Left Main - June 4 - 10:26 am

  Purchased this vehicle for my wife because of increased need for space but without the minivan appearance. It has been a pleasure to drive with good handling (minimal body roll) and reasonable acceleration for the class of car. (I drive an RS4 and still enjoy the Q7). The ride can be rough, however, especially at lower speeds -- some likely related to 20" wheels that were a part of the s-line package. Wish the air suspension was an option on the 3.6 which would likely improve ride quality. Gas mileage is reasonable with the 3.6 (21mpg at 70 mph) given size/wt of vehicle. Im willing to take 5-7 mpg hit over a minivan for the sportier ride and appearance.

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  Exciting only in Dynamic mode - 2017 Audi Q7
  By Maurice T. - May 15 - 4:06 am

  I have been considering this car, but I wanted to have a real testing experience before actually shelling out $60,000+. So, I was able to rent this car for 1 week (it costs me some, but I think it is worth to avoid a costly mistake). I put about 1,000 miles on the car driving on all kind of terrains in Southern California, except in snow. FUEL ECONOMY. In auto mode and 60-40 highway/city I was getting a respectable 23.5mpg in Auto mode. On a long stretch of freeway I achieved 25mpg as claimed. In Dynamic mode, the fuel economy suffers immediately as the car shifts and revs up more. On the same 60-40 highway/city I could only get 21.5mpg. I was not driving slow and, in fact, I got it up to 100mph on several occasions; as usual, the "secret" is to accelerate gradually. DRIVING EXPERIENCE: It is boring (Lexus RX 350 sort of feeling) in Auto mode. More exciting (BMW X5 sort of thing) in Dynamic mode. I was actually surprised by how agile and stable the car is going uphill at good speeds in Dynamic mode. A true Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hide sort of personality. The car is long, but parallel parking is actually easier than I was expecting. Mind you, I said easier and not easy. Without the rearview camera and at night in dark areas, it is not completely a "piece of cake". Driving uphill on serious pitches like in Old-Town San Diego was more pleasant that I hoped for. I was a tad concerned on some pitches when I had to come to a complete stop, but the car proved excellent. NOISE: Wind noise in more than on the BMW X5, at least once I hit 80mph-ish.. Road noise is definitely low. Excellent in that sense. INTERIORS It is well detailed, it not exceptionally luxurious, at least not in the Premium or Premium plus trims. Unfortunately, the Luxury package (another $6k) is available only in the Prestige trim. The car is comfortable, but not exceptionally comfortable. I am 62" and 245lbs, and on a 4 hour + driving I wished the car had a better support for my thighs . The seats feel comfortable, but after hours of driving, did not feel that comfy anymore. The double shade panels in front are an excellent touch. I wonder why more cars do not have them since that is an inexpensive feature.. INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM. I rent many high end cars, so I am quite familiar with the bells and whistles of infotainment systems, and I have learned tricks on one car that carry over, so to speak to a different brand, but it took me about one day to learn 80%+ of all functions. For example, getting ambient lights and set them up is not completely intuitive and I had to watch a video on YouTube that taught me how to get it done choosing the colors (you must have the proper package for it, though). The navigation system is pretty good and I do like the fact that it is higher up, although I use the one on my console while driving. But I would prefer a larger screen. I think that both Lexus RX 350 and BMW X5 are better visually speaking. But it got me where I needed to go and it provided good directions in all situations except one where it kept sending me up a steep and narrow street only, we found out, to cut the driving distance by about 50-100 yards. BRAKING. It is overall fine, but in two instances I found myself wishing it could be a little more prompt. But that could just be me and the fact that I am used to a different car. LIGHTS: The Q7 lighting system ranks among the good ones. Drove it at night on hilly and narrow roads with nothing in terms of street lights and I always felt that I had a good view of the road, in particular using the high beam lights. OVERALL GRADE (A-): It has about all a driver would want, but it is fun to drive only in Dynamic mode. The visual luxury is all there, but it is not 100% comfortable.

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  24,000 Trouble Free miles - 2013 Audi Q7
  By Chuckster - May 14 - 9:40 am

  Highway mileage great, city not so great. Third row access is tight. Solid feel.

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  What a beauty! - 2007 Audi Q7
  By newmomma - May 12 - 4:12 pm

  I bought my Q7 brand new and it is my favorite auto I have ever owned. It is responsive in S when you want to feel speed, it has the perfect size inside and out (not too big and not too small). I love the 4 captain chairs and third row just in case we need them. As a new mom, I love the automatic tailgate and smart key: each door unlocking when near without pulling out the key. The best of all is its sexy lines. It doesnt get better than this!

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  Dream SUV - 2008 Audi Q7
  By Rocker Joe - May 9 - 7:44 am

  Had an 02 and 05 X5 but needed something larger. Now have 3000 miles and no problems. Love the S-Line option but Audi takes 2 points off the residual value for leases which doesnt seem fair when you pay more.

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  What a bargain - 2008 Audi Q7
  By Javier - April 29 - 12:48 am

  I have had my Q7 4.2 premium s line for about 3 weeks. I just came back from a trip to North Carolina and I am in love. I think that the best feature hands down is the lane assist it makes everything easier and you always are aware of your surroundings. I have owned an ML, X5, Range Rover, Escalade, 4 runner, Montero, and I dont regret or miss anything from those vehicles.