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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  Really impressed....Love my Q7 - 2012 Audi Q7
  By audifan2011 - May 5 - 7:23 pm

  I thought Id wait until I hit around 1 year before I left a review. Its been about 1 year since I bought my Q7 TDI and I thought Id share my thoughts on it. Ive been very happy with the Q7. Originally I wasnt planning on going with the TDI but the dealership happened to have one in stock on their showroom floor and it had all the features that I wanted. It would have taken about 2 months to custom order one so I decided to go with the TDI even though it was more expensive.

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  Disappointed - 2008 Audi Q7
  By tazzygirl - January 11 - 7:58 am

  I purchased my Q7 October 2008 & loved it for the first 2 years. October 2010 things started to go wrong. I drive a lot of highway miles so it was out of warranty. The lane side assist went out, the latch for the rear moonroof broke ($900.00 for a latch!) & in November 2010 the heat went out, only on the drivers side, then both motors on the mirros went out at a cost of over $300.00 each. It is now January 2012 & I am still dealing with heat issues after spending $1500.00 in repairs it still doesnt work properly, sometimes not at all. Now my remote is beginning to fail. I have spent the last 15 months dealing with failures & expenses. Im done! Will never buy Audi again!

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  Great Suv - 2009 Audi Q7
  By ryanj1178 - November 29 - 10:17 pm

  Drives smooth plenty of pick up despite posts stating otherwise. Quattro awd system is great in bad weather and with the correct tires almost unstoppable in snow. Seats are very comfortable and there is plenty of room for the whole family. 20,000 miles and the brakes and tires are fine. I have seen posts stating otherwise but it has to do with how the car is driven. The tires will be good until 50,000 miles. Also fuel economy is not great but if you can afford the car then you can afford the gas otherwise buy a Yaris.

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  First Audi and LOVING it... - 2011 Audi Q7
  By audifan2011 - September 17 - 2:28 pm

  This is my first Audi and Im really loving it. Ive never owned a Diesel auto before but the gas mileage is great. But the fuel is more expensive so Im not sure if its not a wash by the time its all said and done. Here in CA, diesel is at least 30 cents more per gallon for diesel vs. unleaded. The quality is great and Im at 3,500 miles and not any problems at all. It runs smoothly and Im averaging about 22 miles per gallon driving a mix of the city and highway (mostly city). Ive averaged about 560 miles on a full tank of gas. The tank holds 26 gallons of diesel fuel. I test drove many different SUVs including Mercedes, Lexus, BMW, and a few others but none could compare

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  Amazing - 2012 Audi Q7
  By analyzthis02 - July 31 - 2:36 am

  It is beautiful, fast (Im gonna get a ticket... I can just tell), quiet- the only thing I can hear is the 1,000 watt B and O system that puts music into your soul, advanced technology- that will take me years to figure out... have I mentioned it is a head turning German engineered machine?

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  Bad decision - 2009 Audi Q7
  By rembo1 - March 25 - 2:59 pm

  Have driven LR3, X5 and Q7. Q7 just doesnt seem to be the same quality. Many problems - breaks wear out extremely quickly, rear lift gate problems (twice), MPG is not as advertised based on my calcs, nterior feels cramped, ergonomically uncomfortable. Teen kids keep asking when can we get a new SUV. We end up driving our BMW sedan to local ski resorts, beaches. Cant wait for lease to be over.

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  Excellent Family Car - 2011 Audi Q7
  By chchoi - February 16 - 5:53 pm

  This Q7 replaces my 2008 A4. Q7 is huge. A lot of room. I love the 3.0 Supercharge engine with 8 speed auto. Pickup is very smooth. Mileage is OK. It does better than my 2005 X5 3.0i. It feels very heavy and during braking, I need to step heavier to stop it. I took it to the snow and it was fun driving at 70mph and passing other cars with chain. It is a excellent family car.

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  Truly A Luxury SUV - 2011 Audi Q7
  By q 007 - December 5 - 2:00 am

  Finally broke 1k miles on my Q7. I along side of my 2002 audi s4 and 2004 audi a6 2.7t the Q7 makes a great family SUV, I had custom dvd entertainment install and my kids loves it while on the road. With a lot of mix city and highway I average around 20 mpg. I tested droved the 2010 x5 with v8 setup and merc gl 550 both did not have the solid feel and quality interior. The X5 was very responsive on the road and sporty while the Merc felt too calm and soft on the road while the q7 had the balance of both worlds.

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  Great car with unfortunate design flaws - 2007 Audi Q7
  By Leaking Audi - December 5 - 2:00 am

  All cars have + & - from a high end luxury SUV you expect mostly +. Thats the case. My problem was leaking draining tubes resulting in water in the front passenger well and in the back, invisibly in the area with the unprotected amplifier, MMI, GPS units. Result: all failed + battery drained. Cost:$3,500 (not covered by warranty). Thats the most disturbing part to me: this car has been maintained by Audi as recommended but I still end up with a problem I could not avoid. This is not compatible with the premium price you pay for a Q7, you expect peace of mind. Moreover it is a known problem since Audi/VW lost a class action suit on this problem. Details at LeakingAudi website and Twitter.

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  2011 Q7 3.0T Premium Plus - 2011 Audi Q7
  By Birdman - November 13 - 2:00 am

  Have only had our Q7 for 1000 miles now, but its been wonderful to drive. I traded in my 2007 Q7 3.6 and havent looked back. The standard horsepower 3.0T has more than sufficient power and has more torque than my old 3.6 /gets 18 mpg vs 16 mpg in my last q7. It certainly isnt a rocket ship but rides smooth and handles very well for such a large heavy vehicle. The 8 speed transmission is smooth and the rapid gear shifts are subtle and fast. To get the best gas mileage stay in D, switch to sport mode and the Q7 transforms its feel very nicely if you want to attack a curvy back road or aggressively pass another vehicle on the highway. This is an excellent all around family vehicle