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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  Q7 - THE #1 SUV on the market! - 2007 Audi Q7
  By kornelth - July 25 - 1:20 pm

  This car has truly amazed me! I thought there is no more surprise after driving AMGs, BMW 6-series or the Escalade, even just jumping from a Cayenne Turbo to the Audi. Well there is.

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  Love my Q7 TDI! - 2010 Audi Q7
  By kkb - May 30 - 8:40 am

  I have had my TDI for about a month and I LOVE it! I consistently get about 25 mpg on my commute, a mixture of stop and go highway and side roads. It has great power and I love the panoramic sunroof with electric shade. I had a chance to use my air conditioned seats the other day and let me tell you, what a great feature! All in all, I am very happy with my purchase.

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  Superb Quality-Design-Performance - 2009 Audi Q7
  By faa50 - May 27 - 9:56 am

  Excellent quality, thoughtful design, excellent performance and great mileage. Doesnt drive or smell like your Dads diesel. Highly recommend for price/value ratio. Will likely exceed your expectations as it did mine - 115 mph cruising UP a 30% grade mountain road, quite,no rattles and so smooth like butter excellent feel on the wheel. No American car can compete on quality or value for a dollar. Ive owned new Porsche and several new Mercedes 360SD, 450SL and 560SL - Regardless of money, Id rather own this car, and that is saying a lot. Reading this you might get the impression I am not a tough critic, you would be wrong.

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  Noisy engine - 2008 Audi Q7
  By Cubano - May 1 - 1:25 pm

  The reliability has been poor, the worst of any vehicle a have owned. Had to tow it to the dealer in my first week of ownership, the engine just stopped running. Front bearing gone at 25,000 KM. Driver door keeps dropping, it has been fixed 3 times. Other problems, way too many. Frustrating. I find the V6 quite noise even below 2000 RPM makes more noise than my brother in law Ford Escape. Dealer service could be better

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  From AMG to Q7 - 2010 Audi Q7
  By Mike M. - March 27 - 2:44 pm

  Some thought I was crazy to go from my E55 to a Q7 but I really think it as a great choice. Mileage is 23 mpg, tdi power is plenty although a little slow the first second or two. Got the S Line w/21 inch wheels and the dynamic handling, so ride is not as soft as but the handling is great. As a long time MBenz owner (still own SL55) I think Audi is on to something. MMI is a pain compared to MBs system but I am learning.

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  No more Audi for me - 2007 Audi Q7
  By DV - March 18 - 1:23 pm

  My 3 year lease on the Q7 is coming to an end an I will definitely not lease another one. From the start there have been problems. The car came without the A/C charged, the rear passenger handle fell off twice before it was finally fixed and my "leather seat cracked in the first year. My brakes have been squealing every time I brake for the last year and they said it was brake dust. They said to spray brake area when washed and then step on brakes hard a few times. It doesnt work. The sound drives me crazy. Ive had the same experience as others with the tires--had to replace before 25k miles. Overall car looks nice and is comfortable, but lots of quality problems.

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  Audi - junk...No service Do not buy! - 2009 Audi Q7
  By Kirill - March 11 - 4:27 pm

  Starting from first miles till now (10k) brakes are making crazy noise. Dealer did not find any problem. But you know what is best? Customer service of Audi. They answered that this is normal because they use some new materials of braking pads. And it gives more noise than other cars. So it is normal for Audi that their 55k$ new car is giving noise on street like some 20 years junk worse 500 bucks. Do not buy Audi, do not support awful company which do not want to help its customers in any way. My is going to trade in next month.

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  AUDI Q7 - 2010 Audi Q7
  By chris fields - February 24 - 2:12 pm

  Ive driven BMWs for the last 15 years but wanted a change. I looked at Audi because I liked the styling and pretty much knew itd be well built. Pros: After 25,000 miles I still love getting in and driving every day. Great power, common-sense functional, simple and effective layout. Plenty of space, easy fold down seats and awesome looks inside and out. Full time 4-wheel drive really grips the road.

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  Uneven Quality - 2009 Audi Q7
  By J-Man - February 10 - 3:07 pm

  There really are a lot of things to like about this car. For an SUV, it handles like a car and is much more comfortable of a drive than most of the other luxury SUVs on the road. However, there are a couple of things that really are unacceptable for a 60,000 car. 1. cheap plastic all over interior (see plastic foot rest just to the left of the brake pedal that cracked within a year) 2. doors are really cheap vs. bmw or mercedes. witnessed firsthand when I broke a interior mechanism in door opening on icy morning 3. MMI - why a cup holder right above a non-sealed system? 2 oz of gatorade fried out my track wheel to the tune of 800 4. handles HORRIBLY in the snow!!! 5. fuel mlg stinks

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  TDI is a winner - 2010 Audi Q7
  By Dave - January 30 - 1:18 pm

  Just purchased the 2010 Q7 TDI a week or so ago. Excellent build quality and impressive driving experience. Averaged over 23mpg for 1st tankful, divided between city and interstate--- about 27mpg on interstate portion--- GREAT!!! killer audio--mmi takes some getting used to but eventually makes sense. Absolutely no diesel smell or lag and engine noise is negligible--- could be a game changer for US consumer acceptance od diesel. 3rd row seat for kids(or our grandkids!!) only, but the 1st two rows have plenty of room. Love styling. Only minor complaint is low overhead entering drivers seat. Overall a great vehicle---drives smaller than it is with excellent performance and mileage