Audi Q7 cars

The style of the car

The five-door Q7 is a king-size premium SUV with lots of space. The big doors give easy access, the powered hatchback boot makes it simple to load larger items and a high ride height gives you a commanding view of the road. All versions feature alloy wheels and LED lights, while the high-performance SQ7 has even larger wheels and sportier styling.

How it drives

The Q7 is comfortable and relaxing to drive. Soft suspension and comfortable seats combine with low noise levels to make it relaxing on long journeys. It’s a big car, but a good view out, light steering and a smooth automatic gearbox mean it’s great in town traffic, while sensors take the strain out of parking. The V6 engines are smooth and responsive, with plenty of power for overtaking. Standard four-wheel drive and adjustable air suspension, which can be raised or lowered at the touch of a button, make the Q7 capable off-road. It’s a great tow car thanks to its 3500kg towing limit and a ‘Trailer Assist’ system that automatically steers the car when reversing with a trailer.

The interior

The seven-seat Q7 is one of the most spacious and versatile family cars you can buy. Passengers in the back have loads of headroom and legroom, plus you can fit three ISOFIX child seats there. The third-row seats fold quickly and easily out of the boot floor at the touch of a button and are perfect for kids or adults on short journeys. (Bear in mind that the plug-in hybrid versions don’t have these seats.) You get lots of useful storage, plus in five-seat mode the Q7’s boot has a vast 865-litre capacity, which is enough for four full-sized suitcases. You also get lots of standard features with every model.  Entry-level Sport trim includes leather trim and heated seats, along with sat nav and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. S Line adds sports seats, while the Black Edition has a panoramic roof. The Vorsprung includes a head-up display and Bose stereo.

Running costs and reliability

The Q7 is competitively priced against premium rivals and matches them for standard equipment. Despite its large size and powerful engines the Audi is surprisingly efficient, with the TDI diesels capable of well over 30mpg. The plug-in hybrid models can travel up to 29 miles in zero-emissions electric mode. Road tax and insurance premiums are similar to that of rivals. Audi has a good reputation for build quality and reliability so the Q7 should be dependable. It’s packed with advanced safety equipment such as adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking and was awarded five stars by the independent safety organisation Euro NCAP.

How it compares with similar cars

The Q7 is Audi’s largest family SUV. It’s bigger and more comfortable than the Audi Q5 and more practical than the similar-size but sportier Audi Q8. Ownership costs and interior space are similar to those of key rivals such as the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Volvo XC90.