Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Audi Q7 4x4 review

Audi has produced a fine contender for premium SUV honours

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
RRP
£69,680 £113,950
Avg. savings
£10,665 off RRP*
Find your Audi Q7
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Driving
The Q7 offers lots of performance - the 4.2-litre V8 petrol is impressive, but the 4.2-litre V8 TDI diesel is a benchmark for the sector! With 326bhp and 760Nm, it's the most powerful diesel on the market, and zaps the 2.5-tonne off-roader to 60mph in 6.4 seconds. However, the best-selling 3.0-litre TDI V6 isn't disgraced, with 233bhp shoving it to 60mph in just 8.4 seconds. Equally impressive is the Tiptronic transmission, shifting down on hills to improve engine braking. It complements a mighty set of brakes. And the Q7 has handling to match the performance. The air suspension includes roll control and height adjustability, making the car nimble and composed around corners. It even manages to reward keen drivers, not least because it uses the same rear-biased four-wheel-drive system as the latest RS4 supersaloon. Big wheels, however, spoil the ride. Cat's eyes send a thump through the frame, while potholes shake the chassis. Tyre roar can also spoil the ambience when on the move.

Marketplace
Big, isn't it? Together with the Mercedes R-Class, the Q7 is one of the latest generation of off-road machines, which are taking another step up the size ladder. But, despite its size, it's fairly aerodynamically efficient - this is because Audi has eschewed the usual bluff, butch appearance for a close resemblance to an A6 Avant, instead. Its lines disguise the proportions, though it lacks the exec estate's elegance. Three trims are available, with SE likely to prove the most popular. Other premium rivals naturally include the Range Rover, Volvo XC90 and BMW X5, even though the Q7 dwarfs them all. It even towers above the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, with which it share underpinnings.

Owning
With immaculate materials and outstanding build quality outside and in, the Audi makes rivals seem tinny and low rent. There's even an optional Bang & Olufsen digital audio system, which sounds great and has speakers that rise out of the dash when it's switched on. The only downside is its £4,000 pricetag; it complements the Q7's exceptional refinement extremely well. Yet that's not to say everything is perfect. The big mirrors not only create wind noise but, together with the A-pillars, they ruin forward visibility. The foot operated parking brake is old fashioned too, and you need to watch your head on the low doorframe when getting in and out. The seats, however, are superb and there's ample space for seven adults, with plentiful legroom for everybody. All seats fold flat easily and the boot is massive, if blighted by a protruding bumper and high floor. Fuel economy won't win any records, as is to be expected, but retained values are likely to be among the best for any car on sale in the UK. Good job, as the Q7 is also a costly SUV to buy in the first pace, particularly if you plunder the premium-priced options list.

Engines, performance and drive

MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

Interior, design and technology

Practicality, comfort and boot space

Reliability and Safety

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    3.0 TDI Quattro 231 S Line 5dr Tiptronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £69,680
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    3.0 TDI Quattro 231 Black Edition 5dr Tiptronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £74,230
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    SQ7 TFSI Quattro 507 Black Ed 5dr Tiptronic
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £95,600
Select car

New & used car deals

Audi Q7

Audi Q7

RRP £62,700Avg. savings £10,665 off RRP*Used from £27,667
Audi Q8

Audi Q8

RRP £68,130Avg. savings £12,032 off RRP*Used from £30,169
Volkswagen Touareg

Volkswagen Touareg

RRP £50,640Avg. savings £6,329 off RRP*Used from £20,131
BMW X7

BMW X7

RRP £79,135Avg. savings £14,125 off RRP*Used from £41,995
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment
Xiaomi YU7 - front cornering

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment

BMW or Mercedes would do anything to keep the new Xiaomi YU7 from sale in the UK and Europe, and this is why
Road tests
14 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
The EV grant is back: Government's new £3,750 electric car discount in detail
Auto Express creative director Darren Wilson charging the Lexus RZ

The EV grant is back: Government's new £3,750 electric car discount in detail

The government has set out its plan to help reduce the cost of affordable EVs by introducing a new £3,750 grant for new EVs sold
News
15 Jul 2025