About time! New Audi Q7 will arrive in 2026, more than a decade after the last one
The new third-generation Q7 will borrow heavily from the latest Q5 and Q3 SUVs that have just been launched
The new third-generation Audi Q7 will finally arrive in 2026, and about time too, because it’s already been more than a decade since the current version of the firm’s BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE rival was launched.
Today’s Mk2 Q7 is by far the oldest model in Audi’s line-up, having made its debut all the way back in January 2015 and been facelifted twice since then. But it’s still available to order and you can save more than £15,000 on a brand-new model through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
Although the original Q7 – which was Audi’s first SUV – was launched back in 2006, it seems Audi likes to milk each generation of the luxury seven-seat SUV for all its worth before bringing in a replacement.
We expect the new Audi Q7 will be unveiled by next summer. It’ll be followed shortly after by the all-new, even larger Audi Q9, which will serve as the brand’s rival to the BMW X7, Mercedes GLS and Range Rover.
What does the new Audi Q7 look like?
The new Q7 will adopt many of the design details from the latest Audi Q5 mid-size SUV, and the more compact Audi Q3. That includes their new take on the single-frame grille, which is wider and more vertical than before, plus features the brand’s recently redesigned four-ring emblem.
The super-slim upper lighting clusters that wrap around onto the front wings are for daytime running lights and indicators. Meanwhile, the main headlight units are embedded in the bumper below.
The overall body shape is similar to the current model’s but the rear window looks a little less raked for a taller side profile – possibly a deliberate move to distance the Q7 from the sleeker Q8. As is customary with Audis now, there’s a full-width lightbar at the back.
We can see the door handles on the last prototype we spotted have transformed into little winglets on the window line, similar to the ones you’d find on a Ford Mustang Mach-E. There are still some contrasting elements over where the traditional handles would be, however, so we’ll wait and see what design Audi has decided to go with here.
We also can make out a set of quad-exit exhaust tips on this particular prototype. Their presence suggests there will be a hot SQ7 model, which will sport a different front bumper and a new grille insert. Bespoke alloy wheels are almost a given too, as is a unique rear bumper to accommodate those quad exhaust tips.
What will the interior of the new Audi Q7 look like?
We’ve yet to see inside the new Q7, but it should feature Audi’s latest ‘Digital Stage’ cockpit design that sees the ‘Virtual Cockpit’ instrument panel and central touchscreen (both OLED panels) housed in a single curved panel in front of the driver. There will almost certainly be a separate display for the front passenger too.
What engines will be available in the new Audi Q7?
As well as borrowing some styling cues from the Q5, the Q7 is almost certainly going to use the same Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture that Audi has been using for its latest non-electric models. We’ll have to wait and see what engines the new Q7 will come with, but a selection of petrol and diesel options is likely, plus a plug-in hybrid.
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