Overview

What's New for 2020

There are three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige.

The Premium starts around $55,000 and comes stocked with key amenities like 18-inch wheels, forward collision warning, front and rear parking sensors, automatic LED headlights, LED brake lights, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding/heated/memory side mirrors, a hands-free power liftgate, a panoramic moonroof, leather upholstery, power and heated front seats, driver’s seat memory, proximity keyless entry, three-zone climate control, a leather steering wheel, cruise control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient lighting, a digital gauge cluster, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and in-vehicle WiFi.

The Premium Plus model retails at about $57,500 and adds a Bang & Olufsen surround-sound system, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, auto-dimming side mirrors, top-view camera system, illuminated door sill inlays, and wireless phone charging.

For those seeking the top-of-the-line, the Prestige is it. Coming in around $71,500, it features matrix-design LED headlights, dual-pane acoustic side-window glass, an adaptive air suspension, a head-up display, power soft-closing doors, four-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, heated/ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats.

All-wheel-drive and an automatic transmission come standard. Drivers can choose between two engines, a turbocharged four-cylinder, and a turbocharged six-cylinder.

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo makes 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Audi says this engine should accelerate the Q7 from zero to sixty mph in 6.9 seconds.

For those who need more oomph, the available 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo churns out 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Audi estimates a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds.

The EPA estimates that the Q7 with the turbo V6 should return 17/21/18 mpg city/highway/combined.

For SUV shoppers who love technology, the Audi Q7 should be at the top of the test-drive list. The amount of standard and optional tech is mind-boggling, with a customizable dual-screen infotainment system that manages everything from climate control to driving modes. The Audi virtual cockpit is a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that can become a fullscreen navigation system. The available Bang & Olufsen audio system employs 3D surround-sound technology and has tweeters that pop up out of the dashboard.

The list of electronic amenities goes on and on in the Q7. The Prestige trim comes with power soft-close doors and an air suspension. The big Audi uses automation to sate nearly every whim.

The Q7 lags behind some rivals in the arena of standard safety technology. The Premium trim lacks lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control, all of which are options or available on higher trims.

The overall space in the Q7 is excellent, with plenty of room. Those in the farthest-back seats don’t have significantly diminished headroom, though legroom is snug and it inhibits cargo capacity. But fold down the third-row and Audi’s total trunk space expands greatly.