2021 Audi Q7

From the rear, the quad tailpipe design suggests the three-row crossover means much more than just family business. The Q7 doesn’t look as large or overgrown as the Volkswagen Atlas, say, and strikes the right balance between form and function.

The inside best defines the Q7’s lap of luxury. Standard leather upholstery complements real wood trim and a two-touchscreen layout to balance texture and tech. High-gloss and high-smudge piano black plastic is kept to a minimum, and the cabin overall reflects the appealing, unassuming design mentality.

Last year, Audi swapped out a supercharged V-6 for a turbocharged V-6 that boosts performance but sacrifices efficiency. On either side of that V-6 is a peppy turbo-4 and a blistering V-8 in the SQ7. 

The 248-hp turbo-4 returns as the fuel-efficient choice but it is not offered in top Prestige trim. 

The turbo V-6 makes 335 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is an improvement of 6 hp and 44 lb-ft compared to the old supercharged engine. The turbocharged V-6 comes standard on Prestige trims, and it represents the best balance of value and power. It’s the engine of choice for most Q7 buyers, as are optional 21-inch wheels. Turbo lag can be diminished by toggling the paddle shifters to hit that sweet spot in the rev range, so even when you’re going uphill to pass that listing RV, there’s plenty of punch. From a stop, it’ll take a beat. On flatter patches, the V-6, or 55 TFSI engine, hits 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, which is impressive for a family hauler that tops 5,000 pounds. 

For more performance, look to the 2021 Audi SQ7, which starts at $85,995 in Premium Plus trim. It uses a 500-hp 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that makes 568 lb-ft and hits 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. The adaptive air suspension that comes standard on the Q7 Prestige is standard on the SQ7, as is all-wheel steering and larger front and rear disc brakes. 

An 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive come standard with all three engines. The turbo-4 45 TFSI can tow up to 4,400 pounds; the V-6 and V-8 engines can tow up to 7,700 pounds, when properly equipped. 

(For those who like the Q7 but don’t need the third row, check out the five-seat Q8.)

Heated leather front seats with power lumbar adjustment make and natural wood trim are a good starting place. An optional adaptive air suspension, heated and cooled Valcona leather seats with more power adjustments than a chiropractor with an ego take the options into the six-figure luxury realm. We’re not sure the kids would appreciate it as much. 

The second row seats three in a 35/30/35 split. They can recline for more comfort or for more acrimony with the third-row riders. A cold weather package heats the rear seats. The second row has nearly 39 inches of leg room and good enough head room for 6-footers, but wedging in a third passenger should be left for a pinch or for the third row. 

The power split-folding rear seats accommodate one kid better than two, or two kids better than any adult. Leg room is a narrow, knee-eating 29.2 inches, and even if you were to fit all seven seats, there wouldn’t be much room to store their stuff behind the third row. The 14.2 cubic feet of cargo space is smaller than the trunks of many mid-size sedans. 

Power-fold that 50/50-split third seat and cargo volume expands to more than 35 cubic feet, and with both rows of seats folded the Q7 tops out at nearly 70 cubic feet. Most mainstream three-row SUVs exceed 80 cubic feet but few look as good inside as the Q7.

For 2021, the Audi Q7 comes with even more standard safety features. In addition to automatic emergency braking, the family crossover comes with active lane control, blind-spot monitors with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high beams, and a driver-attention monitor that can slow the Q7 to a stop and turn on hazards if the driver becomes unresponsive.

Extra safety features include a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and traffic jam assist that provides brief periods of hands-free driving in slow traffic up to 40 mph. 

The Q7 is available in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trims, and starts at about $56,000, including $995 destination. The 2021 SQ7 Prestige tops $90,000, and the sport package or other options get it into six-figure range. 

In addition to the standard safety features listed above, the base Q7 Premium comes with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster that is an excellent use of real estate. It renders the 10.1-inch touchscreen in the center stack as a toy mainly for the passenger. Beneath it is an 8.6-inch touchscreen for vehicle and climate controls. There’s a lot to touch there. Bluetooth, USB connectivity, and smartphone compatibility are standard fare. It has 19-inch wheels, power liftgate, panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, three-zone climate control, power-adjustable heated front seats, power-folding third row seats, and a split-folding second-row bench. 

That honors the adage that you get what you pay for. The top Prestige model comes with more everything, from better leather to more speakers and safety features. An adaptive air suspension really softens the deal, as well, and since it comes with the larger V-6 engine, it’s only about $8,000 more than the Premium Plus model. Arguments could be made, but we’ll stick with the base Premium as the best buy. 

Audi’s warranty is 4-years/50,000 miles, but doesn’t include free service visits.