The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Ageless shape
- Terrific ride and handling
- Good driver-assistance tech
- High-tech cabin
Dislikes
- Tight third row
- Bigger engines, bigger prices
- Should include maintenance
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2023 Audi Q7 is a compelling, can-do-no-wrong choice with terrific powertrains and svelte handling—plus all that tech.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Audi Q7? What does it compare to?
The 2023 Audi Q7 is a three-row luxury crossover SUV. Shop it against the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, as well as their bigger X7 and GLS siblings.
Is the 2023 Audi Q7 a good SUV?
The Q7 boasts a big cabin, approachable tech, and clean styling. Put it on your shopping list. It’s a 6.7 out of 10 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2023 Audi Q7?
Base 4-cylinder models see a 13-hp bump to 261 hp, while all Q7s add additional synthetic leather trim on the dash and door panels. Most versions also gain at least a few standard features this year. (And prices climb accordingly.)
The Q7 wears timeless curves and lines, both inside and out. It’s neither as muscular as the X5 nor as sexy as the GLE, but it splits the difference well enough to earn our admiration. Perhaps more importantly, the Q7 comes loaded with screens inside. There’s nothing analog about this SUV.
Underhood, look for this year’s slightly stronger turbo-4, a twin-turbo V-6, or a twin-turbo V-8, all teamed with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive. The Q7 works best with the optional air suspension fitted to some versions, but there’s not a slouch in this lineup. SQ7 versions are peppy and fun without the track-day stiffness of BMW’s Competition package. As if anyone’s competing in a 5,000-pound SUV, anyway.
The Q7 boasts a spacious cabin, though its standard third row is for kids. Tuck those rearmost seats away and there’s a fairly big cargo area. An uptick in interior trim this year helps justify pricing that can climb rapidly.
All versions come with the expected array of driver-assistance tech including automatic emergency braking and active lane control, while adaptive cruise control costs extra. Subpar headlights—even those with Audi’s trick “matrix” setup—don’t earn accolades from the IIHS, though.
How much does the 2023 Audi Q7 cost?
Budget at least $60,400 for a base Q7, though that buys a fairly high level of standard fare including all-wheel drive and real leather seats—two features optional on most rivals. While Audi doesn’t offer the same degree of a la carte options as some competitors, it’s still worth budgeting at least $5,000 to dress yours up.
Where is the 2023 Audi Q7 made?
In Slovakia.
2023 Audi Q7 Styling
Audi eschews trendy lines in favor of a clean, elegant approach with its Q7.
Is the Audi Q7 a good-looking car?
We can’t entirely predict the future, but we can make some educated guesses. One of those is that the 2023 Audi Q7 will look just as fresh in a decade as it does today. It breaks little new ground inside or out, but its conservative lines just work. It’s a 7 on the TCC scale, with points above average for its crisp exterior and its equally buttoned-up cabin.
What’s perhaps most impressive is that the Q7 is due for a remake soon, and yet it still looks good after a 2020 model-year update with LED headlights and a toothier, more sharply defined grille than before.
The Q7 is a big SUV that hides its size well, though you don’t have to go above the standard 19-inch wheels for it to look sporty. SQ7 versions rifle through the standard German car catalog of go-fast goodies, including upsized wheels and more air intakes up front. They’re not over-the-top, though.
Inside, look for standard leather and lots of real wood trim paired with twin touchscreens. A third display framed by the chunky steering wheel ups the high-tech quotient.
2023 Audi Q7 Performance
The 2023 Audi Q7 boasts a near-perfect ride quality paired with strong turbocharged engines.
Audi endows the Q7 with plentiful turbo power in any configuration. All versions have a luxurious ride, too. Those assets earn the Q7 a 7 from us.
Is the Audi Q7 4WD?
Yes, all-wheel drive comes standard.
How fast is the Audi Q7?
The Q7 offers brisk punch in any configuration, with some added benefits provided by a mild-hybrid system that helps out with off-the-line acceleration. Even entry-level models with the 2.0-liter turbo-4 have plenty of hustle; though we haven’t driven this year’s 261-hp version, with 13 hp more than last year’s model, it should be a bit quicker.
Better yet is the 335-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6, which slices more than a second off of the 0-60 mph sprint (to about 5.7 seconds). The Q7 is downright quick, with good passing power to help offset a small amount of lag away from a stop.
While Audi doesn’t chase BMW and Mercedes-Benz with a competitor to the X5 M and the GLE63, the SQ7’s 500 hp is plenty for mere mortals. It vaults to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds and can top out at 155 hp, should you find yourself planning to take one to Germany’s autobahns on vacation.
Even at legal speeds, however, every Q7 boasts phenomenal stability and a comfortable ride. The optional adaptive air suspension takes the edge off should you want to fill those big wheel wells with larger rolling stock, but any Q7 rides well. The steering isn’t as quick as some competitors, but it’s well-weighted and plenty direct.
Properly equipped, the Q7 is rated to tow as much as a 7,700-pound trailer.
2023 Audi Q7 Comfort & Quality
The 2023 Audi Q7 touts a big, tech-heavy cabin.
Audi serves up impressive space for five inside the Q7—and a pair of middle schoolers won’t complain too much if they’re wedged into row three. We rate it 9 for comfort thanks to good front and middle-row space, cargo room, and quality—if not over-the-top—finishes inside.
The Q7 comes standard with leather upholstery plus power-adjustable and heated seats for front-seat riders. Softer leather and seat coolers are on the options list. Audi doesn’t chase Mercedes-Benz’s Maybach division with ultra-opulent trim, but that’s no loss for most shoppers.
Big rear doors reveal a huge three-piece bench with 39 inches of legroom and a recliner function. The third row is rated at just 29.2 inches of legroom and it can be tricky to access for anyone taller than about 5-foot-3.
There’s just 14.2 cubic feet of space behind the third row, though that grows to about 35 cubes with it flopped down. The Q7 maxes out at 70 cubic feet of cargo space.
2023 Audi Q7 Safety
The 2023 Audi Q7 has done well in what crash tests have been performed.
How safe is the Audi Q7?
It should be a good overall choice. For now, our rating stands at 7 out of 10 thanks to good standard crash-avoidance tech and a host of high-tech options. However, the NHTSA hasn’t tested it recently.
The IIHS gives it top marks except for its headlights, which rate a surprising “Poor” and prevent it from earning a Top Safety Pick award.
Standard equipment includes quite a bit: automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, and automatic high-beams. Adaptive cruise control with the ability to go hands-free for short stints, a surround-view camera system, and traffic sign recognition with limited vehicle-to-infrastructure communication are on the options list.
2023 Audi Q7 Features
The 2023 Audi Q7 can be a decent value among big luxury SUVs.
Audi makes a good array of luxury and tech equipment standard fare on the Q7. We give it points above average for its trio of high-tech screens, good standard equipment, and plentiful options.
Its 4-year/50,000-mile warranty is nothing special compared to some luxury rivals, though, since it doesn’t include free maintenance.
Audi offers the Q7 in three basic trim levels, with a choice between 4- and 6-cylinder engines on the base Premium and mid-level Premium Plus. The range-topping Prestige comes only with the 6-cylinder.
Standard equipment for $60,395 includes a big 10.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, an 8.6-inch touchscreen for many controls, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. All three displays work well enough in tandem, with a limited learning curve compared to some other high-end models. Additionally, the Q7 comes with leather seats that are power-adjustable and heated up front, 19-inch alloy wheels, power-folding third-row seats, a power tailgate, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility.
Which Audi Q7 should I buy?
The base Premium trim level is all most shoppers really need, though we’d pony up for the $2,000 Convenience package with its adaptive cruise control, heated steering wheel, and surround-view camera system.
The Q7 55 Prestige runs about $76,000, but that money buys a lot of SUV: Bang & Olufsen audio, an adaptive air suspension, head-up display, automatic parking, soft-closing doors, cooled front seats, and additional leather interior trim.
How much is a fully loaded Audi Q7?
It’s called the SQ7, thank you very much, and it starts at about $91,000. Step up to Prestige trim, go crazy with options, and Audi will want $113,000 or so.
2023 Audi Q7 Fuel Economy
The 2023 Audi Q7 is a thirsty beast.
Is the Audi Q7 good on gas?
It’s not as thrifty as its mild-hybrid tech might lead you to believe.
With the 4-cylinder engine, the Q7 is rated at 19 mpg city, 25 highway, 21 combined. Opt for the 6-cylinder and those figures slide to just 18/22/20 mpg. Those two models barely eke out a 2 on the TCC scale—and you’ll have to run premium unleaded.
The SQ7 is even worse; the EPA says to expect 14/20/17 mpg.
