Audi Q7 Review (2015-present)

What is the Make Model?

The second generation of Audi’s big, seven-seat SUV, the Q7, arrived in 2015. It improved upon the first car to wear the Q7 badge in just about every way, with the arguable exception of the new car's slightly awkward styling.

One of the key areas Audi worked on with the second Q7 was saving weight, lopping around 240kg from the car. That's the equivalent of taking out three burly adult passengers. This really helped Audi to improve the car's ride and handling, and coax surprisingly economy from this big 4x4.

How practical is it?

Inside, the Q7 is superbly made. It feels really luxurious, with a standard of finish that embarrasses the Land Rover Discovery 4 and can easily stand comparison with the Volvo XC90. There's lots of space in the first two rows of seats, so even tall adults can stretch out. Seats six and seven don't offer as much head and legroom as those in a Land Rover Discovery, but grown-ups will be happy enough on short trips.

Even when the rearmost seats are up, you still get a large 780-litre boot and, when they're folded down into the floor, that extends to a cavernous 1,908 litres. What’s more, all three of the middle-row seats slide backwards and forwards individually, and their back rests can be reclined for comfort, or set further upright to maximise the boot’s carrying capacity.

What's it like to drive?

From launch, the mainstay of the engine line-up was a 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel. Initially this engine produced 272hp, and it was joined by a 218hp version soon after. The lower-powered version is swift, but the beefier diesel is noticeably punchier. It accelerates with the vigour of a hot hatch, despite weighing in at over two tonnes.

Both diesels, like all Audi Q7 models, come with quattro four-wheel drive, and both have plenty of pulling power for towing a caravan or trailer.

Buyers had the choice of steel springs or adaptive air suspension. It was a pricey option, but air-suspended cars have a much more serene low-speed ride than cars with the standard set-up.

Either way, the Q7 has the Audi Drive Select system. This allows drivers to choose between 'efficiency', 'dynamic', 'comfort' and 'individual' modes. These alter the steering weight, throttle response and gearbox settings. In air sprung cars, Drive Select also changes the suspension to make the car more supple over bumps or more taut and responsive. In 'dynamic' mode the Q7 has excellent body control, although it doesn't match a Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport for driver appeal.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

The Q7 now has a fully digital cockpit, with no conventional dials or gauges. There are two large infotainment system touchscreens, stacked one above the other. Both make an audible click when pressed, to mimic the sound of operating a physical switch.

Directly in front of the driver is the 'Virtual Cockpit', a configurable display which shows the car's speed and a host of other info, from satnav directions to engine revs and a whole lot more. These digital screens give the interior of a new Audi Q7 a hi-tech feel.

Audi Q7 running costs

For such a big, heavy and luxurious car, the Audi Q7 has relatively affordable running costs.

So long as you avoid the high-performance SQ7, the big Audi is quite fuel efficient. The 215bhp version of the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI achieves 52.3mpg on the combined cycle, while the 268bhp 3.0 TDI returns 47.9mpg. Mid 30s mpg is a more realistic expectation, possibly less if you use all the available performance.

The latest mild hybrid diesels, introduced as part of the facelift in 2019, should deliver better economy. It's unlikely to be a night and day difference, but the 48-volt system promises a real-world benefit.

The Q7 e-tron real-world fuel economy is harder to estimate, as it will depend so much on how often it is recharged. Owners with a short commute and a home charger could conceivably go weeks without using any fuel, but on a long journey expect economy to fall short of the numbers returned by the conventional diesels.

It's no surprise that the SQ7 is a lot more expensive to run than the rest of the range. An official combined figure of 39.2mpg will only be matched with great restraint. Expect high 20s mpg to be more likely. The new petrol-powered SQ7 is also likely to have a prodigious thirst, although that will be offset slightly by cylinder on demand technology which shuts down part of the engine if the car is driven gently.

Insurance premiums will reflect the big Audi's value and performance. The 218bhp diesel in entry-level SE trim sits in group 35 of 50. That compares well with a minimum group 37 rating for the third-generation BMW X5. More expensive trim levels can cost a little more to insure

Choose the 268bhp 3.0-litre diesel in SE spec and the insurance group jumps to group 40. The e-tron will be pricier to cover, sitting in group 44, whereas the SQ7 sits in group 49 or 50 depending on the exact specification.

Audi offers fixed-price servicing for cars over three years old, but independent garages are still likely to undercut franchised dealers.

Tyres are pricey to replace, especially if you choose an example with 21- or 22-inch alloy wheels like the Black Edition or Vorsprung.

Resale values are strong. That means a used Audi Q7 is expensive to buy, but should continue to hold its value well for years to come.

Audi Q7 reliability

If you are buying a new Audi Q7, the car will come with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.That compares with three years' cover and unlimited mileage for a BMW X5, a length of cover that also applies to Mercedes GLE owners.

Audi Q7 buyers can upgrade to four or five years of cover at extra cost.

If you are buying a used Audi Q7, it's fair to say the Audi doesn't perform as well in reliability surveys and owner satisfaction studies as a Lexus RX, for example. However, the Q7 is generally towards the middle rather than at the bottom of any league table.

If problems do occur, they are more likely to be with the electrics than a serious fault with a major mechanical component. Early versions of Audi's Virtual Cockpit could suffer from glitches, but the reliability of this feature has improved over time.

Parts won't be cheap if the Q7 does go wrong, although a quality independent Audi specialist will usually work out cheaper than having the work carried out by a franchised dealer.

The Q7 has been subject to a handful of recalls during its life. Once you have the registration number of any Q7 you are thinking of buying, it's a quick and easy job to look up the car on the recall checker section of the gov.uk website. That way you'll know if any recall work is outstanding.