Audi Q7 Mk1 Review (2005-2014)

What is the Audi Q7?

The luxury SUV market was booming in the early 2000, with offerings such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz M-Class vacuuming up customers left and right.

Audi, however, had no large, practical and luxurious SUV in its line-up. It also meant the brand was missing out on a big sales opportunity in the vital US market, where Lexus was making notable inroads with its upmarket RX. Even the Land Rover Discovery had been introduced into America in 1994, leaving Audi trailing the pack.

Finally, in 2005, Audi unveiled its first large luxury SUV – the Audi Q7. In a similar vein to the BMW X5, the new Q7 aimed to blend luxury saloon comfort and dynamics with off-road capability and improved practicality. It was equipped with quattro all-wheel drive as standard, offered seating for seven, had a vast load capacity and available with an array of engines and advanced technologies.

How practical is it?

While it isn’t as sharply styled as a Land Rover Discovery 3, or as good to drive as a BMW X5 of the same era, the high-quality Audi does offer luxury and comfort in a very spacious package – and a good used Q7 can deliver a very pleasant ownership experience. You get seven seats, and all of them are of a decent size, so even the rearmost row is usable, and there are lots of cubbies in the cockpit which allow you to store odds and ends with ease.

With all the seats up, the Audi offers 330 litres of boot space. With the rearmost row down, that figure rises to a spacious 775 litres. Drop both rear seat rows, however, and you’ll have access to a whopping 2,035 litres of storage space. The Q7 is also good at towing, bolstering its practicality further.

What's it like to drive?

Initially, when the Q7 went on sale in the UK in 2006, two engines were offered. Customers could pick from a petrol 4.2-litre FSI V8 or a more economical 3.0-litre V6 TDI, both of which were coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Audi Q7 range would quickly expand to include other V6 and V8 engines and, in 2008, a flagship V12 diesel model. A major update, which introduced new bodywork and technology, followed in 2009. Supercharged V6 TFSI petrol engines and a new eight-speed automatic transmission also arrived in 2010, ahead of another major facelift in late 2011.

It isn’t as agile or as much fun as a BMW X5, but regardless of which version you go for, its straight-line performance shouldn’t prove disappointing. Even the early 3.6-litre petrol V6, which weighed in at a light-for-the-Q7 2,310kg, can accelerate from 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds.

It’s the diesels that make the most sense, though, with their stout mid-range pull suiting the heavy Q7’s relaxed cruising nature; their reduced fuel consumption also helps soften the blow of running the big Audi.

Whatever model you choose, the Q7 is an extremely comfortable long distance cruiser that does a good job of shutting out wind and road noise.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

Standard equipment was comprehensive, with even the entry-level model including a vast array of kit; features included parking sensors, adaptive air suspension, Audi’s Multi Media Interface – MMI – system, climate control and cruise control.

By the 2011 facelift trim levels consisted of Standard, SE, S line and the range-toppping S line Plus – which included eye-catching features such as 21-inch wheels and Google Earth-powered navigation mapping.

The Audi Q7 was a thirsty SUV; regardless of which engine you go for don't expect great mpg. That, coupled with its high emissions and high Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) costs, meant any owner would immediately be facing substantial bills – especially those covering higher annual mileages.

Even later versions of the popular 3.0-litre diesel, which was claimed to average 39.2mpg, would struggle to better 30mpg in the real world. A CO2 output of 189g/km also meant it would cost over £300 a year to tax on the old Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) scheme.

Audi Q7 running costs

Petrol versions were predictably far worse, with models such as the 4.2-litre FSI V8 claimed to average just 22.2mpg – which you’d do well to average in the real world. The higher emissions of the petrol models also entailed higher VED costs, with a 2007 example of the 4.2-litre FSI V8-powered Q7 costing almost £600 to tax.

Going for one of the later diesels will definitely help reduce fuel and tax costs, but that must be balanced with the realities of running a used diesel. One major failure, such as a broken injector or two, could immediately obliterate any fuel-related savings you might have made compared to a petrol model. Audi Q7s are generally reliable cars, however, but there’s no guarantee when you’re looking at a used example.

Long-life servicing meant that a Q7 that didn’t have to work particularly hard could scrape by with a dealer visit every 19,000 miles or two years, which would help control costs for Q7 owners. On the fixed-inspection service schedule, an oil change would be required every 9,000 miles and one year, with an inspection every 19,000 miles and two years. For older cars, it’s probably best to stick to the shorter interval to help prevent excess wear and to help uncover issues early before they develop into major problems.

Audi Q7 reliability

The Q7 is a large premium all-wheel-drive SUV and, from its introduction, it came with advanced features such as electronically controlled air suspension with ride height control. Audi was also generally accepted as offering reliable and high-quality cars at the time, however, so there were few concerns about reliability at the time.

However, if you’re in the market today, many used Audi Q7s in the classifieds will be getting on a bit and could be prone to more significant, costly and hard-to-diagnose issues. Diesel variants, in particular, could easily throw up expensive bills for injector replacements, emissions control system faults, and turbocharger failures.

That doesn’t mean they should necessarily be steered clear of, that said. As is the case with all used cars, it’s important to buy on condition rather than purely age and mileage. Settle on an engine and specification that is most appropriate for your use, then set about finding the best possible example within your budget; at the very least, make sure the engine runs well, that there are no warning lights, that the gearbox works properly and that there are no fluid leaks. Check all of the electrical systems, too, such as the remote central locking and electric windows.

Bear in mind that buying a used example needing a little work could result in significant costs, to the point that simply buying a better used Q7 would have panned out cheaper. A set of new tyres, a balancing and tracking session and some wheel refurbishment could easily land you with a four-figure bill. Add to that some servicing, and a few minor repairs, and you could quickly sink some serious money into recommissioning a tired Audi Q7.