The Audi Q7, based in Germany and built in Bratislava, Slovakia, is perhaps the finest midsize luxury SUV crossover sold in the U.S. Stiffest challenge to that honor comes also from Germany – the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5.
My drives in the autumn of 2024 were aboard a samurai gray 2025 Q7 55 TFSI quattro, sporting redesigned headlights and new grille up front. It is barely a half-inch short of 200 inches in overall length; that is noticeably longer than its BMW and Mercedes competitors.
Parking and other low-speed maneuvering tasks are assisted very ably by the Audi’s all-wheel steering, in which the back wheels turn up to 5 degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels. The $1,350 optional cost is a worthy one.
An earlier Q7 caught my attention seven years ago with its leading technology in lane guidance; this new one is far beyond that today with advances in adaptive cruise, pre-sense forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and rear cross-traffic warning.
The Audi Q7 55 trim level gets excellent, smooth performance from combining turbocharging and direct fuel injection in its 335-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission with quattro all-wheel drive and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It is particularly more quickly controlled when sport mode has firmed up the air suspension for improved handling. A downside to this setup is the EPA fuel rating of 18/23 miles per gallon. I averaged 21.4 during my week with the Q7.
A Q7 lower trim level uses a 261-hp, 4-cylinder, but it lacks the guts to adequately move the big, seven-passenger SUV, which weighs just a few pounds under 5,000. Audi’s permanent AWD system delivers between 40 and 60 percent of available torque to the front or rear axle.
The new Q7 offers a quiet ride in a nice, elaborate interior, with Bang & Olufsen premium sound, heated/ventilated/massage front seats and heated steering wheel. Space is tight in the third row, which is most suitable for kids.
Loaded with options, the sticker price for the Q7 reached $83,890, about $15,000 higher than the model I drove seven years ago.
The Audi’s dimensions are 117.9-inch wheelbase, 199.6 overall length, 77.5 width, 68.4 height.