2020 Audi Q7 Review

As a midsize luxury SUV, the Audi Q7 goes up against some truly capable rivals like the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. However, the seven-seater crossover holds its own against these leading brands with an eminently capable and newly introduced turbocharged V6 engine developing 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, even more than in previous years, and a step up over the base 2.0-liter turbo.

The larger powertrain pairs up with excellent handling dynamics, a plush interior, and a velvety suspension to deliver a ride that few can hope to match. The new year sees a few extra features added to the already well-appointed Q7 to help it stay competitive in the luxury segment. The less impressive turbo four-cylinder engine returns in 2020, if only later in the production year, but it will most likely remain an unpopular choice.

2020 Audi Q7 Changes:

For the new year, the Q7 gets an extensive makeover, with some minor feature enhancements, too. It gets an all-new turbocharged V6 engine, increasing its power output by six horsepower and 44 lb-ft over previous years. The four-cylinder will carry over unchanged. Looks-wise, the crossover gets a revised grille with more aggressive LED headlights and taillights, a new front spoiler design, and new 19-inch wheels. Audi's virtual cockpit is now a standard feature across the range along with the dual-touchscreen interface that comes with the Q8, while an MMI touch response system replaces the traditional rotary dials. A wireless charger is available as part of the Audi phone box on upper trim levels.

Q7 Exterior:

A makeover has helped to make the relatively plain-looking Q7 stand out a bit more this year. While the grille maintains its trapezoidal shape, it has been redesigned with vertical veins instead of the traditional horizontal ones to offer a much more assertive, eye-catching look. The front bumper has been reshaped to accommodate the new, aggressively sharp headlight design. Similarly, the taillights have been restyled to match the new tailgate with its horizontal chrome strip. A panoramic sunroof comes equipped to every model and the lower trims come with 19-inch alloy wheels as standard, while the upper trims equipped with the V6 engine get the larger 20-inch alloys.

 

Dimensions

While some seven-seater crossovers manage to maintain modest proportions, the Q7 is not such a one. A 118-inch wheelbase is housed within a long body of 199.3 inches. And, while it may be great for fitting the kids, their friends, and their friends' dog, the SUV isn't that practical for a busy school parking lot at 77.6 inches wide, excluding the side mirrors. At 68.5 inches tall, the Audi offers great road visibility even for grandma. She might not feel overly confident behind the wheel of a car that weighs between 4,784 - 5,082 lbs, though. This is on par with similar luxury SUVs like the BMW X5 with a weight range of 4,758 - 5,260 lbs, while the Volvo XC90 is quite a bit lighter at 4,327 lbs.

Exterior Colors

Two paint colors come standard on the Audi Q7: Carrara White or Night Black. However, an extra eight colors can be unlocked by paying an additional $595. These hues comprise the metallic palette and include Barrel Brown, Florett Silver, Galaxy Blue, Glacier White, Navarra Blue, Orca Black, Samurai Gray, and Vicuna Beige. Every paint is available to each trim and is not limited by color combinations with the interior. We love the Galaxy Blue's look on the Q7, but all the available shades do the striking new grille justice.

1. Vicuna Beige Metallic
2. Florett Silver Metallic
3. Glacier White Metallic
4. Barrel Brown Metallic
5. Galaxy Blue Metallic
6. Navarra Blue Metallic
7.  Orca Black Metallic
8. Samurai Gray Metalli
9.  Carrara White
10. Night Black    

Q7 Performance:

The Audi Q7 has always been a great performer, but it's even more capable this year with its stronger turbocharged V6 engine. Sadly, the four-cylinder engine carries over unchanged, with the same lethargic 6.9-second 0-60 mph sprint time. It's not awful, but it's not exactly thrilling, either. The standard all-wheel-drive helps the SUV feel a bit more capable, but you're unlikely ever to be impressed with the four-cylinder powertrain, especially when the Q7 is fully-loaded.
With an extra six horsepower and 44 lb-ft of torque over the previous V6, the new turbocharged V6 engine makes the Q7 an even better performer than it has been in the past. It may be electronically limited to 130 mph, but the V6 is far quicker, making the 0-60 mph sprint in just 5.7 seconds. It's also a lot stronger, towing up to 7,700 lbs when properly equipped. This is 500 lbs more than the BMW X5 in its most capable guise.

Q7 Gas Mileage:

While the V6 engine has seen an upgrade for the new year, the turbocharged four-cylinder carries over. However, Audi has not given mileage estimates for the four-cylinder on the updated and heavier 2020 Q7 model, but we don't expect it to change much from last year's 19/25/21 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles. The turbocharged V6 used to share the same ratings, but its increase in power has led to a reduction in efficiency of 17/21/18 mpg. With a 22.5-gallon tank, the Q7 can cover up to 405 miles with its V6 engine.

Q7 Interior:

Pure gorgeous opulence is definitely the name of the game when you step inside the Q7. Genuine leather comes standard, with optional premium Valcona leather on the Prestige, while even the dash and door panels are covered with soft-touch surfaces. There is space for seven within the cabin, although the third row isn't suitable for anyone but smaller children, and it can't get heating functions like the first two rows. The front seats offer many levels of adjustability, with the driver positioned well to access the controls for the wide array of features that come standard in the luxury crossover. The dual-screen infotainment system comes with a host of functions, although they can be a little tricky to navigate until you get used to the interface.

Q7 Trunk and Cargo Space:

The Q7 is a large crossover with plenty of passenger capacity, but it certainly isn't lacking when it comes to cargo room, either. Behind the third-row seats, however, there is only 14.2 cubic feet of space available. This is enough for basic errands around town like some light shopping, but it certainly isn't enough space for seven people's luggage. But fold the rear seats down in a 50/50 split, and you can free up 26.1 cubic feet, more than enough space for some intensive shopping or luggage for five. The middle seats fold down in a 35/30/35 split to make space for around 70 cubic feet, which is enough room for larger items, but still much less than similar rivals like the XC90, which provides 85.7 cubic feet total.
Small-item storage is equally behind the competition, with the cupholders spread throughout the cabin being a bit smaller than the norm. The center console trays are pretty small, too, while the glovebox is only average-sized. The four door pockets are large enough for small water bottles but not much else.

Q7 Safety:

The NHTSA has not given the 2020 Q7 an overall safety rating yet, but it received five stars in every side crash test and four stars for roll-over crash safety.. This should carry over to the new model thanks to the enhanced safety features. For 2020, the IIHS has only tested the SUV for front crash prevention, for which it scored a rating of Good. The 2019, however, scored very well in testing by the IIHS.

Key Safety Features

Every Q7 comes with an extensive list of standard safety features, both mechanical and technological. In terms of the former, the SUV gets ABS, EBD, stability and traction control with off-road mode, and at least six airbags: dual front, front side, and side curtain, with the option to add rear side airbags. The standard advanced safety features comprise a rearview camera, forward collision avoidance, front and rear sonar, lane departure warning, high beam assist, and rain-sensing wipers. The upper trims get blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, vehicle exit warning, active lane assist, emergency assist, a surround-view camera, traffic jam assist, intersection assist, and traffic sign recognition.