The New 429-Horsepower Audi Q7 Feels Like A Ray Of Hope

It’s hard to believe that the Audi Q7 has been around for 20 years and we’re just now seeing the third-generation model. Ten-year lifecycles are exceptionally rare these days, so if you’re designing something for the long-haul, it better be good. There’s reason to be trepidatious here, because Audi’s been in a bit of a rough patch. First-quarter sales in America were down 30 percent year-over-year, the general sales slide has been happening for years, and it’s relatively easy to see why.

After rebuilding from a late-’80s reputation hit, Audi became the go-to luxury brand not just for all-wheel-drive, but for well-assembled interiors made of lovely stuff. When the TT arrived, styling became another distinctive factor with a string of sleek, modern designs. Audi became seriously cool by the late 2000s, but in the past four years or so, appeal of the overall product line has taken a dip. The new Q5 feels like it’s made of cheaper stuff than the old one, minimization of physical controls across the board hasn’t been great, and the current phase of styling seems hit-or-miss.

On the new Q7 though, that styling is a hit. Ditching the astoundingly crisp character line down the side just works better when you have this much sheetmetal, and all the proportions of the elements just seem about right. Pinching the Hofmeister kink from BMW is a bit cheeky, but the lack of unpainted cladding is welcome and there’s an overall refinement to the SUV that looks reasonably expensive.

As this is an Audi, there’s some lighting news to go over. The new Q7 will be the marque’s first U.S.-spec model with proper matrix-style adaptive driving beams that can selectively dim the lights where oncoming cars are, and you get extra turn signals projected on the ground at night front and rear. These arrows are a fascinating concept, likely to pop a few eyes out in the wild.

While other recent Audis have been relying a bit too heavily on capacitive touch controls, the Q7 actually adds some physical knobs and buttons back in. There’s a real volume knob in the console, scroll wheels on the steering wheel for volume and such, and proper buttons for your memory seats. However, there are still some irritants of modernity at play here. The rest of the steering wheel controls do appear to be virtual, the air vents seem to be controlled through the touchscreen, that passenger screen with the chunky bezel is still of questionable utility, and the door handles are electronic. That last one’s because you can get automatic doors like on the BMW 7 Series, but still.

However, look beyond some of the more controversial technology and the cabin of the new Q7 is pure Audi. Real leathers, woods, and fabrics look expensive and clad all the right surfaces. The second-row seat features a clever 35:30:35 split for through-loading, helpful USB-C ports are dotted across all three rows of seats, and you can spec a 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The wireless smartphone chargers feature thoughtfully raised inductive elements to not interfere with your iPhone’s camera bump, an available built-in dashcam offers peace of mind, the moonroof can be optioned to dim at the touch of a button, and the second-row seats can tip forward for third row access without attempting to compress installed child seats. That’s all rather nice stuff, exactly what people buying a big Audi SUV are looking for.

Now let’s talk about power, because this is where things get really interesting. While other markets can get a diesel, American Mk3 Q7s get a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 similar to the one in the old RS5. This means you get 429 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft. of torque as standard in this family SUV, enabling a claimed zero-to-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds. Some of the credit for that goes to the eight-speed automatic and revised all-wheel-drive system with a preloaded limited-slip center differential, but it’s the output that really shines.

If that isn’t quick enough for you, Audi will offer an SQ7 with a four-liter twin-turbocharged V8. It gets a 22 lb.-ft. boost of torque over the old SQ7, but crucially, an extra 91 horsepower. That’s 591 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque in a fairly unassuming seven-seater, and a claimed zero-to-60 mph time of just 3.7 seconds. On paper, that’s quicker than the Porsche Cayenne S and about level with the BMW X5 M60i. The SQ7 also adds an electronically-controlled limited-slip rear differential and air suspension, as you’d expect when you step to a V8 in this segment. Regardless of which engine you choose, towing capacity stands at 7,700 pounds. Enough for a reasonably sized boat or a modest camper.

Between the power, the return of some physical controls, and the relatively tasteful adaptation of Audi’s current design ethos, the new Q7 feels like three rows of hope. Fifteen years ago, Audi was on top of the world. The R8, S5, and A7 were all properly desirable cars, a factor that’s waned from the lineup in recent years. This latest Q7—seemingly laser-targeted at the U.S. market—is actually tantalizing, and that sort of intrigue is exactly what Audi needs. If models like the incoming Q9 and the next A3 follow this path, the next few Audi models could be promising indeed.

Top graphic image: Audi