WASHINGTON — The midsize luxury crossover market is crowded, and the Audi Q7 was getting a little dated in a cutthroat class. The sales were still solid for this big Audi, but the time was now to catch up and offer a more substantial overhaul of the nearly 10-year-old Q7.
To me, the first Audi Q7 didn’t look quite right. It looked like it had four grills, because the bumper was in the middle of the front end, breaking up the styling. For 2017, the second-generation Q7 cleans up the styling nicely. The car goes from a cobbled-together look to a more cohesive and handsome front end.
The grill is really big, but I like the look. It helps gives this nearly $69,000 Q7 the look of a luxury ride. The optional 20-inch wheels help make this larger crossover look smaller than it is. The flared wheel arches that remain from the first generation Q7 also break up the side of the car. The rear end styling isn’t the most exciting, but it’s clean, save for the extra reflector/light housing in the bumper.
Great attention is paid to the interior of this seven-seat, three-row crossover, even for a starting price around $55,000. It comes nicely equipped with leather and heated power front seats and great room for five adults. The third row is better left for children or smaller adults. Getting back in the third row is easier with a sliding and folding second row.
It’s best to fold the third row when it’s not in use to create more space. The first two rows have very good comfort and the materials are top-notch. While it may not be as exciting to look at as the new Volvo, it’s a very nice place to be for long periods of time.
Choose the premium plus, vision and driver assistance packages, which add $8,000 to the price but it will give you a Q7 that can nearly drive itself. Of course, it includes the usual adaptive cruise control that can now handle the gas and braking in traffic and not just on the highway. It will do the stop-and-go while you steer and it really works well. There is also lane assist and traffic sign recognition to let you know about the road speed on the dash.
Add in a slick top-view camera system, which makes parking in tighter spots easy and lets you better see what’s behind the vehicle when exiting that tricky parking spot. The updated MMI touch Navigation works well, and the touch controller is at the perfect spot to have your wrist on the shifter and use the system.
Thankfully you can now use regular USB cables in this Audi, so there’s no more buying special cables to use in the car. The virtual cockpit had really nice graphics, and I like that the map shows up in the gauge pod as well. There is a lot of tech, and it does take some time to learn it all.
Driving was a treat compared to the old Q7: It feels more like a car than a taller crossover, and it handles pretty well. The power from the 3.0T V6 is plenty, and it feels quick, with 333 hp and a quick shifting 8-speed automatic. Even with 20-inch wheels, the ride is much improved handling bumps while more firm in turns than some of the competition. It’s never harsh.
The vision out of the Q7 is good. There are some smaller blind spots toward the rear so the camera helps in backing up near other cars. The Q7 works during the commute and on trips. The gas mileage was around 21.7 mpg.
The new 2017 Audi Q7 is redone and better than before, both inside and out. From dated to nearly top-of-the-class with loads of technology in a pleasant to drive crossover, the new Q7 is worth a visit to the dealer. Don’t look for them to be sitting around long.
Editor’s Note: Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The vehicles are provided by STI, FMI or Event Solutions for the purpose of this review.
