2025 Audi Q7 & SQ7 First Look: Good, Better, Best?

• The Audi Q7 has been refreshed (again).
• It gets some new looks and a few new tech goodies, but that's it.
• They're already on their way to U.S. dealerships.

The typical life cycle of an SUV is about seven or eight years long, and a refresh comes right in the middle to keep things fresh and interesting. You'd expect a redesign about now, but instead Audi has given the Q7 yet another face-lift.

That means the bones are the same as they were in 2017 when this Q7 made its debut, but the looks and tech are getting a little makeover. The fresh face and reprofiled rear hatch area are the most obvious giveaways that this is neither a 2017 nor a 2020 Q7 after its first refresh. The optional OLED headlights sharpen the front and bring the Q7 right up to date with the rest of the Audi lineup. The rear looks to have taken a little inspiration from the smaller Q5 and can also be had as OLEDs. The Q7 has always been a relatively handsome car, and this face-lift is unlikely to prove as divisive as the one for the BMW X5, its closest rival. 

How new is it really?

Aside from the light Botox to the front end, the Q7 isn't really all that fresh. The interior design remains entirely unchanged. You still get the same three-screen layout — one for the instrument cluster, one for the main infotainment controls, and a third for the climate controls. 

The cabin gets done up in fresh upholstery and some new trim selections that complement the reworked exterior. Music fans will appreciate new app integrations for several music streaming services — Spotify and Amazon Music, for example — that are built right into the infotainment. 

As for the sporty SQ7, buyers will enjoy a new standard carbon twill matte decorative interior inlay on the dashboard and an optional Audi Sport Express Red interior package. The package includes red seat belts and stitching on the seats, center armrest, door armrest, and on the sides of the center console. It's an update, sure, but it isn't exactly going to change the Q7's game. 

The Q7 gets no extra poke for 2025 

Even though the looks are new, there's nothing fresh happening under the hood. We expected the powerplants to remain the same, however. It's expensive to recertify updated engines to fit with new emissions regulations when you add horsepower and torque, and we didn't exactly think the Q7 was lacking in this department anyway. 

The base powertrain is still a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 261 horsepower (the same as last year). This is the only engine that may struggle to motivate the Q7's heft — the last one we weighed came in at a hefty 5,078 pounds. The larger 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 makes the same 335 horsepower and is the one we'd recommend for most shoppers. 

The tippy-top of the lineup is the SQ7, which still features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes a thumpin' 500 ponies. In classic Audi fashion, all-wheel drive is standard across the range. SQ7 buyers will also likely want to spec the S Sport package. It adds an electronically controlled rear differential to help get the Q7 turned into a corner and maximize traction on the way out. The other half of that package is the active roll stabilization system, which keeps the ride comfortable when cruising on the highway and stiffens to keep body roll at a minimum during more "enthusiastic" driving. 

The 2025 Q7 and SQ7 are already on their way to U.S. dealerships. The base Audi Q7 45 — which denotes the smaller 2.0-liter engine — starts at $60,500 before destination. The Q7 55, which means you've opted for the V6, is priced from $65,800, and the V8-powered SQ7 will start at $90,800 before destination charges are applied. 

Edmunds says

The Audi Q7 looks a bit sharper, but we don't think the updates move the needle far enough in the right direction.