2027 Audi Q7 First Drive Review: Better Inside and Out — and Nicer to Drive Too

• What's new: The 2027 Audi Q7 isn't bigger, but it's better in meaningful ways. A larger Q9 SUV will soon slot above it in Audi's lineup.
• Why it matters: A larger Q9 will better serve larger families, allowing the Q7 to more adequately compete with the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE with an estimated $65,000-ish price point.
• Edmunds says: Boosted performance makes the Audi even better to drive than before, and the interior is acceptable — but bigger changes are on the way.

The new Q7 is roughly the same size as before

While the three-row Q7’s length is basically unchanged, a side-by-side comparison emphasizes the measurements that have been tweaked. Put simply, the new model is boxier and slightly more practical. At 79.2 inches wide, it’s a touch girthier than the old Q7. It’s also 3 inches taller, and the more wagon-like roofline helps outright cargo space grow by about 10%, to 78.1 cubic feet with both rear rows folded away.

Interestingly, while the future Q9 will become Audi's go-to SUV for buyers who need maximum interior and cargo room, the Q7 can still be optioned with a third row of seats, with seriously plush captain's chairs coming to the second row. A seven-seat layout with a second-row bench is likely to remain standard on base trims.

A new engine offers a lot more power

Under the hood, the current Q7's four-cylinder engine is dead. The base powertrain is now the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 — the one from the outgoing RS 4 — which makes 429 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. This is a responsive, great-sounding engine and allows for a 7,700-pound max towing capacity.

Lighting is always a major focus for Audi, and the brand's Digital Matrix headlights will now be optionally available in the U.S. for the first time, with 25,600 micro-LEDs casting an incredible glow at night. Plus, the honeycomb-style grille of the S Line trims is now backlit, the taillights sport the brand's latest-gen OLED tech with customizable signatures and four-corner projectors cast indicator arrows onto the ground to assist distracted pedestrians.

Laying on the luxury

What isn't easily conveyed by photos of the new Q7 is how much attention Audi has given to upgrading the quality of the interior. Audi can't change the basic layout of its new interiors (yet — more on that in a moment), but nearly all the surfaces inside the new Q7 have been treated to a major upgrade in fit and finish.

The new seats are comfortable and supportive, trimmed in butter-soft quilted leather with heating, ventilation and massage functionality built in. The eye then picks up the stitched leather that has made a return to lots of secondary areas, including the steering wheel airbag cover and dash/door-top lining. Plus, in a major change, Audi's overuse of piano black trim has been substantially wound back with pleasant open-pore wood instead covering the redesigned center console that can now accommodate an all-important Stanley cup.

All six (or seven) of the Q7's seats are at least partially power-adjustable, with various interior configurations silently gliding into place at the touch of a button. All four doors and the hatch can now open and close electrically. It's a nice gimmick to be able to shut the driver's door simply by putting your foot on the brake pedal.

Many tweaks add up to a better drive

While the old Q7 tried to have a hint of sportiness to its on-road presence, the new SUV is more focused on comfort. A fixed suspension will be standard on U.S. models, but my time in Austria is spent behind the wheel of a Q7 equipped with air springs. The base air suspension is paired with 22-inch wheels; a sportier tune will be available with larger 23-inch wheels.

Impressively, both versions of the air suspension can quietly and deftly iron out potholes and road imperfections on Alpine roads. The combination of the "comfort" suspension and 22-inch wheels delivers superior refinement and cabin isolation — bumps are simply smothered — while the sport tune and 23-inch wheels add noticeable bite and zeal for buyers. I suspect the latter setup will suit buyers who prefer the old Q7's firmer edge. 

Overall, the Q7 still stands up to sportier driving, with good grip levels and steering that's easy to gel with. When driving sensibly, the Q7 feels a size smaller than it has in the past, which is achieved, in part, thanks to a slicker four-wheel steering system that reduces steering effort while cornering.

I'll reserve judgment about the V6 engine until I'm able to sample one; I could only dive a European-spec diesel model in Austria. Ditto the upcoming SQ7, which has a 4.0-liter V8 engine with 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Based on the nice improvements to the standard Q7's ride and handling, I think the faster and more focused SQ7 could be something special.

And now, the catch

The driving experience of the Q7 is very Audi — and I mean that as a compliment. But while I'm impressed by Audi's stop-gap efforts to boost interior quality by lavishing the cabin with nicer materials, the basic screen-heavy design is rather un-Audi, and the brand knows it. Even though Audi's latest cabin layout only debuted in late 2023, incoming chief technical officer Rouven Mohr told me that the brand will completely change its interiors starting with models arriving in 2028 with a return to more subtle screen integration and notably higher perceived quality — including with clickier buttons and knobs. The upcoming Q7 E-tron electric SUV will likely get these changes first; Mohr told me that the EV version will nab the Bauhaus-inspired exterior and interior design language that Audi debuted on its recent Concept C and Nuvolari two-door models.

I imagine this more comprehensive interior change will be worth waiting for. But if upgrading your family SUV is a sooner-rather-than-later need, it's no deal-breaker. The updated Q7 is indeed better in all the right ways.