Article Summary
- The European version is limited to a single engine at launch: a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6.
- America skips the diesel in favor of V6 and V8 gasoline engines.
- All versions of the 2027 Audi Q7 come standard with Quattro all-wheel drive.
- The new Audi Q7 keeps three-row seating and adds optional automatic doors.
While we’re counting down the days until BMW rolls out the new X5, the competition isn’t standing still. Audi has already given us a first taste of the X7-rivaling Q9 by revealing its interior. However, a different luxury SUV is breaking cover today. Meet the new Q7, a long-overdue third generation that replaces a model launched back in 2015.
Even with two facelifts under its belt, the previous-generation Q7 was showing its age by 2026. Its successor is all-new inside and out, as well as underneath, thanks to the switch to the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture. Although the Nuvolari supercar is Audi’s first production model to adopt the brand’s fresh design language, the 2027 Q7 remains a holdover from the previous styling approach.
Although the design is instantly familiar, Audi has worked to further differentiate the new Q7 from the smaller Q5. It does so with split headlights featuring slim daytime running lights, while the main lamps are stacked vertically and concealed behind a tinted panel, à la the facelifted 7 Series. The dual-layer headlights flank a large honeycomb grille that can be optionally illuminated for greater visual impact.
Audi Has Fully Redesigned The Q7
Moving to the side, Audi refreshingly keeps things simple by retaining traditional door handles instead of chasing every last aerodynamic gain. Customers can fill the wheel arches with optional 23-inch alloys, while even the base Q7 rides on standard 20-inch wheels. Much like the first-ever Q9 we mentioned earlier, its smaller sibling will be available with automatic doors. As a side note, BMW is also said to offer this feature on next year’s X7, joining the 7 Series.
At the rear, the split taillights with a wide bar bear a striking resemblance to those of the latest A6. Audi also illuminates the Four Rings and reinstates real exhaust tips after pledging to move away from the highly controversial fake setup used on some previous-generation models. The rear wiper remains in the conventional location rather than being tucked beneath the roof spoiler, as seen on some SUVs from both mainstream and luxury brands.
The Audi Q7 Interior Embraces Screens
Step inside and you’re in for a genuine revolution. Although Audi’s new design language, previewed by the Nuvolari and Concept C, calls for minimalism and fewer screens, the Q7’s development was finalized years ago. As a result, the dashboard features the familiar triple-screen layout, which can be complemented by an optional head-up display.
Audi intends to offer the new Q7 with five, six, or seven seats. Yes, the three-row configuration will continue despite the Q9’s impending arrival. We also can’t help but notice a reduction in piano-black surfaces in favor of an old favorite: wood trim. However, the fingerprint-prone finish remains on the steering wheel, where the touch-sensitive controls are unlikely to appeal to everyone.
Europe Gets A V6 Diesel, America Has V6 And V8 Gas Engines
The engine lineup is disappointingly limited in Europe. At launch, Audi will sell the Q7 exclusively with a turbodiesel 3.0-liter V6. The mild-hybrid powertrain will be offered in two states of tune: 295 hp and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft), or 241 hp and 630 Nm (465 lb-ft). Both come with Quattro, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a limited-slip center differential.
In the United States, where emissions regulations are far less restrictive, Audi plans to offer the new Q7 with V6 and V8 engines. The former is a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter unit producing 429 hp and 442 lb-ft. The latter is a twin-turbo 4.0-liter unit delivering 591 hp and 590 lb-ft in the hotter SQ7. As in Europe, the U.S.-spec model also features an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. However, the SQ7 gets standard air suspension. As expected, the diesel won’t make its way to North America, where the VW Group abandoned oil-burning passenger vehicles following the Dieselgate scandal.
Built in Bratislava, the 2027 Audi Q7 goes on sale this month in Germany, where prices start at €87,900. Customer deliveries begin in September. Meanwhile, BMW is expected to unveil the fifth-generation X5 later this summer before introducing the Q9-fighting X7 sometime next year.
