Inside the New Audi Q7 (40 Photos)
The redesigned Audi Q7 has changed quite a bit, shrinking in its overall exterior dimensions — it’s 1.5 inches shorter and more than a half-inch narrower, but still about the same height — yet somehow stretching its interior space in terms of both headroom and legroom. It’s also shed a bunch of weight — more than 700 pounds in the European-spec model — to improve fuel efficiency and help refine the ride quality, among other benefits.
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Climbing into the Q7, the second row slides back and forth by 4.3 inches to allow for more legroom in either the second or third rows. The third row feels quite tight and is probably best suited for kids. The big news is the second row is wide enough to allow for three separate Latch system sets; now whether your child-safety seats are narrow enough to actually squeeze in shoulder to shoulder, that’s another story. If you’re tasked with a full gaggle of kids in car seats, the Q7 has five sets of lower Latch and tether anchors. Taking a trip with friends to the zoo? You’ll be on tap to ferry all the excited toddlers.
The tailgate opens and closes with a foot swipe under the rear bumper, which is similar to the system Ford uses on the Escape. The seven-seat Q7 transforms into a five-seater with its power-folding third row (power buttons are located in both the cargo area as well as near the second-row seats).
An optional manual sunshade on the cargo window and second-row side windows will help keep the sun out of children’s eyes, while the panoramic sunroof gives the interior an open feeling — even for third-row passengers.
The Q7’s “infinite hold” doorjamb is something I’d like to see universally adopted. This allows the door to hold itself open at any angle, as opposed to defaulting to one of three preset openings. You know, it’s really not your kids’ fault that they smashed the car door into that Tesla parked next to you in the lot.
While the Q7 has some promising features that should appeal to families, I have to admit to some slight disappointment that the Q7 isn’t as “wagon-y” as rumor had it. I’m even more bummed that it won’t be available in a six-seat option with second-row captain chairs. However, Anthony Foulk, the Q7’s product manager, reminded me, “It’s not a minivan.”
Cars.com photos by Evan Sears
