Preview: 2027 Audi Q7 Three-Row SUV Gets More Power and Cargo Room

With the imminent debut of the brand-new Q9, the Q7 (and SQ7) no longer has to compete with larger three-row SUVs like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, let alone full-sized models such as the Cadillac Escalade and Infiniti QX80. 

The six- or seven-passenger Q7 remains the family-friendly choice for luxury-minded buyers. Those who want a smaller, sleeker-looking version of the new Q7 will have to wait until the coupelike Q8 version gets a redesign, probably as a 2028 model. 

Audi says that “at launch,” the Q7 will come only with the V6. This could be seen as good news because it leaves open the possibility that the Q7 will get the same hybrid engine as the redesigned Volkswagen Atlas will at that SUV’s midcycle refresh. A hybrid powertrain would likely return better fuel economy than the four-cylinder base engine in the outgoing Q7, which is rated at 22 mpg combined by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Have you seen the 2026 Audi Q3? What about the Q5? Well, if you have, then you’ve seen a lot of the redesigned 2027 Q7. Audi’s recent blitz of product redesigns means that a vast majority of the lineup has design cohesion. 

The front grille has a similar honeycomb shape and style to those on the Q3 and Q5. Like those models, the Q7 has slim digital daytime running lights, but it also features larger pods for the adaptive driving beam headlights. Large air intakes are located behind and below the single-frame grille. 

In profile, the Q7’s windowline is nearly identical to that of the other SUVs, just longer and taller. Large fender flares, sculpted sheetmetal on the doors and lower trim, and defined wheel arches also stand out. 

The biggest difference comes at the back of the SUV. While the Q3 and Q5 have a sharply angled rear roof pillar and backlight, the Q7’s are more upright to accommodate third-row passengers and result in a flatter roofline.

Standard equipment includes aluminum roof rails and window surrounds; a roof spoiler, exterior mirror housings, and bumpers in body color; a standard panoramic sunroof; and 20-inch wheels with standard all-season run-flat tires. There are available packages and a “launch edition” that feature blacked-out trim, larger 22-inch wheels, an illuminated front grille, and red brake calipers. 

The SQ7 is differentiated by front and rear bumpers, a unique grille, and aluminum-look window surrounds and mirror housings. It comes standard with 22-inch wheels, all-season tires, and an adaptive air suspension system. The S sport package lowers the ride height by 30 mm and adds red brake calipers, while another package adds 23-inch wheels with summer performance tires.

The Q7 will offer automatic doors that can be opened and closed from multiple control points inside the SUV and via Audi’s app.

Even with a thoroughly redesigned interior, the 2027 Audi Q7 still has a few older controls and features, which is totally acceptable. 

Audi seems to have either gotten the message that piano-black plastic trim is ugly and prone to scratches and fingerprints or has just run out of it. Whatever the reason, there’s far less of it in the Q7 than in its other recently redesigned vehicles. In particular, Audi isn’t using the same integrated window/mirror/light control pod on the driver’s door panel that’s found on recent Audis such as the A6 and Q6 E-Trons, the A6 sedan, and the Q5. Instead, there are traditional window and mirror controls, and the lights are operated via buttons on the lower left side of the dashboard, just like in past models. The doors are now operated by touch-sensitive buttons on the armrest, similar to what Jeep uses in the Wagoneer S and Cherokee SUVs.

But there are greater details to focus on. Like the other new and redesigned Audis, the interior is dominated by the large curved screen that encompasses the driver’s gauges and the center infotainment system. The operating system is similar to that in the Q3, with larger, defined icons and better contrast between the background and text colors. The front-seat passenger gets a standard screen of their own, allowing them to watch movies or play games. The dynamic privacy mode prevents the driver from seeing this screen while the Q7 is driving.

But Audi has joined the trend of putting airflow control on the center screen. Our testers have found that adjusting the airflow via the screen can range from mostly annoying to outright distracting.

The steering wheel uses pads on either side of the horn/airbag cover for some controls. The controls at each corner of the pads are part of the same pad and must be pressed to engage. The only separation between the “buttons” is small raised lines. And because the controls are on a single plane, they can’t easily be operated by feel. But the Q7 is one of the first new or redesigned Audis to use physical scroll wheels for volume and feature selection rather than touch-sensitive sliders. 

Following the Q3, the Q7 features Audi’s new control pod that sits behind the steering wheel. It incorporates the turn signals, front and rear wipers, high-beam light controls, and gear selector into a single unit. Some elements move up and down, some move forward and backward, and one incorporates a knurled dial.

The center console includes two magnetic wireless phone charging pads under the infotainment screen with targeted airflow for cooling, along with two USB-C ports above. These MagSafe chargers work with newer iPhones that have MagSafe built in, as well as Android phones and older iPhones in MagSafe-compatible cases. With the removal of the gear selector, the center console has fewer controls, and two large cup holders sit under a cover that rotates out of the way.

Seven-passenger models come with a three-person second-row bench seat, while six-passenger models feature two captain’s chairs in place of the bench. Three child car seats can be installed side-by-side in the seven-passenger version.

The second row has power operation for sliding fore and aft, and the backrest can power-fold in a 65/35 split. Manually lowering the center position allows the backrest to fold in a 35/30/35 split, and buttons on the C-pillar or inside the cargo area slide the seats, making it easier for third-row passengers to get into or out of the seat. 

The panoramic sunroof has switchable transparency and can be opened or closed. It doesn’t feature a sliding blind because the glass automatically turns opaque when the Q7 is parked.

Two engines will be available when the 2027 Audi Q7 and SQ7 go on sale. The Q7 is powered by a 429-hp, 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6, which is a 94-hp increase over the outgoing Q7’s turbo V6 and a whopping 168 hp more than the base turbo four-cylinder engine. According to Audi, the new Q7 will take just 4.8 seconds to accelerate from 0-to-60 mph.

The redesigned SQ7 features a 4.0-liter, 591-hp twin-turbo V8 engine, which makes 91 hp more compared with the outgoing SQ7’s twin-turbo V8. The new engine has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration time of 3.7 seconds, according to Audi.

Both of the redesigned SUVs use an 8-speed automatic transmission and have standard all-wheel drive. Each is also capable of towing up to 7,700 pounds when properly equipped.

Both the Q7 and SQ7 will come standard with a full suite of ADAS features, including automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, AEB that works at highway speed, rear AEB, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning (LDW), and lane keeping assistance (LKA)

The LDW system will feature two modes: reduced and normal. Audi says that the reduced mode will alert the driver that they have deviated from the lane with a steering wheel vibration and a visual alert on the driver’s gauge screen. The system will determine whether corrective steering (LKA) is needed depending on the traffic conditions it detects. In normal mode, the system will activate LKA and provide steering corrections, visual warnings, and steering wheel vibrations upon leaving the lane.

Another standard feature is called exit warning. When the SUV is parked, the system uses sensors in the bumpers to detect approaching vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. If it determines a collision will occur if a door is opened, the system will prevent the door from opening or stop a door that’s already opening. In addition, warnings are displayed on the inside of the door.