2026 Audi Q7 45 TFSI quattro review

Pricing and the Lineup

The 2026 Audi Q7 range in Australia runs to seven variants spread across four powertrains. Prices below are the recommended list price (RRP, before on-road costs) plus the configurator-calculated drive-away price for Victoria. Other states will land within a few thousand dollars depending on stamp duty and registration.

A few things stand out. First, the 50 TDI S line and the 55 TFSI S line are priced identically at $136,815 RRP. Choose your fuel preference rather than your wallet at that price point. Second, the SQ7 commands a $30,000 premium over the next-most-expensive Q7 for the V8 and the chassis upgrades, which is steep but actually decent value when you remember that the only other naturally seven-seat V8 SUV at this price is the Lexus LX. Third, the dealer delivery fee for the Q7 family is $4,500, slightly higher than the $4,000 most other Audi SUVs charge.

Audi Australia included a 5-year unlimited-kilometre warranty as standard, alongside a 5-year roadside assist and a 5-year/75,000km capped-price service plan with 12-month/15,000km service intervals. That puts the Q7 on level pegging with most of the segment for ownership terms.

The Trim Ladder: Base, S line, S line edition, SQ7

Audi runs four distinct trims across the Q7 family in Australia. Knowing what comes standard on each is the difference between paying for options you do not need and missing kit you would have wanted.

Base (45 TFSI, 45 TDI)

The no-frills entry trims pair the 185kW petrol or 170kW diesel with 20-inch alloy wheels in a five-twin-spoke graphite grey design, body-coloured exterior mirrors, the standard Audi sound system (eight speakers, no B&O), three-zone climate control, Matrix LED headlights with dynamic indicators, panoramic sunroof, leather appointed upholstery, electric front seats with memory for the driver, four-way lumbar adjustment, heated front seats, 360-degree cameras, Audi pre sense rear, and adaptive air suspension. It is far from base in absolute terms, but compared to the S line trims it skips B&O audio, the panoramic sunroof, sport seats, four-zone climate, and the 21-inch wheels.

S line (50 TDI S line, 55 TFSI S line)

S line jumps to the V6 engines and brings the visual upgrades you expect. 21-inch Audi Sport wheels in a five-twin-spoke module design with satin grey and black inserts, S line bumpers in full body colour, a panoramic glass sunroof, privacy glass, four-zone climate control, Bang and Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System, Valcona leather with embossed S logo, sport front seats, headlining in black cloth, brushed aluminium inlays, illuminated S door sills, sport leather steering wheel with shift paddles and the heating function, and an electrically adjustable steering column with memory.

S line edition (TFSI 185kW S line edition, TDI 170kW S line edition)

The newest additions to the lineup, launched in November 2025. The S line edition takes the S line cosmetic package and bolts it onto the entry petrol and diesel engines for a $3,600 RRP uplift over the regular base trim. You keep the 185kW four-cylinder petrol or the 170kW V6 diesel underneath, and you gain the 21-inch Sport wheels, panoramic sunroof, B&O audio, Valcona leather, sport seats, and S line bumpers from the bigger-engined S line variants. Audi quotes "over $9,000 of customer value for $3,600", and the maths is hard to argue with if you wanted the S line look without paying for the V6.

SQ7

The full-fat SQ7 wears 22-inch Audi Sport multi-spoke wheels with high-sheen black metallic detailing on 285/35 R22 tyres, sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, all-wheel steering, the same B&O 3D Premium Sound System, four-zone climate, panoramic sunroof, exterior mirror housings in aluminium look, S sport front seats with seat ventilation and four-way electric lumbar, Valcona leather with rhombus pattern and S embossing, sport leather steering wheel with S badging in perforated leather and the heating function, electrically adjustable steering column, anti-theft alarm, and red brake calipers visible behind the wheels. There is no S line edition equivalent, no entry SQ7. One trim, one engine, one configuration.

Rivals: BMW X5, Mercedes GLE, Lexus LX

BMW X5 (from $128,900)

The X5 is the natural cross-shop. Both are five-star ANCAP, similar money for similar engines, and similar luxury content. The X5 fights back with a plug-in hybrid xDrive50e variant that the Q7 cannot match locally. The Q7 wins on third-row seating (standard versus optional on X5), engine variety, and outright value at the entry petrol price point. If you want a PHEV, X5. If you want flexibility and seven seats standard, Q7.

Mercedes-Benz GLE (from $137,900)

The GLE is the opulent pick of the segment on higher trims, and the GLE 53 AMG goes after the SQ7 directly. The GLE only seats five as standard (the third row is a $4,500 option), the entry GLE is more expensive than the entry Q7, and it runs Mercedes' MBUX infotainment rather than Audi's MMI. For three-pointed-star badge prestige, GLE. For everyday family flexibility and lower entry pricing, Q7.

Lexus LX (from $158,500)

The LX is a different animal. Body-on-frame, proper off-road capability, twin-turbo V6 or V8 engines, and a level of long-term reliability that the European luxury SUVs cannot match. The LX is more expensive and less efficient, but if you actually want to take the family bush touring and you have $200k to spend, the LX makes a case the Q7 cannot. For most luxury SUV buyers who stay on sealed roads, the Q7 is the better fit. For buyers who genuinely tow heavy loads off-road, the LX is the better tool.

Inside the Q7

SQ7 interior shown. Image credit: Audi Australia

The dashboard layout is clean, with a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch upper MMI touchscreen for navigation and infotainment, and an 8.6-inch lower screen for climate and vehicle settings. Both screens give haptic feedback when pressed, and physical buttons are kept to a minimum.

The base trims use leather appointed upholstery, which is the now-standard Audi mix of genuine and artificial leather. The S line and SQ7 trims jump to Valcona leather with embossing and contrast stitching. The plastics on the upper dash and door cards are soft-touch throughout, the brushed aluminium inlays on the S line look genuinely premium, and the gloss black trim around the gear selector is the kind that shows fingerprints.

Both rows two and three are usable. Row two has slide and recline adjustment for the bench, and the third row folds electrically into the boot floor when it is not needed. Like most third rows, it is best treated as short-trip seating, and the boot shrinks to 295 litres when it is up.

Practicality: 7 Seats, Boot Space, 3.5T Towing

Three rows are standard across every Q7. That is the headline practicality story. With all three rows in use, boot space drops to a small but usable 295 litres. Fold the third row flat and you get a generous 770 litres, which is more than the Toyota RAV4's 580 litres and roughly matches the Mazda CX-5 with rear seats folded. Drop both rear rows and the Q7 swallows up to 1,955 litres of cargo. It is genuinely a moving van when you need it to be.

The electric tailgate is standard with programmable opening height and gesture control, which is genuinely useful when your hands are full. The luggage compartment net and electric cargo blind are also standard. Loading height is reasonable for an SUV this size, and the adaptive air suspension, standard on every Q7, can lower the rear at the press of a button to make heavy cargo loading easier.

Towing capacity is where the Q7 starts to look like a serious tool. Every Q7 variant including the SQ7 will tow 3,500kg braked with the genuine Audi tow bar, with a 200kg tow ball download. That puts the Q7 in the same towing league as the LandCruiser 300, Patrol, and Lexus LX. The diesel V6 variants are the smarter pick if you tow regularly because of the 600Nm peak torque on the 50 TDI and the better fuel range, but even the entry 185kW petrol can tow the full 3,500kg if needed.

The Audi Q7 45 TFSI quattro has 370Nm of torque, a claimed 0-100km/h of 7.3s. It turns in 12.5m. These are the figures that shape how quickly a car gets moving and how easily it parks.

Engines: From 2.0 Petrol to 4.0 V8

SQ7 model shown. Image credit: Audi Australia

Audi offers four distinct powertrains across the Q7 lineup, and the differences matter more than the badging suggests. Here is the short version.

2.0L turbo petrol four-cylinder, 185kW (45 TFSI / TFSI 185kW S line edition)

The entry petrol uses a 1,984cc turbocharged four-cylinder making 185kW at 5,000rpm and 370Nm from 1,650 to 5,000rpm. It is the only Q7 variant that does not come with 48V mild hybrid technology. Audi has paired it with the eight-speed tiptronic torque converter automatic and full-time quattro all-wheel drive. 0-100km/h takes 7.3 seconds, which is fine for a 2,060kg three-row SUV.

It is the cheapest Q7 to buy and the cheapest to fill at petrol pumps, but the lack of MHEV means it will not be as efficient at low speeds as the diesel V6 with its regenerative braking. A turbo four hauling a 2,060kg three-row SUV is also the drivetrain most likely to drift well above its claimed figure in town, where the turbo is constantly working and there is nothing recovering energy under braking. For city-heavy commutes the diesel makes a better case.

3.0L turbo diesel V6, 170kW (45 TDI / TDI 170kW S line edition)

The entry diesel is the all-rounder pick. A 2,967cc turbocharged V6 diesel with 48V MHEV produces 170kW at 3,500rpm and a meaty 500Nm from 1,500 to 3,000rpm. 0-100km/h takes 7.1 seconds, marginally faster than the petrol four despite weighing 265kg more at 2,325kg. That low-down torque makes a real difference when towing or moving seven up a hill.

Diesel suits the Q7 brief well. Long range from a tank, lower combined consumption, and the 48V mild hybrid system that helps off the line and during deceleration. AdBlue is required and topped up at service intervals.

3.0L V6 turbo diesel, 210kW (50 TDI quattro S line)

Same 2,967cc V6 diesel block as the 45 TDI but tuned to 210kW at 3,500rpm and 600Nm from 1,750 to 3,250rpm. 0-100 drops to 6.1 seconds and the kerb weight climbs slightly to 2,401kg with the bigger wheels and S line chassis kit.

3.0L V6 turbo petrol, 250kW (55 TFSI quattro S line)

A 2,995cc turbocharged petrol V6 with 48V MHEV producing 250kW at 5,200rpm and 500Nm from 1,370 to 4,500rpm. 0-100km/h takes 5.6 seconds and the kerb weight is 2,313kg. This is the petrol equivalent of the 50 TDI in price and trim, and the only meaningful difference between the two on paper is fuel choice and how the engines deliver their performance. The petrol makes its peak power at 5,200rpm; the 50 TDI makes its 600Nm from 1,750rpm, so the diesel does its work lower in the rev range.

4.0L twin-turbo V8 with CoD, 373kW (SQ7 TFSI quattro)

The headliner. A 3,996cc twin-turbocharged V8 with Cylinder on Demand making 373kW at 5,500rpm and 770Nm from 2,000 to 4,000rpm. Audi claims 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds for a 2,439kg seven-seat SUV. Cylinder on Demand shuts down four of the eight cylinders at light loads to save fuel, although the SQ7 is still a thirsty proposition by Q7 standards.

The SQ7 only comes one way, with the eight-speed tiptronic, sport-tuned air suspension, all-wheel steering, the Bang and Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System, four-zone climate control, and Valcona leather sport seats with embossed S logos. There is no cheaper SQ7. There is no faster Q7.

Driving: What the Specs Suggest

SQ7 model shown. Image credit: Audi Australia

Adaptive air suspension is standard on every Q7 from the base trims up. The SQ7 swaps the standard air suspension for a sport-tuned version and adds all-wheel steering, which turns the rear wheels against the fronts at low speed to shrink the turning circle, and with them at higher speed. On a 5,063mm-long SUV, the turning circle is the figure to compare.

The eight-speed tiptronic torque converter automatic is shared across the range. It is a torque converter, not the dual-clutch type used in some smaller Audis. Audi quattro all-wheel drive is standard on every variant. The Q7 is not a serious off-roader, but all-wheel drive sends power to all four tyres on gravel, snow and wet roads, which a rear-drive luxury SUV cannot.

On paper the V6 diesel suits highway and towing work best: its torque arrives from 1,500 to 1,750rpm depending on tune, it carries the lowest fuel claims in the range, and the 48V MHEV system assists stop-start running around town. The 55 TFSI petrol V6 makes 250kW and gets to 100km/h in a claimed 5.6 seconds. The SQ7 is in another category entirely: 373kW and 770Nm from 2,000rpm, for a claimed 4.1 seconds.

Should You Buy the Audi Q7?

Buy the entry 45 TFSI quattro 185kW if you want the cheapest way into a luxury seven-seater with a strong tow rating. At $108,815 RRP it undercuts the BMW X5 by more than $19,000, making it one of the more accessible entry points in the luxury seven-seat SUV segment and still gives you Matrix LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, three-zone climate, leather appointed upholstery, and adaptive air suspension. The 4-cylinder petrol is the smallest engine in the lineup and the only one without 48V MHEV, but it is the cheapest way into a Q7.

Buy the 45 TDI quattro 170kW if you tow regularly or do high-kilometre highway work. Its 500Nm arrives from 1,500rpm, which is what you want for towing, the 48V MHEV system shaves fuel use in city traffic, and the diesel range is huge. At $117,284 RRP, this is the practical sweet spot.

Buy a TFSI 185kW or TDI 170kW S line edition if you wanted the S line look but did not need the V6 engines. The $3,600 uplift gets you the panoramic roof, B&O audio, 21-inch Sport wheels, Valcona leather, sport seats, and S line bumpers. It is the value pick for buyers who care about kit more than power.

Buy the 50 TDI S line if you want the middle of the lineup. The 210kW V6 diesel with 600Nm of torque claims 6.1 seconds to 100km/h, the S line trim is properly luxurious, and at $136,815 it is right in the middle of the segment's pricing.

Buy the 55 TFSI S line if you prefer petrol over diesel. Same trim, same price, just a 250kW V6 petrol instead of the V6 diesel. Great if your driving is mostly weekend and not heavy-towing-focused.

Buy the SQ7 if you want a seven-seater with a claimed 4.1-second 0-100km/h and the only V8 in the Q7 range. It adds all-wheel steering, sport air suspension and 22-inch wheels. It is also the most expensive and the thirstiest Q7.

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