Photo: Audi
Despite what the critics say, owning the Audi Q7 is a great idea, which is probably why this second generation is such a great sales performer. But Audi had a lot of figuring out to do for the 2020 Q7 facelift to make it better within the confines of the platform.
We could go over every little detail, but it's better just to look at the big picture here. The overall facelift design isn't awesome, but it does fix some of the problems while connecting the Q7 to other Audi models.
The 7-seat SUV now sports a new grille and headlights, which don't quite match the sportiness of the Q8. In fact, with all the shiny grey plastic, it feels like a bigger version of the A6 allroad quattro more than anything else. The blue in the headlights, as well as those little LED groves, instantly signal "this costs more money."
While the exterior is evolutionary, the interior is revolutionary. Instead of the infotainment popping out from the top of the dash every time you start, the Q8 now has double high-res screens and a mass of piano black trim. This means that you'll also have to use a touchscreen to heat your seats or adjust the AC. As expected, the Q7 refresh brings out Car-to-X communication, Amazon Alexa and a bunch of added safety functions.
There are no surprises in the powertrain department, at least not right now. Europeans get access to 231 HP and 286 HP versions of the 3.0 TDI engine, called 45 and 50 TDI. Not only are they available on other models, but you could find them on the 2018 model year Audi Q7, complete with the 48-volt mild-hybrid configuration. This allows the SUV to coast with the engine off to high speeds and captures some energy from the brakes in a lithium-ion battery.
Perhaps more important is the fact that you can have the active roll bars from the SQ7 on the normal Q7. Also, a plug-in hybrid system will be available later this year. As for the Americans, the 335-horsepower 3-liter TFSI soldiers on.
The 7-seat SUV now sports a new grille and headlights, which don't quite match the sportiness of the Q8. In fact, with all the shiny grey plastic, it feels like a bigger version of the A6 allroad quattro more than anything else. The blue in the headlights, as well as those little LED groves, instantly signal "this costs more money."
While the exterior is evolutionary, the interior is revolutionary. Instead of the infotainment popping out from the top of the dash every time you start, the Q8 now has double high-res screens and a mass of piano black trim. This means that you'll also have to use a touchscreen to heat your seats or adjust the AC. As expected, the Q7 refresh brings out Car-to-X communication, Amazon Alexa and a bunch of added safety functions.
There are no surprises in the powertrain department, at least not right now. Europeans get access to 231 HP and 286 HP versions of the 3.0 TDI engine, called 45 and 50 TDI. Not only are they available on other models, but you could find them on the 2018 model year Audi Q7, complete with the 48-volt mild-hybrid configuration. This allows the SUV to coast with the engine off to high speeds and captures some energy from the brakes in a lithium-ion battery.
Perhaps more important is the fact that you can have the active roll bars from the SQ7 on the normal Q7. Also, a plug-in hybrid system will be available later this year. As for the Americans, the 335-horsepower 3-liter TFSI soldiers on.
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