2020 Audi SQ7

The 2020 Audi SQ7 is available in two different trim levels. The base Premium Plus costs $84,400 and the top-of-the-line Prestige trim costs $90,400. The base trim itself is amply equipped. With Audi Virtual Cockpit, four-zone automatic climate control, and 21-inch dual-color alloy wheels, the Premium Plus trim proves to be a worthy buy. The costlier Prestige trim adds a few more features such as adaptive cruise control, head-up display, premium seats with heating and ventilation functions, Audi Active Lane Assist, Power soft-closing doors, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof etc.

Which trim should you buy?

We would recommend the top-of-the-line Prestige trim as it adds more premium creature comforts and advanced safety features for just $6000 extra. Moreover, you can further customize it from the wider choice for the optional features too. The car is also eligible for a lot of optional packages that make it all the more appealing.

The 2020 Audi SQ7 gets an athletic 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the hood, which is the same motor that powers the high-performance Audi RS Q8. The engine churns out 500 horsepower and 568 lb.-ft. of torque. The massive power is sent via the Quattro all-wheel drivetrain using 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine is very torquey and the power delivery is very consistent too.

Coming to the acceleration figures, the powerful V8 helps the massive 7-seater to sprint to 60 MPH from a perfect standstill within 4.3 seconds. The vehicle completes the quarter-mile race within 12.4 seconds, which is one of the most impressive figures in the entire segment. It can reach a top speed of 155 mph which is also quite excellent.

The 4.4L twin-turbo V8 of the BMW X5 churns out the maximum power, while the Audi SQ7 puts out the maximum torque. However, the 2.9 L turbocharged V6 under the hood of the Porsche Cayenne makes it the fastest vehicle in the segment. It hits 60 mph within 3.4 seconds and covers the quarter-mile within 11.9 seconds. The SQ7 and the GLE 580 complete the 60 MPH run in 4.3 seconds, while the SQ7 proves to be more consistent in acceleration with better quarter-mile figures. 

How well does the 2020 Audi SQ7 handle?

The 2020 Audi SQ7 is one of the best-handling SUVs in the segment. Though the sporty performance is impressive, the 7-seater is also intended to be comfortable during your commutes. The SQ7 offers the Audi drive select system which enables us to use different drive modes for different terrains. Apart from that, much credit goes to the adaptive air suspension that assures ride comfort even on harsh and bumpy roads.

The standard Quattro all-wheel drivetrain ensures maximum traction and the car stays planted on the roads at all times. Though it weighs heavy, it easily takes over the curves and corners, remaining stable even at very high speeds. The vehicle also promises ample noise suppression to make sure that the occupants have a calm and composed ride. The steering can weigh in a bit more nicely if you ask us, but that seems to be the only problem with the car.

2020 Audi SQ7 Braking Performance

Audi, from ever since we can recall, gives good attention to the braking performance of all their models. The 2020 Audi SQ7 is nothing different. The vehicle is equipped with big 15.8 inch rotors at the front and 13.8-inch rotors at the rear. These big rotors assure the best-in-class braking performance for the big SUV compared to the rivals. The SQ7 is heavier than the rivals, but the brakes are so good that they manage to stop it at the shortest distance possible. The vehicle is engineered in such a way that even emergency or heavy braking won’t create a significant nosedive. The brake pedals are well-tuned and responsive, which means the driver can rely on them even at higher speeds.

The 2020 Audi SQ7 is the best in terms of braking performance. The 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS help the car to come to a perfect standstill from 60 mph within a mere 111 feet. It is impressive that the car can do all this despite being the heaviest in the segment too. The BMW offers bigger rotors at the back but still takes slightly more distance to come to a halt. The GLE 580 is not exactly a performance-tuned vehicle so it has smaller brakes. But that should change with the AMG GLE 53 slated to launch next year.

A high-performance SUV with top-level luxury on offer cannot be pushed to give you the best efficiency figures. However, the SQ7 offers decent fuel efficiency figures with its 4.0 L twin-turbo V8 engine. The car returns 15 MPG in the city, 21 MPG on highways, and 17 MPG combined. With a big 22.5-gallon fuel tank, the vehicle promises 337.5 miles of range in the city and 472.5 miles on highways. These figures make it a very strong performer in terms of its fuel efficiency.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE 580 is the most efficient vehicle in the segment thanks to the EQBoost tech onboard. Moreover, it is not exactly tuned for performance and higher MPG figures are not a surprise. It also gets a large 22.5-gallon fuel tank to offer the best-in-class range figures too. The Porsche Cayenne S has the largest fuel tank in the lot but the slightly lower fuel economy figures did take a hit in its overall range. It is still impressive considering the Cayenne S is a very fast SUV.

The 2020 Audi SQ7 offers immense space on the inside. It can seat 7 people in three rows. Though the third row is cramped and unfit for bigger fellows, the two rows at the front offer ample space for the occupants. The seats are much sportier than the regular Q7 and the dashboard gets a gloss-black finish with distinct continuous air vents that span the width of the cabin. The seats are wrapped in premium quality Valcona leather upholstery. Apart from that, the front seats are 8-way power-adjustable with 4-way lumbar support along with heating function. 

The top-of-the-line Prestige trim gets heating and ventilation functions as well. Opting for the Prestige trim also gets you dual-pane acoustic glass for the front and rear windows, power soft-closing doors, multicolor ambient interior lighting, heated steering wheel, and panoramic sunroof to name a few. This trim is fully loaded upto the brim. Overall, the beautifully laid cabin is ergonomic and minimalistic. It does not offer a lot of cargo space but 14.2 cu-ft is decent for a seven-seater SUV.

All the vehicles in the segment offer a decent amount of room for the occupants. The SQ7 seats 7 people as standard while the rest of the seats only 5. This gives it a lot of advantages in terms of the practicality aspect. However, Audi manages the seat alignment so well that it offers a pretty decent amount of cargo space as well, though not the best in the segment. The BMW X5 offers the most cargo space among its rivals. Standout interior features in the 2020 Audi SQ7 are:

• Four-zone automatic climate control
• 8-way power driver seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Valcona Leather seats
• Heated rear seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Multicolor ambient lighting

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The 2020 Audi SQ7 gets a 12.3 inch full HD resolution display as standard. The driver-centered system that comes as a part of the Audi Virtual Cockpit stands out in looks and styling. As for choices, one can go for the S Performance layout or the ordinary one with smaller gauges. The MMI touch response system is another major highlight of the infotainment unit. The system provides easy access to personalized apps and shortcuts, which saves time and effort. The Prestige trim also comes with a head-up display.

To stay connected, Audi lets you have your smartphones integrated with the available myAudi app. The app lets you share your vehicle location, lock or unlock remotely, and so on. The Audi phone box is yet another impressive feature that not only charges your phone wirelessly but also amplifies the reception of the smartphone. Apple CarPlay can also be used to stream your smartphone content in infotainment. The Audi Connect subscription offers navigation, an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, and so on as well as voice commands. Standout infotainment features in the 2020 Audi SQ7 are:

• MMI touch response system
• Apple CarPlay
• 12.3-inch full HD resolution display
• Voice Recognition
• MyAudi app
• Active Audi Connect
• Navigation
• Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Audi phone box

Like any other Audi car, the 2020 SQ7 is also an elegantly designed piece of art. However, the SQ7 stands apart from the regular Q7s with a host of S-Line-specific styling features. The signature single-frame grille makes up the front fascia along with the matrix LED headlights. The 7-seater is massive in size and heavier than any other rival. The standard 21-inch alloy wheels add to the looks as well as performance. The heated and power-folding exterior mirrors look aesthetically appealing and functional too. The rear end gets beautifully made S-specific quad tailpipes. The vehicle also gets a standard power tailgate. The 8.03 inches of ground clearance assures good off-road performance. 

The Audi SQ7 is the heaviest and longest in the segment. With a decent amount of ground clearance and a longer wheelbase, the vehicle is massive, to say the least. However, the dimensions match those of the other hardcore rivals, with no compromise in performance and comfort. The Cayenne S is the smallest in the lot but it sits a little wider, thus the driving dynamics on this one should be excellent. Standout exterior features in the 2020 Audi SQ7 are:

• Standard 21” alloy wheels
• Matrix LED Headlights
• LED Tail Lights
• S-specific squad exhaust
• Heated and power-folding exterior mirrors
• Power liftgate

The NHTSA has awarded the 2020 Q7 4 out of 5 stars in the rollover test. The organization hasn’t rated the rest of the safety parameters. With a long list of safety equipment, the SQ7 would surely score well in the other tests too. The 2020 SQ7 gets an array of safety features which include the Active lane-change assist, Audi Pre Sense, Rear cross-traffic alert, Traffic sign recognition, Traffic jam assist, Emergency Assist, Audi Side Assist, 360-degree virtual view camera, and so on. Standout safety features in the 2020 Audi SQ7 include:

• Audi Pre Sense
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Active lane-change assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Traffic sign recognition
• Lane Departure Prevention
• Traffic jam assist
• Emergency Assist
• Audi Side Assist
• 360-degree virtual view

2020 Audi SQ7 vs 2020 BMW X5 M50i

Both the BMW X5 M50i and the Audi are intelligent picks in the segment. However, choosing one among the two purely depends on your needs. If you need more power from a better and bigger engine, the M50i would be your choice. If you need an all-around 7-seater with exceptional performance and luxury, the Audi SQ7 would be the right one. Both offer good fuel efficiency, great build quality and reliability.

2020 Audi SQ7 vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 580

Comparing the SQ7 with the Mercedes-Benz GLE 580, the SQ7 makes more sense, with more space for seats and better power figures. Though Audi is pricier than the Merc, it offers a whole lot of premium features, which makes it worthy to spend that much extra. But if you want a more comfortable and posh ride, then get the Merc. The Audi is undoubtedly more fun to drive.

2020 Audi SQ7 vs 2020 Porsche Cayenne S

The turbo V6 in the Cayenne S helps it accelerate faster than the SQ7. However, looking at the overall package, the SQ7 would be better for your family to accompany you for a longer ride. The Cayenne offers only 5 seats and less cargo space than the SQ7, which makes the latter more practical. The Cayenne is the most sports-car-like among these SUVs.

The all-new Audi SQ7 is a practical and affordable pick in the segment. The SQ7 positioned itself uniquely in the entire segment with bigger dimensions and more capabilities. The enchanting looks, superior performance, immense features, and uncompromised safety front makes it a value-for-money buy. Though somewhat confusing to use, Audi’s infotainment is too advanced and modern, making the entire cabin a notch above the competition. The feature-rich and powerful SQ7 is thus a perfect pick for you.