Audi has formally unveiled the third-gen Q7, which will slot between the Q5 and the upcoming Q9 in the German carmaker’s SUV portfolio. The new Q7 replaces the outgoing second-gen '4M' model after an 11-year lifecycle, and brings major upgrades in every aspect.
- Split headlamps, connected tail-lamps, and more muscular proportions
- Revamped interior gets triple screens, panoramic sunroof, B&O sound system, and more
- No longer a three-row SUV as standard, 6-seat and 7-seat layouts optionally available
- Gets a 3.0-litre mild hybrid diesel V6 generating up to 299hp and 630Nm
Among the headline changes to the new Q7 is that it's a 5-seater as standard, while its predecessor was a 7-seater. This positions the Q7 more against luxury SUVs like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, while the bigger Q9 will take on the X7 and GLS.
2026 Audi Q7 exterior design
Overhauled styling carries more visual brawn
Compared to its predecessor, the new Q7's styling is more muscular and upright, with cues adopted from newer Audi SUVs like the Q3. The front end features split headlamps, where the slim DRLs above have pixel lighting elements and the main Matrix LED units are vertically oriented in gloss black housings. There's also a large grille and a wide air dam with honeycomb patterns, along with a satin silver shroud for the latter. It's worth noting that the Q7 pictured here is the sportier S-Line version, so it likely bears some cosmetic differences when compared to the standard variants.
Over to the side, the new Q7 has a clean profile, a mildly upswept window line with a chrome surround, pull-type door handles, slim roof rails, and body-coloured cladding in the S-Line package. 20-inch alloy wheels come fitted as standard, and can be optioned up to 23 inches. The new Q7 also gets soft-close doors, and Audi will offer electrical operation for them as an optional extra.
The most prominent element on the new Q7's posterior is a split tail-lamp setup, with the lower units sporting a smoked finish and connected by a slim light bar. There's also a roof spoiler, an illuminated Audi motif, a chunky bumper adorned with gloss black and satin silver trim, and dual exhaust tips.
2026 Audi Q7 interior and features
Triple-screen setup takes prominence on the dashboard
Like many of Audi's new offerings, the dashboard of the third-gen Q7 is dominated by a triple-screen setup, with the infotainment display angled towards the driver. A new 4-spoke steering wheel can also be observed, as well as a generous dose of wood and leather trim all around the dashboard. The wood-laden centre console is quite similar to that of the Q9, housing dual wireless charging pads, the engine start/stop button, the electronic parking brake button, a rotary volume knob, a storage cubby, and controls for the hazard lights, drive modes, 360-degree camera view, and more.
The door liners are embedded with ambient lighting, and so are the headrest bases for the front seats. Interestingly, the front seats also have actuators and headrest speakers, with the latter allowing occupants to take phone calls. Other notable creature comforts in the new Q7 include a panoramic sunroof with optional switchable transparency and illumination, an ADAS suite, a 22-speaker Bang and Olufsen 4D sound system, connected car tech, electrically adjustable seats, and more.
As mentioned previously, where the outgoing Q7 was a 7-seater as standard, the new model will be a 5-seater that can be optionally had with either a 6-seat (second-row captain chairs) or a 7-seat layout. Boot space is pegged at 581 litres with all three rows up for the 7-seat Q7 (670 litres for the 5-seat version). Total luggage space is 1,980 litres for the 7-seat and 2,075 litres for the 5-seat Q7.
2026 Audi Q7 powertrain
Diesel V6 makes up to 299hp, can run on hydrotreated vegetable oil
Built on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, the new Q7 is compatible with a multitude of mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. For now, though, Audi has disclosed details only on a sole 3.0-litre diesel V6 for the new Q7. The SUV is also equipped with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and Quattro AWD as standard.
The diesel engine is available in two states of tune – 245hp and 500Nm in base spec, while higher variants churn out 299hp and 630Nm. It's also paired with a mild hybrid system, which delivers a boost of up to 24hp and 370Nm for quick overtakes. Interestingly, this engine can run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which is claimed to reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 95 percent over regular diesel.
As standard, the 2026 Q7 comes with steel spring suspension, with air suspension offered as an optional extra.
2026 Audi Q7 price and launch timeline
Only diesel variant pricing revealed so far
Order books for the third-gen Q7 will open for global markets this month, with deliveries set to begin in September 2026. Prices will start at €87,900 (Rs 96.90 lakh) for the base 245hp Q7 V6 TDI, while the 299hp variant will cost €90,500 (Rs 99.76 lakh). Expect the new Q7 to make its way to India too, though the timeline for that is currently unclear.
Uday Singh
Dhruv Dhaka
Glenn Noronha
