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 second-gen model (codename: 4M) after an 11-year lifecycle, and brings major upgrades in every aspect.
- Split headlamps, connected tail-lamps, and more muscular proportions
- All-new interior gets triple screens, panoramic sunroof, B&O sound system, and more
- 5-, 6-, and 7-seat layouts available; 6-seat config gets second-row captain chairs
- Offers mild hybrid diesel V6, twin-turbo petrol V6, and twin-turbo petrol V8 options
Among the headline additions to the third-gen Q7 is a 6-seat layout with second-row captain chairs, in addition to 5-seat and 7-seat configurations. As before, the new Q7 rivals luxury SUVs like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE.
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.
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 fully powered 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 & Olufsen 4D sound system, connected car tech, electrically adjustable seats, and more.
Where the outgoing Q7 was offered in 5- and 7-seater guises, the new model gets three seating options: 5-seat, 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 engine and gearbox
Diesel and twin-turbo petrol V6 options; V8-powered SQ7 also on offer
Built on the Volkswagen Group's Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, the new Q7's standard variants can be had with either a 2.9-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 or a 3.0-litre mild hybrid diesel V6 TDI (depending on the market) – an 8-speed automatic gearbox and Quattro AWD are fitted as standard. The petrol V6 makes 429hp and 599Nm, and propels the Q7 from 0-100kph in a claimed 4.8 seconds.
The V6 TDI, meanwhile, will be available in two states of tune – 245hp and 500Nm in base spec, 299hp and 630Nm in higher variants. 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.
In certain markets, Audi will also offer a sporty SQ7 variant, which is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 developing 591hp and 800Nm, enabling a claimed 0-100kph time of just 3.7 seconds.
2026 Audi Q7 price and launch timeline
Only diesel variant pricing revealed so far
Order books for the third-gen Q7 will open for European 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) – petrol variant pricing has yet to be disclosed. 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
