Breadcrumb Trail LinksReviewsRoad TestsRoad TripsVehicle typesFamily VehiclesLuxury VehiclesThe SQ7 is so good on so many levels, and finds the perfect balance for this sporty luxury utility segmentPublished Dec 15, 2024 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 9 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.2025 Audi SQ7 Photo by Jonathan YarkonyArticle contentIf you want a car that can do a little bit of everything, you can expect to pay quite a bit for the capability. And if you want a vehicle that does everything very well, then you can expect to pay a lot. The 2025 Audi SQ7 is an example of an incredibly well rounded vehicle that is spectacular in almost every regard, with a price tag to match.Advertisement 2This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Don’t navigate the car buying road alone!Join our thriving community on social media and connect with other car searchers and enthusiasts.Article contentArticle content2025 Audi Sq7 | Suv Review | Driving.CaArticle contentThe Q7 line is Audi’s seven-seater offering, so it serves the brand as its family vehicle, but the brand also recognizes that just because you have two or three kids or want a little extra seating and cargo flexibility doesn’t mean you have to be left in the dust by sporty offerings of other brands. The SQ7 offers the same practicality as the Q7, but with elevated performance that moms and dads will appreciate.Audi SQ7 Power and PerformanceThe Q7 is fitted with either a 2.0L turbo-four making 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque or a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 that delivers a more respectable 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The SQ7 gets a hearty 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that dishes out 500 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque with a delightful growl under hard acceleration. While sprint times aren’t necessarily the priority for three-row SUVs, the Audi SQ7 can hit 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, but there is power everywhere, whether ramping up to highway speeds or dropping gears for passing maneuvers. Speaking of gears, there are eight of them in Audi’s automatic transmission, meting out power to all four wheels with the rear Sport differential ensuring there is no excess wheelspin on either side.Advertisement 3This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentWith that much power and the reputation of an S badge to uphold, Audi outfitted the SQ7 with a suspension to keep this 2,400-kilogram (5,291-lb) green monster under control. In addition to front and rear independent five-link setup with adaptive air suspension that can raise or lower the ride height, our SQ7 was outfitted with the optional active roll stabilization that firms up the outer side in a corner to keep you flatter in turns and maintain maximum grip. The SQ7 even has four-wheel steering to ensure greater stability at high speeds (on highway lanes changes for example), but to increase maneuverability at low speeds. All of these combined to deliver performance that was well beyond the limits of reason on public roads, tearing away from stoplights, attacking turns and onramps with supreme confidence, and hitting highway speeds in a flash.Advertisement 4This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentToggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7Photo by Jonathan YarkonyNext Gallery ImageToggle gallery captionsAll 8 Photos for GalleryFunction Not Available Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.OKAdvertisement 5This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentThis is not a car you take to the track, but it also far exceeds common decency on public roads, so there is a whole level of its ability that will most likely never be tapped. And while modern cars do not offer the level of analog feedback as machines of old, there is the satisfaction in the incredible composure in turns and the growl of a V8 to unleash every so often, and being able to do it with five or six passengers along for the ride is good for some chuckles every now and then.
Audi SQ7 Fuel EfficiencyA long drive to Ottawa gave us a chance to test the Audi SQ7’s efficiency. Natural Resources Canada estimates for the 2025 Audi SQ7 are 16.0 L/100 km in city driving, 11.2 L/100 km on the highway, 13.8 combined. With such an engaging V8 underhood, it was hard to resist dipping into the power as often as possible, but I still finished my time in the SQ7 at a respectable 12.7 L/100 km, and for our drive up to Ottawa that was mostly on secondary highways, I recorded a better than expected 10.1 L/100 km.Advertisement 6This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentWhen you’re not cruising gently on the highway or stuck in traffic, you can choose from several different drive modes for increasing performance and responsiveness, delivering quicker jump off the line and better handling, but it would come at the expense of this stellar efficiency. 2025 Audi SQ7 fuel efficiency trip computer after driving from Brampton to OttawaAudi SQ7 PracticalityIn a world where Dodge Durangos get Hellcat engines and the most powerful BMW M model ever is a plug-in hybrid SUV, a 500-hp seven-seater is expected to impress with its performance but it better deliver the groceries and the kids to school on time, too.We had the chance to test the Audi SQ7’s cargo flexibility (and peak efficiency) on the drive to Ottawa for a hockey tournament, and we loaded up with two hockey bags, two hockey players, two parents, one sibling, and all the luggage we needed for the weekend. Rather than cramming three in the second row, we folded just one side of the third row down and my daughter curled up with her best friend (her phone, of course) in the third row. It was a bit of a squeeze for the luggage, but the kids all had plenty of room. I tested the third row during our video shoot and it’s tight and challenging to step into, so it’s not a great place for adults for anything more than short trips because of its low seating position and limited headroom, and even my teenage daughter said it was “small but comfy.”Advertisement 7This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentToggle full screen modePrevious Gallery Image2025 Audi SQ7 interior full dashPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 interior cabin driver sidePhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 steering wheelPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 fuel efficiency trip computerPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 fuel efficiency trip computer after driving from Brampton to Ottawa2025 Audi SQ7 infotainment and HVAC centre consolePhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 front seatPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 rear seatPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 trunk cargo space with 3rd row foldedPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 transmission shifterPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 Night Vision AssistPhoto by Jonathan Yarkony2025 Audi SQ7 Virtual Cockpit gauge clusterPhoto by Jonathan YarkonyNext Gallery ImageToggle gallery captionsAll 12 Photos for GalleryFunction Not Available Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.OKAdvertisement 8This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentThe SQ7’s second row is more spacious with sufficient room for three, and subtle contouring for the outboard passengers. The front seats are more heavily bolstered and power adjustable in almost every way imaginable (except the fixed headrest), and blessed with massage function that had various modes and intensity levels. The massage was an excellent feature to have for the long drive to Ottawa and kept my back from getting too locked up between stops.As to cargo capacity, there is enough space in the big Audi for a full luggage set behind the third row (about 400 litres or 14 cubic feet) behind the third row, about 1,000 L (~36 cu-ft) with the third row folded, and a maximum of about 2,000 L (~70 cu-ft). Both the second and third rows are split-folding, so you can carry long cargo while still saving room for three or four passengers. The SQ7 also comes with a respectable towing capacity of 3,493 kg (7,700 lbs).Advertisement 9This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentOne aspect that felt lacking in the SQ7 was cabin storage. The space under the centre console armrest was taken up by the wireless charging pad – a great feature to have, but a shame it comes at the expense of a larger cubby that most family vehicles have. Aside from the glovebox, there were only door pockets and some cupholders, so all our road trip snacks were scattered around the cabin by the time we got to Ottawa.Recommended from Editorial 2025 Audi Q7, Q8’s small changes add up to big improvement 2025 Luxury Car Preview: 10 Top upscale vehicles coming soon Audi SQ7 technology and luxuryAside from being a practical and ballistic three-row SUV for Audi fans, the SQ7 is also a $100K+ luxury vehicle, and as such, it has some lofty standards to uphold. Interior quality is phenomenal, with sumptuous leather, supportive and well bolstered seats, and Audi’s shapely steering wheel and statuesque shifter, both wrapped in perforated leather. Our SQ7 was outfitted in very modern fashion with piano black plastics and textured aluminum trim breaking up the monochromatic interior, with a pair of tweeters rising from the dash when the car is turned on for a bit of theatre. My son and his teammates also loved the full-colour puddle lamps that projected Audi’s S logo onto the ground when opening the doors. And speaking of party tricks, this car had the Night Vision that displays a thermal image in the gauge cluster, helping nighttime drivers to spot people and animals more easily after dark.Advertisement 10This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article content 2025 Audi SQ7 interior cabin driver side Photo by Jonathan YarkonyThe 2025 SQ7 also comes loaded with all the expected features, especially when every option is selected as on this model. With the number of kilometres we covered, the adaptive cruise was much appreciated, and although not as advanced as some other systems with auto lane change, it worked well and helped minimize driving fatigue on long stretches of highway driving. Another luxury amenity that was appreciated on the long haul was massaging seats, which provided some good aggressive modes to break up the tension in my lower back. At our destinations, the 360-degree parking camera and parking sensors were crucial because despite appearing fairly trim, this is a wide car, with a wide turning radius despite the four-wheel steering that aids in high-speed stability and low-speed maneuverability.Advertisement 11This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentAs expected, a vehicle in this segment needs to deliver high end audio quality, and the SQ7’s Bang & Olufsen was on point, its 3D sound system utilizing 23 speakers powered by 1,920 watts resulting in impeccable sound quality at any volume. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit and head-up display were also mush appreciated for their visual flair and serving their intended purpose, with head-up display even picking up Apple Maps route guidance. That being said, the Bluetooth connection on the car was spotty, so we frequently lost our playlist and sometime could not reconnect to Apple CarPlay whether by wireless or USB cable. That left us in Audi’s native infotainment menu, which is not the most intuitive despite clear graphics and quick response from the touchscreen. Seemed like several functions could have been found in different menus so we were sometimes in and out of the submenus to find what we needed. With wireless charging and wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, you likely won’t have to use the Audi system very often if you choose not to.Advertisement 12This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentAudi SQ7 competitorsThe luxury SUV market is absolutely booming in recent years, and even at this price point there are several alluring options. Arch rivals for Germany are the BMW X7 M60i and Mercedes-Benz GLS 580, which also come packing seven seats and 500+ hp and that old-world luxury appeal and driving manners. Land Rover also jumps into this segment with its flagship Range Rover in SE 530 seven-seat LWB trim. The Americans offer more size and towing capacity in the Cadillac Escalade or Lincoln Navigator, and Cadillac also offers the sporty 682-hp Escalade-V. Infiniti mimics the Americans with the truck-based QX80 that has just been relaunched for 2025.
2025 Audi SQ7 Canadian pricing and conclusionThe 2025 Audi SQ7 comes in only the one trim, listing at $114,050 MSRP, and at minimum you will have to add $3,500 Federal Luxury Tax, $2,850 Freight and PDI, and $100 A/C Tax for a starting price of $120,050 before factoring in provincial taxes and dealer fees. Ours came with a handful of upgrades, including that B&O 3D Sound System ($5,750), Night Vision Assist ($2,500), extended leather ($1,350), synthetic suede headliner ($2,000), and massage seat package ($2,450) dressing up the interior. This tester also had the full spread of exterior upgrades, starting with the Sport exhaust ($1,450), Audi Exclusive Oak Green Pearl paint ($7,900), trailer hitch ($750), Black Optics package ($1,200), 22-inch wheels ($1,200), and Carbon exterior package ($2,975), and the Audi Care maintenance package ($2,490). Finally, we also had the pleasure of sampling the Dynamic Package Plus ($7,500), featuring the peak performance upgrade of electromechanical active roll stabilization with the rear sport differential. With $40k worth of upgrades, the luxury tax jumps to almost $10k for a total eclipsing $162,990.Advertisement 13This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentMany of these luxuries and window dressing wouldn’t deter from the SQ7’s intended mission of delivering family practicality with some driving panache and well executed tech. The Q7 is already a fundamentally excellent vehicle, and the SQ7’s 4.0L twin-turbo punches it up to an effortlessly powerful cruiser and the right balance of sportiness and comfort to satisfy the most demanding audience who want it all in one vehicle.Pros✔ Effortless performance
✔ Modern tech and styling
✔ Space for the whole familyCons✘ Not great in tight spaces
✘ Connection issues
✘ Lack of cabin storageSign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X, Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.More in Reviews See more Share this article in your social networkJonathan YarkonyDriving’s Managing Editor, Jonathan is a family man that loves to drive anything, anywhere (complaining about every other driver in the way along the way), and his hobbies include pointing out typos wherever he sees them and taking pictures of cheeseburgers. CurrentlyManaging Editor, Driving.caEducationJonathan earned a BA degree from Union College in Schenectady, New York and an took post-grad Journalism courses at New School University in New York City.Summary· 15+ years of experience as editor and freelance writer in automotive magazines and websites· Expert level grammar and writing skills and analytics-driven approach to editorial content· Currently Managing Editor for Driving.ca; formerly editor or contributor at Auto Trader, Autos.ca, MSN.ca/autos, AutoGuide.com, CarBuzz, and moreExperienceJonathan Yarkony is a writer and editor with extensive experience working at automotive websites and print publications. Although you are most likely to run across his work in car reviews and Youtube videos, that is just the tip of the iceberg for Jonathan.His career started as a writing-centre Tutor in university and then Copy Editor at The Princeton Review, an educational publishing company where he honed his editorial skills with several advanced grammar workshops. Nerding out on grammar continues to provide endless entertainment and quality control to this day, now being applied to Driving.ca and its editors and writers. Over the past 15 years, Jonathan has developed an expertise and specialization in automotive testing and writing, first at Auto Trader, where he launched Auto Trader New Car magazine, then oversaw launch and became Editor for Autos.ca and autoTRADER.ca News & Features section.After a stint at AutoGuide.com and freelancing, in 2019 Jonathan made the leap to Postmedia’s Driving.ca as Managing Editor, where he remains to this day, overseeing the content direction and providing editorial and automotive insight to Postmedia Sales and Product teams. Trained in graphic design during his years at Auto Trader, Jonathan also worked closely with Postmedia’s marketing team to define and launch new Driving.ca branding with a major site redesign in 2022. His current focus is on analytics-driven content direction, guiding social media, and reinventing content with a lens to SEO in order to reach the widest possible audience, but you will also find his work here on Driving.ca, reviewing vehicles with an emphasis on practicality and family living, while translating his adolescent theatre experience to on-camera presentation and directorial skills.Contact infoEmail: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanyarkony/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JYarkonyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jyarkony/POPULAR VEHICLE COMPARISONSDriving.ca’s Blind-Spot MonitorAll things automotive: breaking news, reviews and more. Wednesdays and Saturdays. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails or any newsletter. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Driving.ca’s Blind-Spot Monitor will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
