2022 Audi Q7: No Bigger Updates To Come
Even in the premium segment, the world of mid-size crossovers is pretty tough. There are numerous well-designed units around, with all kinds of great things to offer. Among them, you will find Audi’s biggest crossover. Despite the age, it still manages to remain relevant on the market. To remind you, the current generation has been around for about six years but it looks like it will remain in production for a little bit more. Considering the 2020 update, which has brought some pretty massive changes, we are pretty sure that the 2022 Audi Q7 will be no more than a typical carryover.
This means you may count on a familiar layout. This crossover offers a lot of great things, starting from some pretty capable engine options, balanced handling, luxurious cabin etc. However, there are few things we don’t like. For example, we don’t like the small cargo area, while the third row could be more spacious as well. Also, the base engine is thirstier than you would probably expect.
All in all, the lack of changes means that the 2022 Audi Q7 release date will probably be scheduled for the end of 2021.
2022 Audi Q7 Design
In terms of base design characteristics, there’s nothing to say about this crossover that you could possibly don’t know. The current generation has been long enough to unveil all of its design characteristics and what we particularly like about this model is how Audi engineers set up the familiar MLB platform. The ride is perfectly balanced and finds a sweet spot between direct handling and soft cruising.
In terms of the styling, we should consider all the changes that have arrived with the 2020 update. For that occasion, we saw a completely new face, which included a new grille, headlights, bumper, etc. all designed in a more angular manner, in a similar way to the Q8 model. So, the next year probably won’t bring anything particular in this aspect.
Interior
Considering that the current generation is getting close to the end of the production cycle, it’s hard to expect any change. Once again, we go back to the 2020 update, when we saw a load of important upgrades. The dashboard came completely new, with finer materials, a more attractive shape, dual-screen setup on the center console, standard Virtual Cockpit etc. So, we expect that the 2022 Audi Q7 won’t be any different.
Of course, we will also see the same cabin proportions. You may count on the same amount of passenger space, which is very generous in the first two rows. On the other side, the third row is really tight, even for the segment standards. The cargo area offers 14.2 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 35.7 cubic feet behind the second row, and 69.6 cubic feet of the overall volume. That’s below-average for the class.
Features
Yearly updates usually bring new standard features, so we could see a couple of them in the 2022 Audi Q7 as well. However, we don’t expect to see many of these, and the list of features should remain largely the same as in the current model. That would mean that base models will feature goodies like a panoramic roof, tri-zone climate control, a 10.1-inch upper touch screen, an 8.6-inch lower touch screen, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a navigation system, a Wi-Fi hot spot, a 10-speaker stereo, satellite radio, HD Radio, USB ports, keyless entry etc.
In higher trim levels, you can also get things like quad-zone climate control, a 19-speaker surround-sound stereo, a 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, and wireless device charging.
2022 Audi Q7 Engines
When it comes to the powertrain, we count on three familiar options in the offer. Therefore, base models should come standard with a 2.0-liter turbo-four, which puts out 248 horsepower. It offers quite decent driving dynamics and it seems able to satisfy most drivers. However, we don’t like the fuel economy, which goes around 19 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. That’s even lower compared to some six-cylinder rivals.
We believe that the optional 3.0-liter V6, which comes with a 48-Volt hybrid system, is the best choice for this crossover. You may count 335 horsepower, which is more than enough for solid dynamics. However, six-cylinder rivals from Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X5 are more refined and offer a smoother ride.
Finally, there is the SQ7 version, for those who are looking for sports car performance. It comes equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, which puts out around 500 horsepower, which is enough to move this SUV from zero to sixty in 4.3 seconds.
2022 Audi Q7 Release Date and Price
As we already mentioned, the next year’s model should hit the market sometime late in the year. When it comes to the 2022 Audi Q7 price, base versions should go around 56.000 dollars.
