Audi SQ7 (2023) - impressive Performance Luxury SUV

Thanks: Global Motorsports Website: 2023 Audi SQ7 Starting at $ Highs Thrilling V-8 engine, great ride-and-handling balance, luxurious interior. Lows Too many screens, not enough buttons and knobs, lots of desirable options cost extra. Verdict Powerful, practical, and plush, the SQ7 is a luxury SUV that does it all. Overview With seven seats, a 500-horsepower V-8 engine, and lots of features, the Audi SQ7 is a performance-luxury SUV with many virtues and few vices. It’s great to drive, balancing impressive performance with plush comfort, and looks appropriately premium and aggressive. The interior features three rows of seats and modern-looking display screens that incorporate lots of technology but have largely eliminated convenient buttons knobs. All the best elements of the standard Q7 are here, too, only with more power and presence. The SQ7 competes with other high-performance SUVs including the BMW X5 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE-Class, and has siblings within the Audi family including the sharper-looking Audi SQ8. What’s New for 2023? Dual-pane laminated windows are newly part of the optional Executive package, and 22-inch wheels will join the list of extras. They come with summer performance tires and are available either in matte gray or black. Pricing and Which One to Buy Premium Plus: $91,990 Prestige: $96,690 For a vehicle that already starts over $90,000, we think the better-equipped Prestige trim level is worth the splurge. It offers a $5900 S Sport package that includes desirable upgrades such as a sport rear differential and Audi’s Active Roll Stabilization system. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The SQ7 has a twin-turbocharged V-8 engine with 500 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque that it shares with the mechanically similar, two-row SQ8 SUV. That sounds like a lot, and it is: this is the same engine found in the even higher-performance RS Q8, and it only gives up a bit of power and torque in this application. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard, as is an eight-speed automatic transmission, and at our test track, the SQ7 snapped off a zero-to-60-mph time of just 3.5 seconds. Despite its performance potential, the SQ7 still effortlessly doubles as a family SUV, delivering a faultless ride. Handling is nothing short of heroic considering that it’s a veritable heavyweight; it tackles curvy roads effortlessly and rarely feels unsettled. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG The EPA rates the SQ7 at 17 mpg combined, 15 mpg in the city, and 21 mpg on the highway which is about as thirsty as you would expect for a V-8–powered SUV. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the SQ7 nailed its rating and delivered 21 mpg. For more information about the SQ7’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo The SQ7 offers the same practical interior as the Q7, but with a few special touches including sportier seats with different leather trim. A third row of seats is standard equipment on the SQ7, as it is in the Q7, making it a speedy seven-passenger family hauler. Cargo space is limited behind the third row as it is in the Q7 but drop those seats and the second-row chairs and the SQ7 will likely hold the same 25 carry-on suitcases we were able to fit in the regular Q7. Infotainment and Connectivity The Q7 received a refresh for 2020 that included a new touchscreen infotainment system, and the SQ7 shares this same setup. Three digital screens dot the dashboard, one serving as a reconfigurable gauge display, another handling navigation and entertainment, and a third providing access to vehicle settings and climate control. Depending on how you feel about physical controls versus touch-sensitive ones, the SQ7’s cabin may delight or infuriate. Read More 📌 Instagram ▶ 📌 Tiktok ▶ @cartvpress