Interior and controls

Whether with five or seven seats, the Audi Q7 offers practical everyday qualities. It outdoes its direct competitors in terms of interior length as well as headroom and elbow room in the front and rear. A host of storage compartments, a new compartment in the instrument panel as well as the generous load capacity provide highly functional utility value. With the five-seater version, the luggage compartment offers up to 865 liters (30.5 cu ft) of capacity, depending on the equipment. Folding down the rear seat backs creates a flat load area and a maximum stowage space of 2,050 liters (72.4 cu ft).

An electric tailgate is standard; foot-activated gesture control is available as an option. The electric luggage compartment cover is another convenience option. In addition, Audi optionally supplies the rear seat bench plus; all three seats can be moved individually fore/aft, and the backrest angle can be adjusted. There is also a third seat row with two seats that can be lowered electrically.

Spacious and noble: the interior

In the interior of the Audi Q7, distinct horizontal lines and the lean instrument panel emphasize the feeling of width. The architecture is in perfect harmony with the new operating concept, creating a design language that appears clear and elegant. Like its sister model, the Q8, the Audi Q7 also uses the digital MMI touch response concept with two large touchscreens. When it is off, the top display joins almost invisibly into the large black decorative surface. When it is active, its distinctive, quickly understandable graphics reflect the digital precision of Audi.

All the design elements, volumes, and lines of the instrument panel make logical reference to one another, from the flat air vent door strip to the light switch module, which can include a touch-response surface as an option. In the dark, the contour ambient lighting package, which comes as standard with the interior design selection, illuminates the interior. As an option, Audi offers further convenience features, such as a power-assist function for closing the doors quietly, the convenience key, a heated windshield, four-zone automatic air conditioning, and the air quality package with fragrancing and ionizer. Customers can choose from three multifunction steering wheel variants, two of which have shift paddles for the eight-speed tiptronic.

From elegant to sporty: the interior lines

The basic interior includes even a four-stage range for the seat upholstery, from cloth to the refined Valcona/cricket leather combination. Top-of-the-line options include the customized contour seats with climate control, optionally also with massage function. Ten pneumatic cushions, each with five programs and intensities, relax the back muscles. A similar grading applies to the interior design selection, featuring upholstery in partial leather or in top quality depending on the color, both with contrasting stitching. The interior design selection is completed by a three-spoke leather steering wheel, a leather-covered instrument panel, illuminated door sill trims, the contour/ambient lighting package, as well as a stainless steel loading sill protector.

In the case of the S line interior, the second alternative, the Audi Q7 is equipped with sport seats that feature an S embossing on the front backrests. The available materials are pearl Nappa/Alcantara and Valcona leather. As an option, Audi can mount the S sport seats plus with integrated head restraints, pneumatically adjustable seat and backrest side bolsters, and rhombus pattern. The massage function and climate control can also be added here. The footrest and pedals of the interior S line are made of stainless steel, the trim strips of matt brushed aluminum.

The selection of numerous colors and materials rounds off the character of the interior with sporty elegance and top-of-the-line workmanship. For the upholstery, the customer can choose from seven colors with six material options available for the inlays, including various wood veneers and aluminum. Almost all veneers are open-pored. The eucalyptus wood with its grayish-blue color effect is a new addition. Customers who wish to further individualize their Audi Q7 can select from four leather packages and the special offers from the Audi exclusive program. The basic interior, the interior design selection, and the interior S line can be freely combined with the two exterior lines.

New concept: two touch displays with haptic feedback

The operating concept of the new Q7 is at the current level of the Audi full-size models: Two large, high-resolution displays replace many buttons and controls as well as the touchpad on the tunnel of the center console that was installed previously. The upper display is used for controlling infotainment and navigation. With the standard MMI radio plus system, it has an 8.8-inch diagonal, while the diagonal is 10.1 inches with the optional MMI navigation plus. The driver uses the lower 8.6-inch display to manage climate control, the convenience functions, and text input, including via hand writing. The MMI touch response concept allows fast and reliable operation: A tactile and acoustic click confirms when a finger activates a function. The menu structure is lean and clear, just like on a smartphone, and the MMI search is based on free text input. For many searches, the hit list will appear after just a couple of letters have been entered.

On-board and online: natural language control

As an additional operating level besides the touch displays, MMI navigation plus features natural language voice control. The driver can use almost any wording; the system understands sentences such as “I’m cold” and will then increase the setting for the interior temperature. The dialog goes beyond menu boundaries. For example, the user can call a contact from the telephone book and add the address as a navigation destination. The voice control draws information for its responses to commands and questions not only from the information stored online, but also from the cloud. While online language cross-referencing improves the detection rate and quality of results, the advantage of the onboard information lies in its rapid, reliable availability – even in the absence of a mobile network, say in an underground parking garage.

Fully digital: the Audi virtual cockpit

MMI navigation plus will be joined by the Audi virtual cockpit in the Q7, which will be installed in place of the partially analog instrument cluster. Its high-resolution 12.3-inch display with 1,920 x 720 pixels can be switched between two views with the multifunction steering wheel. The Audi virtual cockpit plus option offers a third interface with a particularly sporty look. The head-up display is a further piece of optional equipment that displays important information in the driver’s primary field of vision. The image has a field of view of 5.4° x 2.1° and appears to be hovering above the hood at a distance of 2.3 meters (7.5 ft). This corresponds roughly to the size of an iPad at that distance. The information shown includes the speed, driver assist, traffic signs, and a detailed intersection map.

All terms marked in the text are explained in detail in the technology lexicon at www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/technology-lexicon.

The equipment, data and prices specified in this document refer to the model range offered in Germany. Subject to change without notice; errors and omissions excepted.