The first-generation Q7 was launched in 2003 and used the same PL71 platform as the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, and has undergone many improvements such as a mid-cycle facelift and powertrain replacement. In 2015, Audi launched the second-generation Q7 using the MLB Evo platform, which also includes the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and the next-generation Cayenne. Consumer Reports considers the second-generation Audi Q7 to be one of the best large SUVs, and gave a road test score of 96 points and an overall score of 90 points, ranking first in its class, nine points higher than the second-placed Lexus RX.
 
The body of the second-generation Audi Q7 uses aluminum alloy for 41% of its parts, and the weight is 325 kg (3.0 TDI) lighter than the first generation, although it is more than 300 kg less, but the weight of 40 TFSI is more than 2100kg, and the weight of 45 TFSI is also more than 2200kg, which can only be said that the weight reduction potential of the previous generation Q7 is really large. In terms of body size, the second-generation Q7 has been reduced in length and width, but the interior space has been increased, and the center of gravity of the body has also become lower due to the lower position of the engine. Weight reduction, size reduction, and center of gravity reduction have made significant progress in the second generation Q7 in terms of handling, power, and fuel consumption. In foreign countries, Q7 is divided into 5-seat version and 7-seat version, but in China, the 7-seat version is optional, in the same class, Mercedes-Benz and BMW can not be optional 7-seater.
 
The second-generation Q7 has three power specifications, the gasoline version is divided into 2.0T 40 TFSI, 3.0L supercharged 45TFSI, 45 TDI is a 3.0T diesel engine, the maximum horsepower is 272 horsepower, and parallel imports are required in China, in addition, the Q7 is equipped with Quattro full-time four-wheel drive as standard. The 2.0T version uses the third-generation EA888 engine, which makes 252 hp at 5,000-6,000 rpm and 370 Nm from 1,600 rpm until 4,500 rpm. Because the 40 TFSI also has more than 2100kg, so this EA888 tuned out of 252 horsepower, nearly 70 horsepower more than the 186 horsepower of the Tourang, although the power is not as abundant as the 45 TFSI, but the 000 acceleration only takes 7.2 seconds, 1600 rpm can already output the maximum torque, driving this two-ton car can be regarded as brisk, after all, the previous generation of 35 TFSI 3.0T is only 272 horsepower, and the car weighs 300kg more.
 
The 45 TFSI uses the same 3.0-liter V6 supercharged engine as its predecessor, making 333 hp and 440 Nm of torque, but it doesn't produce until 2,900 rpm. Although the same engine is used, the weight of the second-generation Q7 has been reduced, so the power has been significantly improved, and the 000 acceleration takes only 6 seconds, which is 1 second faster than the 2.0T model. Even with the same brake calipers in the front six and four in the rear, due to the weight reduction, the brakes of the second-generation Q7 are also better than the previous generation, the 40 TFSI brakes only 36 meters per 100 kilometers, and the weight of the 45 TFSI S Line reaches 2220kg, so the braking distance is slightly longer, reaching 37.5 meters.
 
After completing performance tests of the Q7, Consumer Reports concluded that the Q7's handling response was confident, making the three-row SUV feel like a smaller, more agile model. The cornering response is quick and decisive, the body is always balanced, and the steering becomes good as the speed increases.
 
The retuned air suspension is a highlight of the second-generation Q7. Consumer Reports in the United States believes that it is sufficient to cope with all kinds of potholes. On the old Q7, this air suspension was standard, but now it is optional. While the Q7 isn't designed for off-roading, the Audi Quattro system's terrain adaptability far surpasses that of the Range Rover in some respects. Under normal conditions, the power distribution between the front and rear axles is 40:60, and in extreme cases, the front axle can distribute up to 70% of the power, and the rear axle can be up to 85%.
 
The virtual cockpit design of the Audi Q7 is taken from the Audi TT, which integrates the MMI system and on-board computer display into the 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster. In terms of interface, the domestic Q7 lacks the combination of satellite map routes, so it is not as amazing as the overseas version, but fortunately, it also supports 3D display in some cities, and at the same time can provide real-time traffic information, which is easy to use for consumers in first-tier cities. As for Audi's voice control system, the interaction is very poor, although it supports Chinese, but there is a difficult communication between man and machine, and I feel that I can't understand people.
 
Consumer Reports expects the quality of the new Audi Q7 to reach the top level. However, in terms of the failure statistics of the first two years, the fragmented faults in air conditioning, brakes, car paint, audio system and body integrity can not be ignored, and Audi's electronic system is more, and most of the faulty lights will be reported in about 6 years. The engine and gearbox of the Q7 have been working very stably so far, but the old problems of burning oil in the last two generations of EA888 engines have appeared frequently, and the latest situation has yet to be tested by the market.
 
Audi has always done a good job of safety. Since the previous generation of the model, the Audi Q7 has received the highest rating in various basic tests of the IIHS, and in 2008 and 2009 it received the highest safety level in its class: TSP. In 2017, the Audi Q7 scored well in all IIHS basic categories (frontal small-angle overlap, frontal medium-overlap, side impact, roof impact, headrest and seat) and was only awarded the TSP because the illumination of the headlights did not meet the latest standards. The Audi Q7 has been tested twice in E-NCAP, once in 2006, with a driver and occupant safety score of 4 stars (out of 5 stars), and a pedestrian safety score of 2 stars (out of 4 stars), and the other in 2015, with a total score of 5 points, and the overall score ranked seventh in the E-NCAP test that year, but the Q7's pedestrian monitoring system can only automatically brake when it detects a pedestrian in front of it, and cars, motorcycles, and bicycles will not trigger automatic braking.
Audi Q7 test report