2024 Audi Q7: laser lighting and new look for luxury SUV

On sale March | Price from £66,605

With age comes wisdom. And despite the current Audi Q7 launching nine years ago, it remains one of our favourite luxury SUVs – and one of the best seven-seaters money can buy.

But Audi is bringing in changes to help the Q7 stay fresh among luxury SUV rivals including the BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90, and it’s the car’s tech that quite literally comes under the spotlight. 

Laser lighting technology will come as standard on high-spec Q7 Vorsprung models. The high-power lighting activates when the car passes 43.5mph and, according to Audi, significantly increases the main-beam range. Drivers will even be able to select different light signatures to customise the night-time look of their car.

The tech is in addition to Audi’s more familiar Matrix LED headlights, which will be fitted as standard across the Q7 range. It uses 24 LEDs and shape-shifting technology to illuminate the road ahead more brightly whilst not dazzling other road users.

The revised luxury SUV will trip the light fantastic at the rear, too, with a proximity detection feature which activates all of the car’s digital rear lights when a vehicle approaches a stationary Q7.

It’s not just the beams that have been changed: the 2024 Audi Q7’s physical headlamp units have been repositioned as part of a range of front-end changes. The grille design is new, and some of the more fussy detailing of today’s model has been removed. The sporty S line trim now looks more like the high-performance Audi SQ7, with new air intakes in the bumper. The SQ7 itself has a redesigned front bumper, larger air intakes and black trim pieces.

New paint finishes, including Sakhir Gold, Ascari Blue and Chilli Red have been added, alongside new alloy wheel designs which measure up to 22in in diameter.

While the interior hasn’t changed as part of the revisions, the Audi Q7’s infotainment system will have the ability to use third party apps such as Spotify and Amazon Music directly, rather than via connectivity platforms such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and more apps will be available in time.

The updated Q7’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrument display will display lane-change warning, junction assistance and traffic light information, all in HD quality.

Three main trims will be available. S line features Matrix LED headlights, bump-smoothing adaptive air suspension and leather upholstery. Black Edition brings 21in dark grey alloy wheels, sports-tuned air suspension and gloss black exterior trims. Vorsprung models add laser headlights, a panoramic roof, four-wheel steering, more leather upholstery and a B&O audio system. A limited-edition Launch Edition model will also be available, slotting between Black Edition and Vorsprung in the line-up.

The facelifted Audi Q7’s engine range is unchanged from the current version, which is no bad thing. Two 3.0-litre V6 diesel engines, badged 45 TDI and 50 TDI, both deliver gutsy acceleration and while official figures for the new car are yet to be announced, they should sit around the 35mpg mark. The pick of today’s range is the petrol-powered 55 TFSI which, poorer fuel economy aside, is hard to fault.

“Pillowy” is how we described the ride of the current Q7, and with no significant changes being made to how the new car drives, we expect the same superlatives to be applied.

At the top of the range, the 2024 Audi SQ7 retains the same 500bhp 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine, with predictably explosive performance: 0-62mph takes 4.1sec – 0.4sec less than the regular Aston Martin DBX – but our roadtesters note that the closely-related Porsche Cayenne is more agile.

While the Land Rover Discovery and BMW X7 are more spacious, the current Q7 remains one of the most practical seven-seaters for families. That’s because Audi offers six Isofix child-seat mounting points, all three second-row seats slide back and forth and tumble easily to allow access to the third row. An electric tailgate is fitted as standard to all models, and foot-gesture opening is available as an option.

With the extra technology comes a price increase of around £2,000-£3,000 depending on model. That’s more than a comparable BMW X5, but less than the Volvo XC90. But unlike those models, no plug-in hybrid Q7 is currently available. 

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