Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vs Audi Q7

What's the difference?

Given the original Sprinter was released in 1995, it’s not surprising the current third-generation model feels like it’s benefitted greatly from decades of continuous refinement. Although the list price difference between our test vehicle and its closest Chinese rival is substantial, the 417 MWB Panel Van is hard to fault in terms of driver comfort, safety and all-round competence. It really is very good.

Overall, changes to the Q7 aren’t quite revolutionary, but that’s okay because it was already a fantastic large SUV.

The fact Audi has kept the price around the same mark and introduced a cheaper entry-grade should be welcome news for prospective buyers.

But even the existing variants are capable and impressive family haulers… and now they’re just that little bit better.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The 417 MWB Panel Van rides on a 3665mm wheelbase (the shortest of three Sprinter wheelbases) and is almost 6.0 metres long (5932mm), more than 2.0 metres wide (2020mm) and stands almost 2.4 metres tall (2378mm). Its 12.4 metres kerb-to-kerb turning circle is impressively tight for a vehicle of this length.

It rides on simple and rugged MacPherson strut front suspension, with a robust live axle/leaf-spring arrangement under the tail. Steering is via rack and pinion and it has disc brakes all around.

Look beyond the optional silver metallic paint on our example and there’s extensive use of unpainted dark grey plastic on all the external surfaces where hard-working vans are most prone to wear and tear, including the hubcaps, front/rear bumpers, grille, door-handles/mirror shells and along the sides.

Its work-focused exterior styling is nicely integrated, combined with an equally neat and functional interior design that offers a visually-pleasing combination of patterned fabric seat-facings and hard surfaces that blend different shades of grey with splashes of satin chrome and piano black.

We also like the feel and response of mechanical switches (rather than touchscreen prompts) for adjusting settings like cabin temperature, fan speed and media volume.

The phrase ‘evolution not revolution’ is applicable here, cliche as it is, with the Q7 having been given a Botox-style lift at the front end.

The standard matrix LED headlights have a higher lighting signature than before, with the lighting elements leading into the lines down the shoulder of the SUV.

The grille now features a hexagonal honeycomb insert, the vertical line styling is now a thing of the past and the functional side vents are a little more aggro.

Overall, it’s a sharper look that brings the Q7 up to date with Audi’s current design language, down to the more angular wheel choices.

At the rear, the new tail-lights are ‘joined’ via a chrome strip spanning the rear, and the lower bumper (with real exhaust exits) has had a refresh.

Audi’s new CI badging (or ‘corporate identity’, pretty sexy stuff) is also present, which includes a new typeface for the ‘Q7’ badge at the rear, which is no longer italicised and is separate from the red ‘S line’ rhombus.

The four rings badge is also flatter and is white with black outlines, rather than a three-dimensional chrome badge.

Inside, the changes are more than skin-deep. In fact, the skin is the same, you’d be hard pressed to notice anything different about the Q7’s interior between pre- and post-facelift without diving into the electronics.

With its 2215kg kerb weight and 4100kg GVM, our test vehicle has a sizeable 1885kg payload rating.

It’s also rated to tow up to 2000kg of braked trailer and with its 6100kg GCM (or how it can legally carry and tow at the same time), that means it can tow its maximum trailer weight while hauling its maximum payload to ensure optimum versatility.

The cargo bay, which offers a cave-like 9.0 cubic metres of load volume and internal lighting front and rear, has internal dimensions of 3316mm length (with bulkhead), 1732mm width and 1719mm height.

So, with 1350mm between the rear wheel-housings, it can comfortably fit two standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallets or up to four 1200 x 800mm Euro pallets, held in place by a choice of 10 floor-mounted load-anchorage points.

The cargo bay is accessed through a single kerbside sliding door with a wide 1260mm opening, or symmetrical rear barn-doors with large handles on each pillar to assist operator access.

The barn-doors also have internal storage bins and open to a full 180-degrees to assist forklift and loading dock access. Thoughtfully, their hinge design also holds the doors firmly open at 180 degrees, to minimise the chance of wind gusts slamming them shut with potential injury to the operator.

There’s also plenty of cabin storage starting with two tiers of bins in each door, with the highest being spacious enough to hold large bottles.

There's also a deep shelf on the passenger side lower dash, a large lidded compartment in the central dash-pad and overhead shelves with lockable storage on the passenger side. Plus, the dash offers a total of eight cup/small-bottle holders.

The base cushion of the two-passenger bench seat is also hinged at the front, which allows it to tilt forward and provide access to a large hidden storage area beneath.

A crew of three can travel in relative comfort (for a commercial van that is) thanks to a central seating position that provides a sturdy hoop-handle for support, sufficient knee clearance from the dash even for tall people, and a reasonably flat and spacious floor area.

The cabin also features the latest next-gen 'MBUX' multimedia system with 10.25-inch touchscreen, which for the first time offers wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There’s also digital radio and enhanced functionality including an optional navigation upgrade with seven years of map updates.

Audi has changed the layout and added new apps in the main 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen, though fortunately it still has shortcuts to all the Big Dogs in terms of functions: media, navigation, phone, etc.

On top of that, everything is still in big, easy-to-see (and press) blocky buttons on the main screen.

The 8.6-inch screen below also still has climate controls readily available, and there are still physical buttons for a bunch of functions including drive modes.

The wide 12.3-inch driver display also remains familiar, though now has a higher resolution and more functionality in terms of on-road help and safety - which we’ll come to later in this review.

Aside from the tech, ‘spacious’ is an understatement when it comes to the big Audi’s cabin. In the front seats especially, the Q7’s central tunnel and dashboard are easy to reach without feeling like an enclosure as they wrap around the front passengers.

However, if I had to level one criticism at the usefulness of the Q7’s front row, it would be that despite there being physically plenty of room, storage is at a premium. 

For something this big, there aren’t many places to put items that aren’t your phone or a drink. 

There are door card holders for bigger bottles, some space for small items, and the cupholders of course, but the space under the central armrest including the phone charger is stingy.

Fortunately, the second row is not lacking space and is modular in its adjustability. Occupants can move seats, adjust their angle, and even sort out the middle seat separately. 

Depending on how high up the variant chain you go, separate climate controls for the middle row and the panoramic sunroof help create a comfortable and roomy feeling.

The second row can also be tucked up behind the front row for easier access to the third row, which (if the second row is slid forward a tad) is just spacious enough for an average adult to be relatively comfortable for a short trip. 

The third row seats are able to be folded or raised with switches that are accessible from the side doors or the (electric) tailgate, where there’s also a switch to lower or raise the rear suspension by 55mm to aid loading.

On that, the Q7 has a claimed luggage capacity of roughly 295L with all seats up, 780L with the third row folded down and 1908L with the second row lowered.

Four variants are available in the Audi Q7 line-up, excluding the performance-bent SQ7. Well, at the time of the launch event, one of those four is yet to arrive, that being the new entry-grade Q7 45 TFSI which starts from $108,815, before on-road costs. TFSI being ‘Turbo Fuel Stratified Injection’ or Audi-speak for ‘turbo-petrol’.

It’s joined by a diesel-powered 45 TDI which starts from $117,284, before on-roads. But ‘entry-grade’ for the Q7 doesn’t mean skint on goodies, both coming in with standard gear like leather-appointed upholstery with heated electrically adjustable front seats, an electric folding third row, wireless phone charging, screens and tech galore, matrix LED headlights, 20-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, and a slew of safety features including some new stuff, but we’ll get to that later.

The matrix LEDs are one of the main new bits of kit, though a daytime drive route meant not getting to put those to use. They’re pretty, though…

The 45 grades can be upgraded with the $3900 'Premium Package' to add 21-inch alloys, four-zone climate control, black exterior styling and coloured interior ambient lighting.

Stepping up from the 45s are the 50 TDI S line and 55 TFSI S line, which together at $136,815 each form the next rung up from entry.

They’ve got 21-inch wheels and an S line exterior pack along with tinted privacy glass to tell them apart from the entry 45s from the outside, but inside there’s four-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up display and proper leather upholstery for the seats.

Australian 50 TDIs and 55 TFSIs come standard with an S line interior pack that includes sports seats, leather steering wheel and shifter, aluminium inlays and door trim, plus black headlining and floor mats with contrast stitching.

There are two option packs at this level: the $4200 'Luxury Seat Package' adds S sports seats that feature an integrated headrest, Valcona leather with diamond stitching, ventilation for the front seats and heating for the second row’s outboard seats.

Then there’s a 'Premium Plus Package' for $5500 which brings 22-inch alloys, sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, dynamic all-wheel steering, a black exterior styling pack and power-assisted closing doors.

Given the update is all up relatively minor, prospective buyers will be pleased to know the same can be said for the pricing changes - even a year ago, the prices for the Q7 variants that were on sale at the time were within a couple of thousand dollars of where they are now.

The (OM654) 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel, which meets Euro 6 emissions standards using AdBlue, produces 125kW of power at 3800rpm with peak torque of 400Nm served between 1700-2400rpm. The nine-speed torque converter automatic offers the choice of sequential manual-shifting using the steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The four drivetrain options for the Q7 line-up are split between the two ‘grades’, with the 45 TFSI and TDI powering the 'entry-level' cars and the 50 TDI and 55 TFSI as the feature-packed variants.

The most affordable option is the 45 TFSI, which runs a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine making 185kW and 370Nm.

Like all variants in the Q7 range, the 45 TFSI engine powers all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Audi claims the 45 TFSI will hit 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, if that’s your thing when it comes to three-row SUVs.

The rest of the line-up is powered by different versions of the brand’s 3.0-litre V6, all turbocharged, and all with 48-volt ‘mild hybrid’ (MHEV) tech aiming to increase efficiency.

The 45 TDI is, of course, a turbo-diesel 3.0-litre V6 that makes 170kW and 500Nm, also sending power and torque to all four wheels via the same style transmission. Audi says this one knocks over 100km/h in 7.1 seconds.

Similarly, but with more power and torque, the 50 TDI is also powered by a turbo-diesel unit as the name suggests. This one puts out 210kW and 600Nm, making it likely the best choice for towing and such even though all V6 variants boast a 3500kg braked towing capacity. The 50 TDI’s figure to hit 100km/h is a claimed 5.9 seconds.

Finally, the 55 TFSI makes 250kW and 500Nm, and boasts a 5.9-second claimed 0-100km/h time.

The dash display was claiming average combined consumption of 9.5L/100km when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 281km test, of which about one third of that distance was hauling a heavy payload (see Driving).

Our own figure of 11.7 (based on actual fuel bowser and tripmeter figures) was higher but still reasonable economy for a vehicle in this GVM class in mostly urban use.

So, based on our own figures, you could expect a ‘real world’ driving range of around 800km from its 93-litre tank, which has been enlarged from 71 litres as part of the latest upgrades.

As you might expect, diesel versions of the Audi Q7 are claimed to use less fuel than their petrol counterparts, so let’s start with those. 

The 45 TDI boasts a claimed 7.0L/100km consumption figure, while the 50 TDI is a little higher at 7.1 litres. Both have 75-litre fuel tanks, and should therefore theoretically get more than 1000km out of a fill.

On to the petrol models, the four-cylinder TFSI 45 has a claimed 9.3L/100km efficiency figure and the V6 TFSI 55's number is 9.0L/100km.

Given the nature of the driving and groups sharing cars during the launch event, we’ll wait until we’re next in a Q7 for a longer time before doing our own efficiency test.

Large handles on the doors and overhead shelves assist climbing aboard and there’s enough adjustment in the well-bolstered seat and leather-rimmed steering wheel to find a comfortable position.

Driver views from all angles are excellent thanks to well-designed mirrors along with cameras supported by active aids like blind-spot monitoring etc.

The cabin, with its high roof relative to seat height, has a spacious and airy feel and all controls are reasonably intuitive and easy to reach.

Unladen ride quality is surprisingly supple for a vehicle with a 6.0-tonne-plus GCM rating, combined with excellent steering feel that strikes a fine balance between minimal turning effort at low speeds (for loading etc) and firm handling response at higher speeds.

The drivetrain is also energetic, pulling strongly and cleanly from 1000rpm even though its maximum torque is tapped higher in the 1700-2400rpm zone. The automatic transmission has admirable refinement, with near-seamless shifting between its nine ratios.

The Sprinter is also impressively quiet at speeds up to 80km/h. Tyre and wind noise (the latter mainly around the large door mirrors) naturally increase at highway speeds, but remain far from intrusive. And with the engine requiring less than 2000rpm to maintain 110km/h, it’s well-suited to highway work.

To test its load-carrying ability, we forklifted 1.3 tonnes into the cargo bay which with driver equalled a payload of 1.4 tonnes. That's still almost half a tonne less than its limit.

Not surprisingly, it handled this load with ease, as handling and braking were largely unaffected and the ride quality became smoother thanks to such a big increase in sprung weight. Even so, the rear springs only compressed about 30mm.

It easily conquered our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h with this load onboard, as the auto downshifted to fourth gear to tap maximum torque when hauling this load to the summit.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear, wasn’t as robust but not unexpected given a 2.0-litre engine trying to restrain 1.4 tonnes of payload on a steep descent. Even so, the quartet of disc brakes efficiently kept speeds in check.

Overall, it was an impressive performance. However, we did note that the speed sign recognition function was not working for the duration of our test. And some welcome enhancements would be a driver’s left footrest and a fold-down inboard armrest for the driver’s seat, as fitted to its smaller Vito sibling.

Aside from the mild-hybrid now standard on the Q7’s V6 models, there’s not a whole lot to report on in terms of new tricks or surprises from behind the wheel.

But that’s okay, because it means the Q7 remains a supremely comfortable and capable large SUV.

Our test route consisted of plenty of rural driving, with a combination of surfaces that would in some family haulers see the suspension and maybe even steering show cracks in their ability - but the Q7 remains composed.

Given its weight and size, it can feel a little hefty around sharper corners, but the Q7 in these variants (i.e, not its performance-focused SQ7 sibling) isn’t built to be hustled like that.

It feels like the kind of air-suspended loungeroom-on-wheels that would be at home barreling down the autobahn at 180km/h and being completely undramatic about it.

Still, this model shares some moving parts underneath with the likes of the extremely capable Porsche Cayenne, and while the Q7 isn’t quite a giant hot hatch, the sound foundations shine through dynamically.

Of course, when it comes to powertrains, there isn’t really a wrong answer, each engine fits a purpose.

If you’ll ever need to tow (and you can at up to 3500kg braked), the low-down steady urge of the 50 TDI is probably your best bet, but even the 45 TDI is a solid choice for long-range motoring.

The petrol models will better suit those in city situations, and while they never feel truly urgent, the 55 TFSI isn’t without some impressive push for something of this size.

The Q7 is a maximum five-star car according to ANCAP, but the list of safety features is dozens long. 

The highlights include adaptive cruise assist, lane assist and side assist, surround view cameras and new traffic sign recognition plus warnings for approaching cyclists and the like.

In fact, Audi claims there are more than 30 active safety features, and almost all of them are standard across the range. The only one that isn’t is 'Parking Assist' with 'Park System Plus', as Audi calls it - the base 45 TFSI is only equipped with Park System Plus and not Park Assist.

Basically, the 45 TFSI can’t take over the task of parking itself, while the others can.

It’s all handled through radars, cameras, and sensors and when you’re on the road functionality is relatively unobtrusive which is a plus!

For reference, the Q7 has eight airbags including dual-frontal, side-chest airbags for front and second row outboard passengers, plus side head-protecting or curtain airbags for both rows.

On top of that, there are ISOFIX points not only in the second row, but also in the third, totalling five spots all up.

Warranty is five years/250,000km whichever occurs first and includes a roadside assist support package.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/40,000km. Pay-as-you-go capped-pricing for the first five scheduled services totals $5905, or a pricey average of $1181 per year. Service plans are also available.

Audi’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is pretty standard for a premium brand, but five years of free roadside assist and the ability to add a package to extend the warranty both add a little extra to the deal.

For the Q7, a five-year servicing plan is $3820, while the $4370 'Audi Advantage' plan adds two years to the warranty, two more services, and two more years' roadside assist.