Audi Q7 News

Audi has uncovered its updated Q7 TFSI e SUV, the successor to the e-tron variant that was on sale in Australia from 2018.However, the new plug-in variant of the facelifted Q7 is uncertain for Australia, with CarsGuide awaiting Audi's response on whether

Audi has lifted the lid on its facelifted SQ7 seven-seater that will sit above the Q7 large luxury SUV line-up when it hits Australian showrooms in the first half of next year.

Audi has revealed an updated version of its flagship family SUV, the 2020 Audi Q7, in order to compete better with a slew of newer rivals.Featuring updated styling, an all-new dashboard and new drivetrains, the mid-life facelift for the Q7 is more comprehensive in its scope than typical mid-life facelifts by the German luxury brand. Using redesigned headlights with newly-available ‘Matrix’ LED lighting, the Q7 is stylistically more in line with the brand’s newer products including the Q8, thanks in part to the adoption of the new Audi corporate grille. The rear has also been refreshed with new tail-lights and a horizontal chrome strip and new wheels from 19-inches in size are available.Thanks to new styling, the updated Q7 is 11mm longer at 5063mm from nose to tail. Other dimensions, including the 2994mm wheelbase, are unchanged. The Q7's interior has been updated with an all-new dashboard taken from the Q8. The pre-updated model’s tablet-like multimedia system has been shelved for a 10.25-inch touchscreen unit with Audi’s latest software. Multi-colour LED ambient lighting also features, as does newly available trims and colouring. Audi’s ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital dials are standard. The updated Q7 feature a range of petrol and diesel engines, all with new 48V mild-hybrid tech that boosts both performance and efficiency, according to Audi. A 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel is available in 170kW and 210kW forms, while a 250kW 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol will also be available in some markets. Australian drivetrain choices and fuel economy ratings are yet to be announced.  These will soon be followed by the 320kW/900Nm twin-turbo V8 diesel SQ7, and plug-in hybrid Q7 e-tron. As with the just-revealed SQ8 TDI, the Q7 will be available with new active roll stabilisation that reportedly smoothens the ride quality and enhances the car’s cornering ability. All-wheel steering is now optional to increase low-speed agility and both steel and air suspension systems will be available too. Speaking to CarsGuide, Audi Australia spokesperson Shaun Cleary confirmed that the updated Q7 will launch locally in the first half of 2020 with local pricing and specs to be confirmed before then.

Audi Australia is waiting for a fix for a potential emissions management issue that has seen the company halt the sale of two of three Q7 variants in October, which has contributed to an 80 per cent sales slide for its large SUV last month.The design flaw in 160kW and 200kW versions of the Q7’s 3.0-litre TDI V6 diesel engine means the system can’t detect if its AdBlue anti-pollution system has been filled with AdBlue or another incorrect solution, meaning there is the potential for tampering.AdBlue is a fluid made up of urea and deionised water that is injected into a diesel vehicle’s exhaust system to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) – one of the main causes of urban smog –  and it breaks down the NOx into water and nitrogen.The stop-sale for new and used Q7 diesel V6 TDIs has come at a bad time for Audi, with BMW’s new-generation X5 large SUV set to lob before the end of November.Mercedes-Benz is also gearing up for the arrival in April 2019 of its freshly revealed GLE SUV.The launch next month of Audi’s new Q8 upper-large SUV could provide the carmaker with some relief at the top end of the segment, but it will be keen to make sure the Q7 is back in showrooms by then.Audi Australia corporate communications manager Shaun Cleary said engineers were working on a solution and that sales would resume as soon as it has been optimised and installed.The two V6 TDI Q7s have been withdrawn for sale Down Under, leaving the flagship $161,900 (plus on-road costs) V8 4.0-litre diesel SQ7 as the only variant offered.The Q7 e-tron plug-in hybrid was only offered as a limited-edition variant in Australia and is not affected by the issue.Audi Australia confirmed to CarsGuide that it is not conducting a recall/rectification program for customer cars potentially impacted by the fault.Q7 sales have dropped from 266 in June to just 29 in October. Last month’s tally was an 86 per cent dip compared with the same month in 2017, while year-to-date Q7 sales have now slipped by 31 per cent.VFACTS sales figures reveal that Audi registered four new Q8s last month ahead of the its media launch in December and showroom launch in January.The Q8 will be offered initially with a 3.0-litre TFSI petrol engine, while a 3.0-litre diesel will follow later in 2019.

Audi's e-tron SUV will be fitted with a high-tech recuperation system so clever that, if you live around some very large hills, it could theoretically keep driving forever.

Audi’s hybrid Q7 large SUV will be arriving in Australian showrooms before the end of 2017, after getting federal government approval to import and sell the model locally.

Audi chairman Rupert Stadler has confirmed that the German prestige brand will bolster its SUV range with the addition of Q4 and Q6 crossovers.

Audi and Volkswagen have issued three safety recall notices involving 582,822 vehicles sold exclusively in the United States.

The car industry’s push towards autonomous cars has been put on show at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Luxury SUV sales growth continues during first five months of 2016.