The Audi A7 was once considered a risky offering in a market that had never seen a large luxurious high-performance hatchback. Risks occasionally pay off; Audi's big beautiful five-door has become a regular—if still dramatic—sight across the country. For those willing to follow a slightly different path the A7 offers an extraordinary blend of aesthetic refinement, accommodating space, and rousing all-conditions performance.
What's New for 2017
The A7 makes its upscale-supercruiser way into 2017 largely unchanged. The new Competition trim level adds a bit of a performance-image edge, and an improved smartphone interface and Bose sound system are fitted to the standard infotainment package. The diesel powerplant option has been shelved pending the outcome of VW/Audi's troubles with the EPA.
Choosing Your Audi A7
The Audi A7 is closely related to Audi's more traditional A6 sedan; the two share underpinnings and many mechanical pieces. However, the A7 forgoes the A6's traditional silhouette in favor of a gracefully sloping rear topped by a large power-assisted liftgate.
All A7s are powered by supercharged 3-liter V6s. (The more powerful S7 and much more powerful RS7 with their turbocharged V8s are covered separately.) Drive is sent through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels via Audi's quattro system. The resulting transfer of force should be more than adequate for all but the most aggressive drivers: an A7 will hit 60 mph in about five seconds and clear a quarter mile in under fourteen. Given the A7's impressive pace, all-wheel-drive hardware and significant curb weight (well over 4000 pounds) the EPA estimates of 21 MPG city and 29 MPG highway are all the more respectable.
Standard equipment for the A7 includes Drive Select, which adjusts the car's dynamic profile to driver preference; Audi's MMI infotainment system, which incorporates handwriting-recognition technology, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD radio and SiriusXM receivers, and fourteen Bose speakers; four-zone climate control; leather upholstery; and a sunroof.
Available packages include Driver Assistance (adaptive cruise control, active lane assist, Audi's pre sense collision-mitigation system), upgraded front seats in the Premium Plus and Prestige, and a cold weather suite of rear-seat and steering wheel heaters.
The S line Sport and Comfort Seating packs are available on the Premium Plus and Prestige models; the Competition essentially includes much of both of these. Infrared night-visions sensors and an atmosphere-warping Bang & Olufsen sound system are among the standalone options.
The A7 is available in three trim levels:
The Premium Plus remains our top pick; unless ventilated seats are on the must-have list the few extras obtained by stepping up to Prestige don't go far enough to justify the difference. Drivers who are interested in the A7 Competition will want to weigh both the standard A7 with the S line Sport package and the S7 before committing.