2020 Audi A7 Review

　　

2020 Audi A7 Review

byKurt NiebuhrSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　Ever since its introduction to the U.S. in 2012, the Audi A7 has been a bit of a curiosity. It's based on Audi's A6 midsize sedan but has a sleeker profile and a hatchback design instead of a traditional trunk, essentially gaining more style and practicality in exchange for less rear headroom. Untraditional as it may be, the A7 has found enough of an audience for Audi to keep it going, with the second-generation car debuting just last year.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Audi A7 Premium 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$188/mo  for A7 Premium

　　A7 Premium

　　Premium 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 7AM) - $69,000 MSRPPremium Plus 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 7AM) (Most Popular) - $73,600 MSRPPrestige 4dr Sedan AWD w/55 TFSI (3.0L 6cyl Turbo gas/electric mild hybrid 7AM) - $79,700 MSRP

　　vs

　　$197/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　The 2020 Audi A7 doesn't fit neatly into a category so its competition ranges from station wagons to sport-oriented SUVs. Ironically, most of those can be bought under the Audi badge in the form of the A6 Allroad wagon, the A6 sedan and the Q8 SUV. Looking outside the brand, the Volvo V90 wagon offers sophisticated styling and superior practicality, while the Porsche Panamera SUV serves up elevated levels of performance with a similar hatchback body style. For its part, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe SUV balances practicality with its own unique style.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.1

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.5/10

　　How does the A7 drive? Acceleration is strong. Our test A7 logged the 0-60 sprint in just 4.7 seconds. It also posted short emergency-stopping distances, though much of the credit went to our test car's optional summer performance tires. Fitted with the optional S line sport package, the A7 handles surprisingly well. But there's quite a difference in steering feel across the driving modes — Comfort is almost too light, while Dynamic tends to feel needlessly heavy in some situations.

　　The power delivery when leaving a stop can be a little jerky, which is somewhat unrefined for a car of this class. Sport mode helps smooth out the delivery a bit and doesn't hang onto gears unnecessarily long. Upshifts are nearly imperceptible, no matter which gear you're in or how much throttle you're giving it.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the A7? The A7 is a comfortable cruiser offering a smooth ride over a variety of surfaces. The base seats feel great but don't have as many adjustments as those in rivals. Massaging seats with more customization are available, but they are expensive. The climate control system works great.

　　While the engine is barely audible at highway speeds, there's more wind and road noise than we'd expect for this class. Ambient noises from outside the car seep in readily too. None of it is terribly distracting, however, and keeping the radio at even a low level will drown it all out. You'll always feel the aforementioned driveline shocks in first gear.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? While the swoopy roofline suggests rear visibility will be impeded, the A7 actually has excellent sightlines all around. Alas, the slinky profile hampers entry, exit and rear headroom. It's not the most spacious midsize car, so if you sit in the rear behind a tall person, you'll need to scrunch and rotate your body 90 degrees before exiting.

　　Audi's latest dual-panel touchscreen is attractive but difficult to use. Navigating the menus of the setup requires far too much driver attention and presents a steep learning curve. There are many menus and selecting items require a firm, deliberate press when in haptic mode. A few functions can be accessed by drawing on the lower screen, but you have to navigate to those input screens first.

　　

Technology

9.0/10

　　How’s the tech? The A7 cabin is an oasis for tech lovers. The instrument panel and touchscreen displays are crisp, while the sound system is so good you might swear off talk radio forever. The voice command system works great, which is fortunate due to how confounding the touchscreen interface is.

　　Our test A7 was equipped with four USB ports — two under the front armrest and two behind the center console for rear passengers. There was also a wireless charging pad under the front armrest. Wireless Apple CarPlay is a great feature, and the system reacts quickly to user inputs.

　　The A7's driver aids are generally very good. The adaptive cruise control operates smoothly. Lane-keeping is subtle and deals with gentle corners well, but it's disconcertingly flummoxed by tighter corners. Rear cross-traffic braking assist is too sensitive.

　　

Storage

7.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The hatchback design gives the A7 more cargo room and space flexibility than the A6 sedan and other competing four-doors. Since the A7 is a hatchback, the cargo area has a flat, wide space with side pockets, tiedown rings and LED strips. There's nowhere to stow the cargo cover if you don't want it, but at least it's short. The 40/20/40-split rear seat folds almost flat and doesn't require the front seats be moved forward.

　　Like the Audi A6, there aren't many places to store things inside, so drivers should probably declutter before settling in. Easily accessible car-seat anchors aid in fitting a safety seat.

　　

Fuel Economy

9.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the A7 earns 24 mpg in combined driving (22 city/29 highway). These numbers are slightly higher than the class average,and great for an engine with this much power. Our test car averaged 27.5 mpg over our 115-mile mixed-driving evaluation route, indicating that the EPA's estimates are achievable.

　　

Value

7.5/10

　　Is the A7 a good value? The quality of materials and construction is excellent, though the blinding chrome trim and a rattling speaker in our test car diminished the primo luxury vibe. Still, the A7 can be expensive, and you can get more cargo room from the Q8 SUV for less money. Warranty coverage for a luxury automaker is average.

　　

Wildcard

9.0/10

　　There aren't many midsize luxury hatchbacks, and Audi went out of its way to make this car feel special. The S line package and sticky tires endow this tech-heavy people mover with performance chops, and the turbo V6 is more powerful than you might think.

　　For better or worse, the A7 greatly differentiates itself from the A6 it's based on. Its rear hatch allows for more cargo room at the expense of rear-seat headroom. The styling makes it look a bit sleeker too. Otherwise, it has the same high-tech interior and spirited dynamics we love in the A6.

　　

Which A7 does zzdcar recommend?

The midgrade Premium Plus is our pick of the A7 lineup thanks to its additional standard features such as wireless charging and Audi's impressive Virtual Cockpit fully digital instrument cluster. It also opens up the door to option packages such as the sporty S line package and the luxurious Executive package.

　　

2020 Audi A7 models

The 2020 A7 is offered in three trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. All trims are powered by a 335-horsepower turbocharged V6 engine. All-wheel drive is standard.

　　Premium

　　Comes well equipped from the start with:

　　LED headlights Panoramic sunroof Dual-screen infotainment system Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibilityPremium Plus

　　Adds equipment and new options packages, such as:

　　Integrated navigation system Wireless charging Premium audio system Digital gauge cluster display (Virtual Cockpit Plus)Notable option packages for the Premium Plus include:

　　Executive package (more features, including heated rear seats and upgraded headlights) Driver Assistance package (traffic-adaptive cruise control, plus other safety features)Prestige

　　Tops the A7 line. Includes all of the above plus:

　　Head-up display Soft-close doors Upgraded headlights Dual-pane sound-insulating glass

　　

2020 A7 Highlights

Trim: PremiumPremium PlusPrestigePremium

　　

Base MSRP	$69,000
Engine Type	Mild hybrid
Combined MPG	24 MPG
Cost to Drive	$188/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	24.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles