Audi SQ7 TDI (2016-2020) review – interior and tech
Audi’s biggest S model digs deep into its technical arsenal to create a talented, if somewhat joyless SUV, but then aren’t they all?
The Audi SQ7’s interior is the most substantial part of its recent update, with a completely new dash layout and tech package. Such a substantial change is unusual for just a simple mid-life update, but as the Q7 shares its basic interior dimensions with the new Q8, it was a relatively straightforward process to replace it with the more advanced interior from its sleeker sibling. As a result, the previous A4-like interior with its low dash and hidden screen has been swapped for Audi’s latest dual-touch screen set-up situated within the taller and more substantial black-panel interior.
The previous Q7 was hardly dated, but the new layout feels far more contemporary, even if in sheer usability terms its progress is less apparent. The haptic screens do work with more clarity and responsiveness than most others though, and compared to BMW and Mercedes’ increasingly complex user interfaces, it is fairly logical.
Space inside is vast, as you’d expect, and material and build quality is top-notch too, with the Vorsprung model raising the interior ambiance even further with a (real) leather-wrapped dash top and wonderfully waxy leather. It certainly outclasses the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE, and makes the Bentley Bentayga feel three generations old. If there is one gripe, it would be the entire interior’s propensity to get completely covered in greasy fingerprints and dust, which inevitably ruins the minimalist vibe.
