2018 Audi A7

Overview

Few cars are as sharp-looking as Audi’s ageless four-door fastback. Seemingly fueled from the fountain of youth, the A7 delivers an exceptional experience on the boulevard or at the track. It is loaded with standard features and incorporates a class-exclusive hatchback body with copious cargo space. The interior, with its high-class materials, defines fineness. A standard 340-hp supercharged V-6 syncs to an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive, to deliver a performance symphony. Want more? Check out the 450-hp S7 or the RS7, with up to 605 horses. However, we think the standard A7 should please most shoppers with a balanced blend of luxury and athleticism.

What's New for 2018?

The A7 is essentially unchanged for 2018. Instead, it now has more standard features, and last year’s Competition model is now a $3000 package. Audi also made its more powerful 340-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 standard, up from 333 horsepower. The Competition package still adds sporty exterior and interior elements, S-line bumpers, a taut but livable suspension, and a Quattro sport differential. The Premium Plus model now has full LED ambient interior lighting as standard, and the Prestige trim includes a standard corner-view camera.

Pricing

Original MSRP:

• Premium Plus: $70,675
• Prestige: $73,375

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The A7 has a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 as its sole power producer. It’s backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. These agents of acceleration can’t propel the A7 from zero to 60 mph more quickly than its top rivals, but this large, refined four-door hatchback is still eye-openingly fast. Audi made last year’s performance-oriented Competition model a standalone package. It also planted its more powerful 340-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 in both standard models, boosting horsepower by seven ponies. The Competition package continues to include a torque-vectoring rear differential. The A7 is tamer and more refined than top performance-oriented rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG E43 and the Cadillac CTS V-Sport. Then again, even stepping into the ring with Muhammad Ali or Joe Louis—let alone landing a flurry of punches—deserves praise. Enthusiasts will appreciate the Audi’s stirring acceleration, zealous chassis, and powerful brakes. We’ve long praised the A7’s competent chassis, excellent body control, and resilient ride quality. It has the transcendent road manners that should be expected from a sporting luxury car. Its steering is light but precise, and its ride is taut but serene. For this review, we drove the Competition trim with its larger, standard 20-inch wheels and sport suspension. The wheels were shod in all-season rubber. High-performance summer tires are available at no cost by adding the 20-inch-wheel package ($1200) or the 20-inch Black Optic package. Nevertheless, this fastback continues to impress with its predictable, fluid road manners and gutsy but graceful performance.

Fuel Economy

EPA fuel economy testing and reporting procedures have changed over time. For the latest and most accurate fuel economy numbers on current and older vehicles, we use the U.S. Department of Energy's fueleconomy.gov website. Under the heading "Find & Compare Cars" click on the "Compare Side-by-Side" tool to find the EPA ratings for the make, model, and year you're interested in.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

A “base” A7 isn’t a base model at all. Rather, it’s loaded with standard features such as four-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a power tilting and telescoping steering wheel. The interior of the top-of-the-line A7 Competition we tested was a luxurious cocoon, with standard amenities that included special rear bucket seats, leather-wrapped door armrests, and debonair black-and-red, diamond-stitched seats. A head-up display is standard, too, but its bulky housing creates an eyesore in an otherwise visually harmonious interior. It also was equipped with the Cold Weather package ($500); this adds heating functionality to the rear seats and steering wheel but deletes the sporty flat-bottom helm that’s otherwise standard. A hatchback design that’s unique for the class adds extra functionality to the A7’s luxury-meets-sport vehicular equation. The power-operated liftgate conceals 25 cubic feet of class-leading cargo space—the same amount as behind the 2017 Jeep Cherokee’s back seat.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Audi Connect MMI infotainment system in the A7 isn’t as modern as the digital extravaganzas on display in rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG E43 and the Jaguar XF. Still, it’s more responsive than many popular smartphones, and it features standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The standard 8.0-inch screen doesn’t have touch-function capability, which means fewer fingerprints but odd interactions with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We appreciate that the infotainment screen can drop down into the dashtop at the push of a button, but the Audi Connect interface looks outdated. Audi’s awesome Virtual Cockpit display is sadly unavailable; instead, the A7 uses a 7.0-inch display between its analog gauges. The system has several upscale standard features, such as handwriting-recognition software on its center-console touchpad and a 14-speaker, 630-watt Bose surround-sound system. Those who want their ears to bleed from Whitney Houston belting out “I Will Always Love You” can opt for the 15-speaker, 1300-watt Bang & Olufsen superstereo.

Safety Features and Crash Test Ratings

For more information about the Audi A7's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.

Warranty

Some older vehicles are still eligible for coverage under a manufacturer's Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program. For more information visit our guide to every manufacturer's CPO program.