Used 2021 Audi A7

With seductive styling that hides a practical sportback body, innovative technology, and potent powertrains, the 2021 Audi A7 is a smart alternative to the average executive sedan. You could also think of it as an A6 with more usable cargo space thanks to its upward-rising hatch door.

While the A6 luxury sedan starts with a 4-cylinder engine, the A7 comes with a 335-horsepower V6, at least partly justifying its $69,000-plus starting price. The A7 flies in a rare class of luxury liftbacks that include the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe and Porsche Panamera, both of which are priced significantly higher.

The Audi A7 is a compelling package, bringing the German luxury brand’s quattro all-wheel-drive system as standard, excellent fit and finish, digital wizardry, and satisfying road manners.

Drivers seeking more performance can easily get it in the S7 that boasts 444 horsepower, or the even wilder 591-horsepower RS 7, which is reviewed separately.

Beneath the 2021 Audi A7’s dynamically carved aluminum hood rests a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 pumping out a very healthy 335 horsepower. Channeling all this energy is Audi’s famed quattro all-wheel-drive system, only this one has been tweaked a bit to allow the front wheels to do most of the work, only engaging the rear wheels when the system deems it necessary.

However, unlike most part-time AWD setups that wait for wheel slippage to occur before rerouting power, the A7 employs a predictive system that sends power to the rear wheels before it’s needed. This setup ensures maximum traction on both wet and dry pavement at all times, while simultaneously helping conserve fuel.

The A7’s turbocharged V6 is blessed with abundant torque and offers it up at a low rpm, making the car feel exceptionally quick off the line. The result is a 0-60 mph time in a swift 5.2 seconds.

An equally exceptional 7-speed dual-clutch automatic complete with paddle shifters allows the driver even faster gear changes exactly when required, such as when attacking a steep and twisting 2-lane road.

Audi has done a marvelous job with the A7’s suspension damping, helping this 4,332-pound sedan feel like a much smaller, lighter vehicle.

The S7 is even more rewarding. It also uses a V6 engine, but this one is twin-turbocharged to make 444 horsepower. Linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission, it can rip from 0-60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. It also features upgraded brakes and your choice of adaptive air suspension (standard) or S Sport adaptive steel suspension (optional).

Interior noise levels are practically imperceptible, and the interior’s stunning design and high-tech dash further add to the feeling you’re behind the wheel of something special. You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced the scrolling Google Map display on the A7’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster display, which renders traditional analog gauges as relevant as a CD player or 8-track tape deck.

Aided by this powertrain’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system, we also must give Audi props for the seamless auto stop/start feature. It is among the smoothest we’ve experienced, although not quite up to par with that of the Mercedes-Benz CLS 450, still another German sedan with a swoopy roofline.

The front part of the A7’s cabin is similar to that of the A6, which is to say it’s a driver-focused environment awash in leather and wood, with configurable mood lighting. Audi’s all-new MMI dual-screen Touch Response system has replaced the familiar rotary dial and conventional infotainment controls of the previous-generation A6 and A7, but the jury’s still out on how much easier the system works, especially when the car is in motion.

Base Premium trims have an 8.8-inch touchscreen is at the top of the A7’s center stack, while the higher two trims have a larger 10.1-inch screen. All models have an 8.6-inch lower screen that serves as the climate-control panel and pad for text inputs drawn by your finger. Like a touchpad, both require the driver to take his or her eyes off the road to operate, sometimes longer than just the quick glance needed to operate a knob or button.

Overall interior room is sufficient for four adults, but rear headroom is compromised a bit by the A7’s sloping roofline. What the A7 lacks in rear headroom it makes up for in expanded cargo space vs. that of a traditional sedan (see Favorite Features).

Audi’s A7 Sportback doesn’t share a single body part (or glass panel) with the A6 upon which it’s based. Chrome use has been minimized to emphasize the A7’s distinctive design proportions, while the D-pillars and third side windows help form the familiar sportback shape. In front, the low and wide grille adds a sporty flair, while pronounced wheel arches hint at the new A7’s standard quattro all-wheel drive.

When the A7 is viewed from the side, note how the car’s low shoulder line, which sweeps downward, and the window line, which rises, convey a sense of motion. At the back of the A7 is an active spoiler that deploys at 75 mph.

The S7 performance model distinguishes itself with a slightly lower ride height, quad exhaust outlets, and unique front and rear fascias.

New for 2021, 20-inch wheels are standard on the A7, while the S7 gets 21-inch wheels as standard.

AUDI VIRTUAL COCKPIT
With Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, the A7’s usual analog gauges are replaced by a 12.3-inch display on a scrolling background that reveals brilliant high-def images from Goggle Maps. This fully configurable digital instrument cluster is standard on Premium Plus and Prestige trims.

CARGO VERSATILITY
Instead of having a trunk like a standard sedan, the A7 and S7 have a rear hatch compartment that is larger and more versatile than you think, given this Audi’s sleek rear profile. It boasts 24.9 cubic feet of space, and the rear seats can be folded to accommodate longer gear and even more stuff.

The Audi A7 comes in three trims: Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige.

As expected in a luxury car starting near $70,000, a base Premium model includes a nice roster of standard features. They include a panoramic sunroof, 7-inch driver-information screen, voice-controlled navigation, dual touchscreen (8.8-inch upper and 8.6-inch lower) center display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, 10-speaker/180-watt sound system, keyless entry with push-button start, rain/light sensor for automatic wiper and headlights, Audi Drive Select, Audi Pre Sense Front and Pre Sense Basic, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, a power tailgate, 3-zone automatic climate control, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, heated 8-way-power front seats with 4-way-power lumbar and leather seating.

The Premium Plus is the mid-grade for the A7 and the base trim for the S7. We think it is a better starting point for you as a buyer. For a bit over $5,000 more than a base A7 Premium, it adds the slick Virtual Cockpit, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, HD-Matrix LED lights, larger touchscreen panel, bird’s-eye camera system, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, headlight washers, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger and, new for 2021 and quite significant, active cruise control with lane-keeping assist.

The topline Prestige trim brings a head-up display, ventilated 12-way power front seats, power-operated soft-closing doors, Audi’s laser-light headlights, 4-zone climate control, dual-pane acoustic glass, heated rear seats and a manual rear window shade.

Options range from all-wheel steering and a sportier adaptive steel suspension to 18-way adjustable front seats with massage. Also enticing are a night-vision assist system and superlative sounding 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio.

Exclusive to S7 models to up their performance ante are a sport rear differential and sport exhaust system.

The A7 uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that sends 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels via Audi’s latest quattro system, called quattro Ultra. With this new all-wheel-drive arrangement, EPA highway fuel economy is pegged at an impressive 29 mpg. The battery for the compact 48-volt mild-hybrid system is stored under the rear cargo floor. It powers a belt-alternator starter used primarily for the A7’s fuel-saving automatic start/stop system.

The S7 performance model employs a 2.9-liter biturbo V6 good for 444 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. This is the same engine found in the high-performance RS 5.

The A7 uses a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while the S7 has an 8-speed automatic.

3.0-liter turbocharged V6 (A7)
335 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 1,370-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg

2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (S7)
444 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
443 lb-ft of torque @ 1,900 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/28 mpg