2022 Audi A7

The Audi A7 is the five-door version of the four-door Audi A6 sedan. It beautifully balances style and performance, with utility as a bonus, with 49 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat dropped. It also has more power than the A6, as it skips the turo-4 for turbo V-6 or V-8 engines—including a plug-in hybrid with 26 miles of electric-only range.

For 2022 the base Premium model gets a standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, while larger 21-inch alloy wheels are now available.

The A7 line comes with one of three engines: a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 for the A7, a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 that makes 109 more horsepower for the S7, and a 4.0-liter turbo V-8 making an otherworldly 591 horsepower for the RS 7. The A7 and S7 use a sharp 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with standard all-wheel drive, while RS 7 uses an 8-speed automatic and a performance rear differential that tightens cornering by providing more consistent grip.

The A7 is EPA rated at 21 mpg city, 30 highway, 24 combined. The faster S7 gets 22 mpg combined, and the fastest RS 7 gets 17 mpg combined. Naturally, the plug-in hybrid gets the best mileage, at 27 mpg combined, calculated including its full electric range of 26 miles.

The NHTSA hasn’t crash-tested the A7 yet, but the IIHS gives it their Top Safety Pick+. Standard safety equipment includes automatic emergency braking is standard, but you must pay more to get adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and a surround-view camera system.

Model Lineup

Made in Germany, the A7 comes in three models: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. The S7 skips over the base Premium; and the RS 7 comes only in one version, with almost all the trappings.

The A7 Premium starts at a bit more than $70,000, and comes with leather upholstery, a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a navigation system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen, and 20-inch wheels.

The Premium Plus starts at about $75,500 and adds adaptive cruise control, limited hands-free driving assistance, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, and more powerful headlights.

The plug-in hybrid is equipped as the Premium Plus for about $77,000, which makes it an excellent relative value, being only $1,500 more.

For another $4,000 the Prestige adds soft-closing doors, acoustic glass, and a head-up display.

The RS 7 starts at $120,000, with options that can send its price soaring even higher.

The standard warranty is 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Exterior

The A7 is simply gorgeous, with a long sloping roofline that stretches the body-style canyon between a sedan and wagon. The S7 and RS 7 have their own details, matching their higher performance, but the classy styling doesn’t give away the power that’s under their hoods. They’re discreetly good-looking, with just the right amount of menace.

Interior

For all the exterior beauty, the cabin is eminently utilitarian and practical. The clean instrument panel puts the controls in intuitive places. The standard leather can be upgraded to an even softer type. The fit and finish is superb, and the trim top-notch with soft plastics, classy wood or racy carbon fiber.

Space swells in the front seats, and in the rear it’s good for two adults. For a mid-size car, there’s a lot of cargo room, thanks to the shapely hatchback design. There’s 19 cubic feet behind the rear seat, and when it’s lowered there is nearly 50 cubic feet. The sleek roof doesn’t allow tall things, but a bicycle is no problem.

Driving Impressions

The base engine is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 making 335 horsepower; it can accelerate from zero to 60 in about five seconds. The plug-in hybrid version adds a small electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack to make another 30 horsepower and to generate enough electric-only driving range for daily chores and maybe a short commute.
The A7 has standard all-wheel drive, with a 7-speed twin-clutch automatic manual gearbox–it has gears like a manual transmission but shifts and feels like an automatic, only sharper.

Handling is balanced and responses are crisp. The standard 20-inch wheels can be a bit harsh over sharp bumps, but the optional adaptive dampers soften the ride. The available 21-inch wheels look great, but you won’t like them on bad pavement.

The S7 with its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 makes 444 hp and can sprint to 60 in about four seconds. It’s an exhilarating trip all on its own, with big-car grace without the ponderous big-car moves.

The RS 7 uses a 4.0-liter V-6 with two turbochargers to make 591 horsepower. An 8-speed automatic delivers the ponies to all four wheels to get this rocket ship of a car to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds. Its explosive power and nearly flawless handling make it the envy of drivers everywhere—except those who drive a Porsche Panamera, a car with which the RS 7 has a lot in common.

Final Word

The 2022 Audi A7 is an auto union of style and substance. The plug-in hybrid doesn’t cost much more; it’s a worthy investment in a lower-emissions future.

—by Sam Moses with driving impressions by the Car Connection