Compare the2025 Audi Q7VS 2025 BMW X7

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Audi Q7 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi Q7 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

Both the Q7 and X7 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X7’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Audi Q7 achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The BMW X7 has not been tested.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The Q7 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The X7 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

The Audi Q7’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the BMW X7 does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Q7 and the X7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q7 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The X7 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the Q7 gets better mileage than the X7:

For greater off-road capability the Q7 w/Air Suspension has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X7 (9.7 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Q7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Audi Q7 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 850 pounds less than the BMW X7.

The Q7 is 4 inches shorter than the X7, making the Q7 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q7 has 1.9 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, .4 inches more rear shoulder room and 1.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the X7.

The front step up height for the Q7 is 1.4 inches lower than the X7 (18.6” vs. 20”). The Q7’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the X7’s (18.7” vs. 20.5”).

The Q7’s cargo area provides more volume than the X7.

The Q7’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X7’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X7 is limited to 7500 pounds. The Q7 offers up to a 7716 lbs. towing capacity.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the X7’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q7 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X7 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Q7 has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The X7 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q7 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

Insurance will cost less for the Q7 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q7 will cost $3250 to $9690 less than the X7 over a five-year period.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q7 and the BMW X7, based on reliability, safety and performance.