Used 2019 Audi A7

Like the original A7, the all-new 2019 Audi A7 is an attractive automobile with a strong sense of style. From its sharply creased hood and widened grille to its Quattro-esque fender flares, broad shoulders and full-width LED rear lighting, the new 2nd-generation Audi A7 exudes excellent design. It looks low and wide (particularly with 21-inch alloy wheels), even though the rear deck has been raised by more than an inch. The overall look is more aggressive than the original’s, but the all-aluminum body of the new A7 looks as elegant as ever.

Under the new A7’s aluminum hood, a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine sends 335 horsepower to all four wheels via a new Quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) system that contributes to better overall fuel economy because the rear wheels aren’t always driven. But don’t worry: The A7 hasn’t lost any Quattro stability because Audi tells us that power is sent to the rear wheels before it’s needed, ensuring good vehicle control in a variety of conditions. A7 competitors include the significantly more expensive BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, another liftback design. The Porsche Panamera is another far pricier (and sportier) German liftback.

In a delightful way to spin-up and spend 335 horsepower, the redesigned 2019 Audi A7 uses mild-hybrid technology applied to the car’s sole engine offering, a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. A 10 Ah lithium-ion battery housed under the trunk floor powers a belt alternator starter located at the front of the car (though Audi says a traditional starter is used for cold starts).

Software identifies when the 48-volt system will assist the drivetrain or recuperate energy from the drivetrain in order to charge the battery. It takes into account information from the vehicle’s sensors, the forward Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) camera, and navigation system route data.

Ultimately, the goal is to improve efficiency with no loss of performance. The Audi A7’s mild-hybrid technology does this by:

• Extending operation of the automatic start/stop technology, shutting the engine off as the car decelerates below 14 mph while approaching a stop
• Keeping the engine turned off while the car is stopped and idling, a DC/DC converter powering the car’s 12-volt electronics while the engine is not running
• Turning off the engine so the car can coast, or glide, at speeds between 35-100 mph

Thus equipped, the new turbocharged V6 engine has noticeably more torque than the former supercharged V6, making the 2019 A7 feel especially quick. In daily operation, the paddle-shift 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox shifts almost imperceptibly, but the gear changes get crisper when drivers use the paddles to attack their favorite twisty roads. The new A7 weighs 4,332 pounds, but it doesn’t feel that heavy, thanks in part to excellent suspension damping that makes the A7 comfortable on the daily commute, but well-composed when it’s asked to be a sports sedan. What’s more, the A7 is quiet inside, and the scrolling Google Map display on the A7’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrument panel is a sight to behold. Also, the fuel-saving auto stop/start feature of the A7 is among the smoothest we’ve sampled, though not quite up to par with that of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS450, another German sedan with a swoopy roofline.

The A7 interior is identical to that of the new Audi 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 Touch Response system has replaced the familiar rotary dial and conventional infotainment controls of the previous A6 and A7. An 8.8-inch touch screen is at the top of the A7’s center stack, while a lower screen serves as the pad for text inputs drawn by your finger. Overall interior room is sufficient for four adults, but rear headroom is compromised a bit by the A7’s sloping roofline.

Audi’s new A7 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 new A7 is an active spoiler that deploys at 75 mph. Nineteen-inch wheels are standard, but 20s and 21s are available.

AUDI VIRTUAL COCKPIT
With Audi’s 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit, your traditional analog instruments can be displayed on a scrolling background featuring vivid high-def imagery from Google Maps. The A7 Prestige has the added benefit of a standard head-up display.

NEW TURBO ENGINE
Audi’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 is a gem that produces 335 horsepower and a whopping 369 lb-ft of torque from a lowly 1,370 rpm to 4,500 rpm. Thus equipped, the 2019 Audi A7 hits 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph.

The 2019 Audi A7 is equipped with a standard power liftgate and lots of standard driver-assistance features. Besides navigation, the A7 is equipped with Pre Sense 360, which detects possible front, rear and side collisions and then preemptively initiates preventive measures such as full emergency braking, tightening of the seatbelts, raising the windows and closing the sunroof. With standard Pre Sense City, the A7, at speeds of up to 52 mph, can detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in its path and then initiate braking if a possible collision is detected.

Premium Plus and Prestige models are both available with a Driver Assistance Package. Priced at $2,750, it includes adaptive cruise control (with Traffic Jam Assist and Turn Assist), Traffic Sign Recognition, lane-departure warning (with Emergency Assist) and Audi’s Intersection Assistant. With this last technology, the A7 monitors cross traffic when the car is pulling through an intersection and may apply the brakes to avoid a possible collision (at speeds of up to 6.2 mph). The Prestige model also is available with a Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System for $4,900. A sport suspension, which lowers the A7 by nearly an inch (20 mm), is also available.

A new turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, mounted longitudinally in front, sends 335 horsepower and 44 extra lb-ft of torque (compared to last year’s supercharged V6) to all four wheels via Audi’s latest Quattro system, called Quattro Ultra. With this new all-wheel-drive arrangement, EPA highway fuel economy for the 2019 Audi A7 is pegged at 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.

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