The Audi A7 is one of the most luxurious executive coupes to ever come to the United States market and has been a fairly successful model ever since its initial launch in 2010. With the arrival of the second generation in 2018, the Audi A7 managed to be even more impressive in terms of interior and exterior design, performance, and practicality, making it a choice that shouldn't be missed. Show
Offered for a base MSRP of $69,200 and coming in three trim configurations, the 2023 Audi A7 has been launched with no major changes. The punchy V6 motor and the fast-shifting automatic transmission still remain the highlight, and we also love the excellent handling. However, every A7 now comes with more driver-assistance tech as standard. Competing with the likes of Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 and Maserati Ghibli, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2023 Audi A7. 10/10 Unmatched Refinement Level
The 2023 Audi A7 is even better than the outgoing model in terms of the overall refinement and the prospective buyers are going to be impressed by it. The turbocharged V6 motor's sound doesn't intrude into the cabin too much, and we found the motor to be far more refined than that of the CLS 450 and Ghibli.
Even when you rev the nuts out of the motor, it sounds very sweet and rewarding. The transmission doesn't feel clunky, and the suspension works silently too. The acoustic glass, top-notch sound deadening, and active noise cancellation mean that the A7 has a very low level of external noise creeping into the cabin. 9/10 Punchy V6 Motor
The 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 motor with the 48V mild-hybrid technology comes mated to the fast-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and that makes it a very capable luxury coupe of the segment. This motor produces a combined output of 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, and the 0-60 mph run comes in just 4.7 seconds.
The performance is superb throughout the rev range and the turbo lag is very minimal. The mild-hybrid system does make the car to be effortless during city driving due to the improved low-end torque, and the mid-range performance is more than enough to warrant a fast overtake on the highways. Put the A7 into sport mode and the acceleration and gearshifts get even quicker. 8/10 Spacious Cabin And Excellent Cargo Room Even though the overall length, wheelbase, and height of the A7 is on the lower side when compared to the rivals, the cabin space and the cargo capacity is far from a disappointment. Unlike the other coupes out there, the headroom for the front and rear passengers is more than enough, and the legroom and shoulder room are excellent too. Apart from that, there are multiple cup holders, spacious door pockets, and large under-armrest storage and a glovebox. The sunroof makes the cabin airier, and the supremely comfortable standard leather upholstery and the optional Valcona leather upholstery put it a notch above the rivals in terms of comfort. The cargo capacity of 24.9 cu ft is more than enough to carry the baggage of five passengers with ease as well. 7/10 MMI Infotainment Has A Learning Curve
The infotainment system sees no changes for this 2023 model year, and it comes loaded with all the bells and whistles you could think of. This dual touchscreen infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, Bluetooth, SiriusXM radio, voice recognition, and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity. The 12.3" digital gauge cluster is sharp like the dual infotainment system and offers all the information that you would need.
The Bang & Olufsen premium audio system and the wireless charging are part of the optional packages. The sound quality provided by the infotainment is excellent too, with best-in-class lows, mids, and high-frequency output. However, we found the dual touchscreen system to be a bit cumbersome to use, especially for someone who is a newbie with tech. Some of the features are buried deep inside the system, too. 6/10 A Handsome Sedan
The design is one of the aspects where none of the rivals could come close to the A7. We love the striking front-end design with the Matrix LED headlights, elegant grille and air dam design, and the sharp character lines on the hood. However, it is the profile that looks the best, mainly due to it being a coupe. The 20" wheels and the fender flares give it a masculine feel. The rear-end gets the traditional single slab LED taillights, air diffuser, and shark fin antenna. If you want the 2023 A7 to look even fiercer, Audi also provides the black optic package for the blacked-out exterior elements. There is an S-line package available too, and that provides the A7 with lowered springs and a long list of S-line accents. 5/10 Solid Driving Experience The Audi A7 has always been an impressive proposition of the segment when it comes to the driving dynamics, and the same ethos is carried forward unchanged to this 2023 model year as well. The independent front and rear suspension setup are tuned well to put a smile on your face, without compromising on the ride quality front. The Quattro AWD drivetrain and the advanced suspension system make sure that the car corners with precision. The understeer is on the lower side when taking corners a bit too enthusiastically, and the steering felt very precise and direct. The body roll is not very noticeable, and the transmission provides you with the right cogs all the time. However, we wish A7's steering offered more feel and feedback. 4/10 Braking Performance Is Top-Notch
We did not expect to be disappointed by the braking performance of the A7 as it belongs to the premium luxury coupe segment, and thankfully we found the overall braking performance to be as good as it can get. Coming in with 13.3" and 13" front and rear ventilated rotors coupled with many braking features like ABS with EBD, automated emergency braking, brake assist, and regenerative braking, the 2023 A7 was able to stop on a dime irrespective of the speed.
The 70-0 mph braking could be done in just 163 feet, and the brakes were very firm and had excellent initial bite and progression. The brake fade was minimal, and the regenerative braking didn't feel very obstructive whenever you take the foot off the gas pedal. The front-end dive was lower than the Giulia Quadrifoglio and the car doesn't feel twitchy under hard braking. 3/10 Advanced Driver-Assistance Tech The only change that is onboard of this 2023 A7 when compared to the previous model year is the inclusion of a few more standard driver-assistance techs like the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. The top-of-the-line Prestige trim gets remote park assist plus as well.
Apart from that, features like forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, and reverse camera with adaptive guidelines are standard too. If you go for the optional convenience package with the lower trims, you get features like a 360-degree camera, Audi side assist, parking sensors, blindspot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The build quality is excellent, and it comes with all the basic safety features too. 2/10 Decent Fuel Efficiency The turbocharged V6 motor of the 2023 Audi A7 could do 21 MPG in the city, 30 MPG on the highway, and combined gas mileage of 24 MPG, making it as fuel-efficient as its rivals. The 19.3-gallon fuel tank capacity means that the A7 could do 579 miles on the highways, too.
In comparison, the Maserati Ghibli and the Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 churned out an identical combined gas mileage of 25 MPG. However, both of them also came with a larger fuel tank capacity, making them superior in terms of tank range. 1/10 There Is A PHEV Version
The 55 TFSI e Quattro trim also sees no changes, and it retains the same 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque producing turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine mated to an electric motor with a 17.8-kWh battery pack. The 0-60 mph comes in 5.2 seconds, and the car feels reasonably quick and peppy off the line.
It also offers a combined fuel efficiency rating of 27 MPG and 70 MPGe. Overall, we found this powertrain to be fairly capable both on the city streets and highways and the same 7-speed automatic does a wonderful job in transmitting the power to the wheels. The four-cylinder motor is pretty refined, too. However, it is not a value-for-money offering since the pricing is very close to the full-size luxury sedan, the 2023 Lexus LS 500h. |
