2022 Audi Q7 Trim Levels, Configurations & Comparisons.

If you're thinking about making the leap into the world of luxury third-row SUVs, now is the time - and the 2022 Audi Q7 might be the vehicle. It has long been a staple of the third-row luxury SUV segment with its cozy-but-utilitarian design. It really is no wonder that it has received high rankings by car gurus year after year. And this year should be no different.

The 2022 line-up sees a few exciting changes and additions. For starters, the 45 TFSI now has the Black Optic appearance package listed as an available option. So if you see a red door and you want to paint it black, you can. Now standards are some power-folding and heated exterior side mirrors and rear side airbags. And, if you opt for the Premium Plus trim level, you get the newly added traffic jam assist with the adaptive cruise control.

But here's the deal: Space is at a premium on the Q7. The cargo area feels cramped at a max volume of 69.6 cubic feet. The third row is also tight on space, making it so that only smaller children can sit back there. You'll also have to put up with a rather distracting infotainment system.

There are quite a few things to love about the Q7, and these things make it easy enough to overlook the negatives. The cabin's build quality is absolutely exceptional, looking vastly more expensive than you'd expect even on a luxury vehicle. The ride quality is also well above average for this segment as hardly any wind or road noise make their way into the cabin. There is even an available four-zone automatic climate control system to keep everyone comfy. Infotainment and safety features abound, and you can even have fun driving this SUV thanks to its nimble handling performance.

Is the 2022 Audi Q7 the right fit for you? If so, which of its three trim levels should you invest your hard-earned money in? Let's take a closer look at what the Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige have to offer so that you can make an informed buying decision.

Compare the Premium vs Premium Plus Trims. What is the difference?

Let's kick things off by comparing the base trim - known as the Premium - to the mid-tier Premium Plus trim level. As you can guess by their names, the Premium Plus takes the Premium's strong foundation and builds upon it. But is the cost jump justifiable?

First things first - let's take a peek at what is under the hood. These two trim levels are powered by the standard 45 TFSI but have the option of equipping the more powerful 55 TFSI. The 45 TFSI is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces a power output of 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. It gets from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.9 seconds, and an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission delivers power to all four wheels via Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. There is an electromechanical progressive steering system equipped as well as a suspension system with a five-link independent design both fore and aft. Add to that an electromechanical parking brake and a steel and aluminum lightweight body design.

Fuel economy for the 45 TFSI sits at 22 miles per gallon combined. This is taken from its EPA estimated 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. While real world tests reveal that you can match these estimates, they are below par for this segment.

Let's move on to some of the standard safety and security features. Both the Premium and Premium Plus come with an advanced air bag protection system, a LATCH system in the rear for child car safety seats, cruise control, an integrated HomeLink system (which opens your garage door and controls connected electrical features in your home from your vehicle), an electromechanical progressive steering system, and side air bags for rear seat occupants. For security measures, you get the Audi advanced key (a keyless start, stop, and entry feature that includes a hands-free tailgate release and open/close). Of course, the Premium Plus adds adaptive cruise control with the new traffic jam assist feature built into it.

It is hard to tell these two trim levels apart just by looking at them from the outside. You'll have to look to their badging to figure out which trim level you are looking at. Other than their badging, they're essentially the same. The Premium and Premium Plus come adorned with concealed exhaust outlets in the rear, prewiring for a trailer hitch, and power-heated and power-folding auto-dimming side mirrors with integrated memory settings. The roof rails are done in aluminum, and there is a roof spoiler for the tailgate. LED headlights, LED taillights with dynamic turn indicators built in, heat-insulating glass for the rear and side windows, a dynamic suspension, and 19-inch 5-arm star designed wheels all come standard on these trims.

The interiors of these two trim levels are also fairly similar - with a few noteworthy differences. They both feature a power tailgate, a power sunroof, a light cloth headliner, tri-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror with a digital compass and toll module built into it, and an ambient interior lighting set-up. One difference to note is that the aluminum door sills gain illumination on the Premium Plus.

A three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel comes standard with shift paddles mounted onto it. The power-adjustable tilting and telescoping steering column has integrated memory settings, making it easy to slide in behind the wheel and adjust as needed. Rest your arm on the center armrest covering the bin beneath. Each front seat occupant has access to a sliding sun visor with an illuminated vanity mirror. The front seats are heated, and there is leather trim on the seats. You can, however, pick a package that opts out of the extended leather. The second row has a 35/30/35-split seatback design with adjustments fore and aft. The third row is power split-folding 50/50. Inlays done in high-gloss gray oak wood give the Q7 a greater sense of luxury.

One of the big upgrades you get on the Premium Plus is the Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System. The Premium's 10-speaker sound system works just fine, but the Bang & Olufsen system presents an even crisper quality. The MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch response information system comes standard. A limited subscription to Audi connect CARE assistance and security services is included, as are high beam assist, Audi drive select, the Parking system plus, a rear-view camera, the ultra-cool and helpful Audi virtual cockpit, smartphone app integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 3-month trial subscription to SiriusXM, and Bluetooth connectivity. The Premium Plus adds a wireless charger with the Audi phone box.

Standard safety features include lane departure warning, forward collision mitigation, a blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert included, and front and rear parking sensors. If you opt for the Convenience package on the Premium, a 360-degree surround-view camera system gets tacked on, giving you a top-down view of everything surrounding your vehicle. The Premium Plus gains this as standard and, of course, has adaptive cruise control. Lane keep assist gets thrown in for good measure too.

Before we move on to the Prestige, let's talk optional packages. As mentioned, the Premium can be equipped with the Convenience package. This gives the Q7 a heated steering wheel, the surround-view camera system, and a signal booster for the Audi phone box. You can also opt for the Towing package, which gives you a tow hitch and 7-pin connector.

While the Premium Plus standardizes the Convenience package, it gets a few of its own - the most notable being the Black Optic package. This adorns the vehicle with blacked-out exterior trim and either 20-inch black-painted wheels (which come on the 45 TFSI engine models) or 21-inch black-painted wheels (that are standard with the 55 TFSI engine variant).

Another Premium Plus package option is the Executive. It includes rear sunshades, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, leather armrests (on the 55 TFSI variant only), four-zone automatic climate control, and ambient interior lighting.

A Matrix LED headlight package and the towing package can also be equipped on the Premium Plus.

Compare the Premium Plus vs Prestige Trims. What is the difference?

The Audi Q7's line-topping trim level is aptly named the Prestige. It makes a number of changes from the outside, in. The headlights get upgraded to Matrix-design LEDs, and the side windows gain dual pane acoustic glass that keeps the cabin even quieter at highway speeds. A comfort adaptive air suspension gets swapped in, and the 5-spoke-turbine wheels are a solid 20 inches and have their own all-season tires equipped.

Inside, you get the four-zone automatic climate control system equipped as a standard feature. It brings even more comfort to passengers, although some third-row vents would have been a nice addition. You can create a fun environment inside the cabin after dark with the multi-color contour/ambient LED interior lighting package. Also, the second-row seats gain the heating function. The front seats gain the ventilation feature to help cool you down on hot summer days. The leather package adds leather to the vehicle's armrests, and the tailgate and rear door side windows get sunshades. Also, the doors are soft-closing for a quiet, easy close.

The Prestige only gives you a few infotainment and safety upgrades. You do get treated to a head-up display, which projects important vehicle and driving data onto the windshield in front of your eyes as you drive. A traffic sign recognition feature is included in the list of standard features as well. Other than that, you won't see too much difference in the way of technology.

The towing package is still an option for the Prestige, as is the Black Optic package. Other remaining options include laser headlights, all-wheel steering (which creates sportier turning), 22-inch wheels, and the Luxury package (which features upgraded leather seats, a massage function for the front seats, and a faux suede headliner).

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the 2022 Audi Q7 is all about providing you with the utmost in luxury and comfort. Interested buyers can even ask their local Audi dealership about their Audi Exclusive program. This allows buyers even more options for customization - but it comes with a rather significant price tag attached.

As it is, the Q7 is going to suit a diverse array of drivers. But which one has the best value? The base Premium trim is considerably well equipped and has a few good options to choose from - a respectable value if you're shopping on a budget.

However, if you can afford to spend a little more, I recommend opting up to the Premium Plus. The Prestige doesn't give you that many more upgrades but has a steeper price tag (mostly due to the fact that the 55 TFSI engine is standard, and you cannot opt for the 45 TFSI at all). The Premium Plus does the best job at balancing power with features. The 55 TFSI engine is the way to go, though, as it delivers exponentially more power than the 45 TFSI, which can feel kind of sluggish. But at least you will be able to choose between the two available engines on this trim level.