Rebooted Audi Q7 due in 2026 with bold new look

Audi has started on-road tests of a new, third-generation version of its three-row Q7 SUV.

Set for UK dealerships in early 2026, the SUV will be one of the last combustion-powered cars Audi launches. The firm plans to launch only electric cars from that year, on the way to phasing out ICE models completely in 2033.

Design-wise, the new Q7 follows Audi's upcoming Q3 and Q5 in adopting a new-style front end, with an expansive new version of the octagonal grille and sleek, split-cluster LED light designs and a clamshell bonnet.

Its straight-backed rear end and high roofline point to an emphasis on interior space and boot capacity, but it's not yet clear whether it will be tangibly larger than today's Q7.

It will sit on an evolved version of the MLB architecture that underpins the current Q7, no doubt with revisions made to accommodate new powertrains - including longer-range plug-in hybrids that will allow it to better compete with rivals.

The latest version of the smaller MQB platform – which underpins a raft of Volkswagen Group cars – can now accommodate a 19.7kWh battery that gives an electric-only range of up to 62 miles in the PHEV versions of the new Volkswagen Passat and Tiguan.

The extra floorspace in the MLB platform means it will no doubt be able to accommodate this battery or even a larger pack, boosting the Q7 PHEV's EV range beyond the 26 miles of today.

Official details on the new Q7's powertrain offering remain under wraps, however, beyond Audi's earlier confirmation that its final generation of ICE cars will be powered by a "completely new family of engines".