2020 Audi A7

Most cars tend to stay in their lane: sedans are sedans, coupes are coupes. The Audi A7 departed from that conventional wisdom when it debuted a decade ago. Its fastback four-door shape defied the norm. Surprisingly, it was a hit. The long-awaited redux of the A7 enjoys entirely different sheet metal, not to mention a slew of high-tech features promising to make the sedan outlier more intriguing than ever. 

If the A7 (and its subsequent higher-performance S7 spinoff) can be characterized by a single word, that word is refined. On the outside, the A7 takes on a sleek, streamlined shape. Audi ambitiously calls the car a coupe, sedan, and wagon all in one. 

But it’s the interior that really shines. The most apparent upgrade here is the addition of touchscreen displays in the dash and center consoles as well as the reduction of hard buttons, giving the center stack and dash an uncluttered, minimalist look. Once you get accustomed to the system, it works well. But at the end of the day, you’re still tapping at a slippery surface in a moving vehicle, which can lead to inevitable moments of frustration when you accidentally press the wrong “button” and become distracted from the road. 

There are still a few hard buttons, including drive mode selector, traction control defeat, maximum defrost, and headlamp controls. They’re mounted flush to maintain the minimalist aesthetic. While a leather-wrapped shifter clicks the transmission into “drive,” its electromechanical operation lacks the tactile feel of a genuine manual or even an automatic with traditional gate action. Although physical movement is required, it’s more of a fingertip nudge than a conventional shift action. The tradeoff might be lost to many, but those who savor the traditional sensations of interacting with a machine could feel like the A7 is a sensory deprivation chamber where the computers are in control. At least the surroundings are pleasantly finished, with upscale materials and a tasteful décor that mimics its higher-priced sibling and flagship model, the A8. 

The A7 comes in Premium ($69,995), Premium Plus ($74,595) and Prestige ($80,695) trim levels, with available niceties like Audi’s virtual cockpit (which integrates a crisp, 12.3-inch display with GPS into the instrument panel), ambient LED lighting, and massaging seats. A Bang & Olufsen 3D premium sound system offers excellent sonic clarity, and features like soft-close doors elevate the A7 above many of its competitors. In those respects, this Audi differentiates itself from lesser foes by stepping up with features typically found in more upscale models. There’s also a decent amount of interior volume, despite the sleek shape.

Driving the A7 reveals a demeanor that’s calm, collected, and stately, whereas the first generation felt a bit like a mature hot hatch or a sports car trapped in the body of a large sedan. The new car is all about composure that tempers outside forces like noise, vibration and harshness with the isolation of a rolling spa.

Still, the standard A7 focuses on mitigating the rough spots and treating the automobile as a sanctuary for the senses, not an amusement park for the soul. There is decent power on tap with the turbocharged six-cylinder engine, delivered with smooth buildup and plenty of torque. The V6 uses a mild hybrid system that enables seamless engine starts and stops. Along with a slick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the powerplant can whisk to 60 mph in a respectable but not blindingly quick 5.2 seconds, according to Audi. 

Also aiding performance is a four-wheel steering system that turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction of the fronts at low speeds, which has the effect of making the A7 feel smaller and nimbler. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts, adding stability. When equipped with larger 21-inch wheels, the standard suspension can penetrate the cabin’s tranquil spirit over large road perfections; you’ll want the 19-inchers if you value ride quality over appearance.

A cushy air suspension is currently available only on the S7, though we wouldn’t be surprised if it eventually became available on the standard A7. Speaking of which, the S7, which starts at $83,895, replaces the A7’s 335-horsepower turbocharged V6 with a 444-horsepower twin-turbo V6 capable of delivering a claimed 4.5-second zero-60 times. Of course, the S7 brings numerous additional features along for the ride–a sport rear differential and an eight-speed transmission to replace the A7’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic just to name a few–but the price of entry is substantial.

The new A7 is engineered to be future-friendly, i.e., it embraces the latest driver-assist and self-driving technologies. Among the innovations are five radar sensors, a laser scanner, a forward-facing camera, four 360-degree cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. All are intended to make the car safer (more aware of its surroundings) and ready for the transition from a driven to driverless society. Since we’re still some time away from legislation (not to mention the technology itself) that will enable cars to drive themselves, even in controlled environments, the A7 remains an optimistically feature-laden sedan that embraces a digital, rather than analog, vision of future luxury.

Whether or not the new shape is embraced as wholeheartedly by consumers remains to be seen. But considering its context among sportier and more conventionally styled competitors, the Audi makes a case for soaking up luxury in a typically restrained, controlled Teutonic way—at least until the 2021 RS7 variant joins the lineup with its own take on ultra-high performance five-passenger transportation.