Toyota Prado vs Audi Q7

What's the difference?

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado GX showcases a massive improvement to the handling and styling of this popular 4WD. The base grade doesn't pretend it's anything other than entry-level but there is still enough charm and character here to satisfy a family long term. I also like the new technology.

So, has it been worth the wait? Yeah, I reckon it has but I hope we don’t have to wait another 15 years until we see something new!

Overall, changes to the Q7 aren’t quite revolutionary, but that’s okay because it was already a fantastic large SUV.

The fact Audi has kept the price around the same mark and introduced a cheaper entry-grade should be welcome news for prospective buyers.

But even the existing variants are capable and impressive family haulers… and now they’re just that little bit better.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

When you compare the new Prado to its predecessor in terms of design it's chalk and cheese.

'Blocky' feels like an appropriate descriptor for its new shape but the retro elements help it avoid looking boxy. The car's LandCruiser roots are proudly showcased in the old-school style grille, triple LED headlights and narrowed body panelling. Gone are its softly curving wheel arches and rear-mounted spare wheel. It's a good looking 4WD.

If the outgoing model was considered the smaller child of the full-size LandCruiser 300 this is more like a teenage offspring.

Heading inside is a reminder that you're in a Toyota base grade as there are a lot of plasticky surfaces, including the steering wheel.

However, everything looks well built and there are no rattles. It helps that all the places you regularly lean on, like the middle console and armrests are soft to touch.

There is a military vibe going on with the design aesthetic and again, the word blocky comes to mind when you look at the almost vertical dashboard and chunky accent panels housing the climate control and air vents.

It looks a smidge basic at times but it's a pleasing cabin to spend any length of time in and that's commendable.

The phrase ‘evolution not revolution’ is applicable here, cliche as it is, with the Q7 having been given a Botox-style lift at the front end.

The standard matrix LED headlights have a higher lighting signature than before, with the lighting elements leading into the lines down the shoulder of the SUV.

The grille now features a hexagonal honeycomb insert, the vertical line styling is now a thing of the past and the functional side vents are a little more aggro.

Overall, it’s a sharper look that brings the Q7 up to date with Audi’s current design language, down to the more angular wheel choices.

At the rear, the new tail-lights are ‘joined’ via a chrome strip spanning the rear, and the lower bumper (with real exhaust exits) has had a refresh.

Audi’s new CI badging (or ‘corporate identity’, pretty sexy stuff) is also present, which includes a new typeface for the ‘Q7’ badge at the rear, which is no longer italicised and is separate from the red ‘S line’ rhombus.

The four rings badge is also flatter and is white with black outlines, rather than a three-dimensional chrome badge.

Inside, the changes are more than skin-deep. In fact, the skin is the same, you’d be hard pressed to notice anything different about the Q7’s interior between pre- and post-facelift without diving into the electronics.

The cabin of the new Prado delivers simple practicality. As it's a base grade, you don't get luxurious features like heated seats but you do get a functional space which will work for lots of families. Whether it's the all-weather floor mats, ample head- and legroom or easy-to-use technology.

Each row enjoys lots of space and despite it appearing narrow inside, you don't jostle your neighbour's elbow. The tightly woven and speckled fabric upholstery looks more durable than the predecessors velour-like trim.

Seat comfort is excellent in both rows due to the thick padding and side bolsters. The manual front seats are easy to set to a comfy position and while they lack adjustable lumbar support you won't be fatigued on a long journey.

Amenities are decent for a base grade with each row enjoying a couple of cupholders, drink holders, USB-C ports and a single 12-volt socket.

The front gets a third USB-C port for media access and an HDMI port. There's a 220-volt domestic outlet in the boot for larger appliance charging. The front row gets dual-zone climate control.

Individual storage is what you'd expect with a glove box that can hold an owner's manual and some tissues, a large middle console and a dedicated phone cradle.

You miss out on any 'clever' storage, though, like a sunglasses holder, drivers' knee cubby or shelving in the dashboard.

In the rear the storage burden is shouldered by two seatback map pockets and small storage bins.

My eight-year old enjoyed the back seat and the low window sills afford him a great view. Access is easy due to the side steps and multiple grab handles. You might still be helping in young children, though.

The boot is the biggest change as the side-hinged door has been replaced by a top-hinged tailgate. This is far more practical for car parks and small garages but you now notice the lack of powered assistance. The rear lid isn't particularly heavy but can be cumbersome to open when you have your hands full.

The boot offers a large 954L storage capacity behind the second row, expanding to a generous 1895 litres with all seats folded. But the level loading space has been raised to accommodate the 48-volt battery. This just means you'll need more lifting power to get bigger items in and out.

The updated 12.3-inch multimedia display looks great and the touchscreen is super responsive. Worth noting it runs the Lexus operating system which means menus are logically laid out and it's easy to use.

The 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster offers plenty of customisations and the information is easy to read. The wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are easy to connect to but you have built-in sat nav should you need it.

Audi has changed the layout and added new apps in the main 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen, though fortunately it still has shortcuts to all the Big Dogs in terms of functions: media, navigation, phone, etc.

On top of that, everything is still in big, easy-to-see (and press) blocky buttons on the main screen.

The 8.6-inch screen below also still has climate controls readily available, and there are still physical buttons for a bunch of functions including drive modes.

The wide 12.3-inch driver display also remains familiar, though now has a higher resolution and more functionality in terms of on-road help and safety - which we’ll come to later in this review.

Aside from the tech, ‘spacious’ is an understatement when it comes to the big Audi’s cabin. In the front seats especially, the Q7’s central tunnel and dashboard are easy to reach without feeling like an enclosure as they wrap around the front passengers.

However, if I had to level one criticism at the usefulness of the Q7’s front row, it would be that despite there being physically plenty of room, storage is at a premium. 

For something this big, there aren’t many places to put items that aren’t your phone or a drink. 

There are door card holders for bigger bottles, some space for small items, and the cupholders of course, but the space under the central armrest including the phone charger is stingy.

Fortunately, the second row is not lacking space and is modular in its adjustability. Occupants can move seats, adjust their angle, and even sort out the middle seat separately. 

Depending on how high up the variant chain you go, separate climate controls for the middle row and the panoramic sunroof help create a comfortable and roomy feeling.

The second row can also be tucked up behind the front row for easier access to the third row, which (if the second row is slid forward a tad) is just spacious enough for an average adult to be relatively comfortable for a short trip. 

The third row seats are able to be folded or raised with switches that are accessible from the side doors or the (electric) tailgate, where there’s also a switch to lower or raise the rear suspension by 55mm to aid loading.

On that, the Q7 has a claimed luggage capacity of roughly 295L with all seats up, 780L with the third row folded down and 1908L with the second row lowered.

Four variants are available in the Audi Q7 line-up, excluding the performance-bent SQ7. Well, at the time of the launch event, one of those four is yet to arrive, that being the new entry-grade Q7 45 TFSI which starts from $108,815, before on-road costs. TFSI being ‘Turbo Fuel Stratified Injection’ or Audi-speak for ‘turbo-petrol’.

It’s joined by a diesel-powered 45 TDI which starts from $117,284, before on-roads. But ‘entry-grade’ for the Q7 doesn’t mean skint on goodies, both coming in with standard gear like leather-appointed upholstery with heated electrically adjustable front seats, an electric folding third row, wireless phone charging, screens and tech galore, matrix LED headlights, 20-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, and a slew of safety features including some new stuff, but we’ll get to that later.

The matrix LEDs are one of the main new bits of kit, though a daytime drive route meant not getting to put those to use. They’re pretty, though…

The 45 grades can be upgraded with the $3900 'Premium Package' to add 21-inch alloys, four-zone climate control, black exterior styling and coloured interior ambient lighting.

Stepping up from the 45s are the 50 TDI S line and 55 TFSI S line, which together at $136,815 each form the next rung up from entry.

They’ve got 21-inch wheels and an S line exterior pack along with tinted privacy glass to tell them apart from the entry 45s from the outside, but inside there’s four-zone climate control, ambient lighting, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up display and proper leather upholstery for the seats.

Australian 50 TDIs and 55 TFSIs come standard with an S line interior pack that includes sports seats, leather steering wheel and shifter, aluminium inlays and door trim, plus black headlining and floor mats with contrast stitching.

There are two option packs at this level: the $4200 'Luxury Seat Package' adds S sports seats that feature an integrated headrest, Valcona leather with diamond stitching, ventilation for the front seats and heating for the second row’s outboard seats.

Then there’s a 'Premium Plus Package' for $5500 which brings 22-inch alloys, sport-tuned adaptive air suspension, dynamic all-wheel steering, a black exterior styling pack and power-assisted closing doors.

Given the update is all up relatively minor, prospective buyers will be pleased to know the same can be said for the pricing changes - even a year ago, the prices for the Q7 variants that were on sale at the time were within a couple of thousand dollars of where they are now.

All new Prado grades share the same four-wheel drive set-up as the previous model but features a more efficient version of its 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The efficiency gain comes courtesy of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that assists with acceleration.

The engine produces up to 150kW of power and 500Nm of torque and that now supports a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity!

The new Prado has high- and low-range gearing, a rear diff lock and three different drive modes to suit most off-road occasions. All in all, it still has all of the capability you love and expect from a Prado.

The four drivetrain options for the Q7 line-up are split between the two ‘grades’, with the 45 TFSI and TDI powering the 'entry-level' cars and the 50 TDI and 55 TFSI as the feature-packed variants.

The most affordable option is the 45 TFSI, which runs a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine making 185kW and 370Nm.

Like all variants in the Q7 range, the 45 TFSI engine powers all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Audi claims the 45 TFSI will hit 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, if that’s your thing when it comes to three-row SUVs.

The rest of the line-up is powered by different versions of the brand’s 3.0-litre V6, all turbocharged, and all with 48-volt ‘mild hybrid’ (MHEV) tech aiming to increase efficiency.

The 45 TDI is, of course, a turbo-diesel 3.0-litre V6 that makes 170kW and 500Nm, also sending power and torque to all four wheels via the same style transmission. Audi says this one knocks over 100km/h in 7.1 seconds.

Similarly, but with more power and torque, the 50 TDI is also powered by a turbo-diesel unit as the name suggests. This one puts out 210kW and 600Nm, making it likely the best choice for towing and such even though all V6 variants boast a 3500kg braked towing capacity. The 50 TDI’s figure to hit 100km/h is a claimed 5.9 seconds.

Finally, the 55 TFSI makes 250kW and 500Nm, and boasts a 5.9-second claimed 0-100km/h time.

For such a large SUV, the Prado has a low combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption figure of 7.6L/100km and based on its 110-litre tank, theoretical driving range is around 1450km. Which is great for a family car, especially one you can take off-road and do big trips in.

After doing one longer road trip and lots of urban diving my average popped out at 8.5L/100km. Which is pretty darn good for a big SUV and equates to real-world range of close to 1300km.

As you might expect, diesel versions of the Audi Q7 are claimed to use less fuel than their petrol counterparts, so let’s start with those. 

The 45 TDI boasts a claimed 7.0L/100km consumption figure, while the 50 TDI is a little higher at 7.1 litres. Both have 75-litre fuel tanks, and should therefore theoretically get more than 1000km out of a fill.

On to the petrol models, the four-cylinder TFSI 45 has a claimed 9.3L/100km efficiency figure and the V6 TFSI 55's number is 9.0L/100km.

Given the nature of the driving and groups sharing cars during the launch event, we’ll wait until we’re next in a Q7 for a longer time before doing our own efficiency test.

I was just in the Prado’s luxury Lexus GX 550 cousin, which takes the crown for the smoothest 4WD I’ve driven lately but the GX is managing to nip at its coat tails because it has lost the truckiness of its predecessor.

The turbo-diesel engine manages to rumble nicely without any shudders to the frame. Power is delivered without fuss and there is a deep well of performance to dip into when you need it.

The steering is far more responsive than the predecessor's but doesn’t feel heavy or stiff, which I like. Coupled with its narrow frame and 12m turning circle, it’s an easy SUV to drive in the city.

The transmission feels more willing and shifts through its gears smoothly. The suspension is not as soft as it used to be but I like road feedback as a driver and you never wince when you go over a bump. So I wouldn't call it too stiff, either.

There is a bit of cabin noise from the engine and road at higher speeds but it’s very quiet around town. Even when seated in the back, you’re not jostled in corners and I’m surprised by how well it corners as there's not much roll.

Visibility is excellent with the wide windows and high seating position. None of the pillars get in the way from my driving position, either.

The Prado is stupidly easy to park with a very clear 360-degree view camera system, as well as front and rear parking sensors. It’s pretty easy to get a sense of where the car starts and ends which is handy in a small car park.

Aside from the mild-hybrid now standard on the Q7’s V6 models, there’s not a whole lot to report on in terms of new tricks or surprises from behind the wheel.

But that’s okay, because it means the Q7 remains a supremely comfortable and capable large SUV.

Our test route consisted of plenty of rural driving, with a combination of surfaces that would in some family haulers see the suspension and maybe even steering show cracks in their ability - but the Q7 remains composed.

Given its weight and size, it can feel a little hefty around sharper corners, but the Q7 in these variants (i.e, not its performance-focused SQ7 sibling) isn’t built to be hustled like that.

It feels like the kind of air-suspended loungeroom-on-wheels that would be at home barreling down the autobahn at 180km/h and being completely undramatic about it.

Still, this model shares some moving parts underneath with the likes of the extremely capable Porsche Cayenne, and while the Q7 isn’t quite a giant hot hatch, the sound foundations shine through dynamically.

Of course, when it comes to powertrains, there isn’t really a wrong answer, each engine fits a purpose.

If you’ll ever need to tow (and you can at up to 3500kg braked), the low-down steady urge of the 50 TDI is probably your best bet, but even the 45 TDI is a solid choice for long-range motoring.

The petrol models will better suit those in city situations, and while they never feel truly urgent, the 55 TFSI isn’t without some impressive push for something of this size.

The Q7 is a maximum five-star car according to ANCAP, but the list of safety features is dozens long. 

The highlights include adaptive cruise assist, lane assist and side assist, surround view cameras and new traffic sign recognition plus warnings for approaching cyclists and the like.

In fact, Audi claims there are more than 30 active safety features, and almost all of them are standard across the range. The only one that isn’t is 'Parking Assist' with 'Park System Plus', as Audi calls it - the base 45 TFSI is only equipped with Park System Plus and not Park Assist.

Basically, the 45 TFSI can’t take over the task of parking itself, while the others can.

It’s all handled through radars, cameras, and sensors and when you’re on the road functionality is relatively unobtrusive which is a plus!

For reference, the Q7 has eight airbags including dual-frontal, side-chest airbags for front and second row outboard passengers, plus side head-protecting or curtain airbags for both rows.

On top of that, there are ISOFIX points not only in the second row, but also in the third, totalling five spots all up.

Toyota offers the new Prado with a five-year unlimited km warranty which is pretty basic nowadays but you can extend it up to seven years if you schedule on time and through a Toyota service centre, which is more competitive.

There is a five-year capped price servicing program for $390 a pop which is great but service intervals are annoyingly spaced at every six months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first. This won't be the best selling point for some.

Audi’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is pretty standard for a premium brand, but five years of free roadside assist and the ability to add a package to extend the warranty both add a little extra to the deal.

For the Q7, a five-year servicing plan is $3820, while the $4370 'Audi Advantage' plan adds two years to the warranty, two more services, and two more years' roadside assist.