Compare the2023 Audi Q7VS 2023 Lincoln Aviator

The Q7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Aviator doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q7. But it costs extra on the Aviator.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Q7 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Aviator doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Q7 and the Aviator have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q7 is safer than the Lincoln Aviator:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Q7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Aviator’s (12 vs. 5 years).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q7’s reliability 42 points higher than the Aviator.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 12 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

On the EPA test cycle the Q7 45 TFSI 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder Hybrid gets better fuel mileage than the Aviator 3.0 turbo V6 AWD running its gasoline engine (19 city/25 hwy vs. 17 city/24 hwy).

Both the Q7 and the Aviator have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Q7s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The Aviator Grand Touring doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

The Q7 has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Aviator Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Q7 has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Aviator’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 20.2 gallons).

For better stopping power the Q7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Aviator:

The Q7 stops shorter than the Aviator:

For better traction, the Q7’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Aviator (285/45R20 vs. 275/40R22).

The Q7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Aviator’s standard 60 series tires. The Q7 Prestige’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Aviator’s optional 40 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Q7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Aviator doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Q7 Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the Aviator AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q7 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Aviator AWD (26.4 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.1 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Q7 w/Air Suspension has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Aviator (9.7 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Q7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Aviator is limited to 5600 pounds. The Q7 offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Lincoln. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 11% lower rating, Lincoln is ranked 12th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Aviator, the Q7 Prestige offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Q7 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Aviator doesn’t offer a locking fuel/charge port door.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Aviator’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

Consumer Reports rated the Q7’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Aviator’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q7 Prestige offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Aviator doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Q7 has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Aviator doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q7 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Aviator doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

When the Q7 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Aviator’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Q7 55 TFSI Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Aviator (except Standard)’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q7, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Lincoln Aviator isn't recommended.

The Q7 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 6 years. The Aviator has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

The Audi Q7/SQ7 outsold the Lincoln Aviator by 36% during the 2021 model year.