Compare the2024 Audi SQ7VS 2023 Lexus LX

The SQ7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The LX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the SQ7 and LX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The LX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the SQ7 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 LX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the SQ7 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The LX uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the SQ7 and the LX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The SQ7’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the LX’s (12 vs. 6 years).

There are over 25 percent more Audi dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the SQ7’s warranty.

The SQ7’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 91 more horsepower (500 vs. 409) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 479) than the LX’s 3.4 turbo V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi SQ7 is faster than the Lexus LX:

Regenerative brakes improve the SQ7’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The LX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The SQ7 has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the LX (22.5 vs. 21.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the SQ7’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the LX:

The SQ7 stops much shorter than the LX:

For better traction, the SQ7 has larger tires than the LX (285/40R21 vs. 265/55R20).

The SQ7’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the LX Premium/Luxury’s 65 series tires. The SQ7’s tires are lower profile than the LX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the SQ7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the LX Premium/Luxury.

For superior ride and handling, the Audi SQ7 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus LX has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The SQ7 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the SQ7 flat and controlled during cornering. The LX base model’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The SQ7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The LX doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the SQ7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the LX, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The SQ7 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Lexus doesn’t offer an active suspension on the LX.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the SQ7’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the LX (117.9 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Audi SQ7 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 650 pounds less than the Lexus LX.

Unibody construction lowers the SQ7’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The LX doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The design of the Audi SQ7 amounts to more than styling. The SQ7 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .35 Cd. That is lower than the LX (.376). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the SQ7 get better fuel mileage.

The SQ7’s cargo area provides more volume than the LX.

The SQ7’s cargo area is larger than the LX’s in almost every dimension:

The SQ7’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The LX Ultra Luxury doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the SQ7 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The LX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Laser headlights, optional on the SQ7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the LX’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the SQ7 has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The LX doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the SQ7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The LX doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The SQ7 Prestige offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the LX.

The SQ7 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 LX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Audi Q7/SQ7 outsold the Lexus LX by over five to one during 2022.