Compare the2025 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2025 Audi Q7

The Toyota Grand Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q7 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the Toyota Grand Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q7, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Grand Highlander and the Q7 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Grand Highlander 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q7.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Highlander’s warranty.

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 Grand Highlander’s reliability 20 points higher than the Q7.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 50 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 128 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 29th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Audi is ranked 19th.

The Grand Highlander has more powerful engines than the Q7:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Highlander gets better mileage than the Q7:

The Grand Highlander offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Q7 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Grand Highlander has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Q7; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the Q7 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

For better maneuverability, the Grand Highlander’s turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Q7’s (38.1 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Toyota Grand Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 650 pounds less than the Audi Q7.

The Grand Highlander offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Q7 can only carry 7.

The Grand Highlander has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear legroom, .3 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.3 inches more third row headroom, 4.3 inches more third row legroom and 8.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Q7.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Grand Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Q7’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Grand Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q7.

The Grand Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q7’s (5000 vs. 4409 pounds).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Grand Highlander has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Q7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Grand Highlander Platinum’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Highlander Platinum also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Q7 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Grand Highlander is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Grand Highlander and the Audi Q7, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Grand Highlander was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Q7 hasn’t been picked since 2019.

The Toyota Grand Highlander outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by 66% during 2023.