Compare the2025 Ford ExpeditionVS 2025 Audi Q7

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Expedition inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Q7 doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

With its standard Co-Pilot 360 Assist+, the Ford Expedition is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q7, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Expedition and the Q7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Expedition is safer than the Audi Q7:

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

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 Ford Expedition is safer than the Audi Q7:

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

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Expedition 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.

There are almost 10 times as many Ford dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Expedition’s warranty.

The Expedition has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Q7 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 63 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 long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Ford higher than Audi.

The Expedition’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 139 more horsepower (400 vs. 261) and 207 lbs.-ft. more torque (480 vs. 273) than the Q7 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Expedition’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 65 more horsepower (400 vs. 335) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (480 vs. 369) than the Q7 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid. The Expedition’s optional 3.5 turbo V6 produces 105 more horsepower (440 vs. 335) and 141 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 369) than the Q7 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Expedition uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Q7 55 TFSI requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Expedition has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Expedition, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Q7.

For better traction, the Expedition has larger standard tires than the Q7 (265/70R18 vs. 255/55R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Expedition Platinum Ultimate has standard 24-inch wheels. The Q7’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The Ford Expedition’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Audi Q7 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Expedition has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare 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.

The Expedition’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Q7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Expedition’s wheelbase is 4.6 inches longer than on the Q7 (122.5 inches vs. 117.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Expedition is 2 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Q7.

For greater off-road capability the Expedition has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q7 (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Expedition to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Expedition uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q7 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Expedition Tremor/Platinum Stealth uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Expedition has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Q7 can only carry 7.

The Expedition has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 2.2 inches more front legroom, 5.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 6.3 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.5 inches more third row headroom, 7.3 inches more third row legroom and 14.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Q7.

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

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

The Expedition’s cargo area is larger than the Q7’s in almost every dimension:

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Expedition’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Q7 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Expedition’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Q7’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Expedition’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q7’s (6000 vs. 4409 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Audi Q7 is only 7716 pounds. The Expedition offers up to a 9300 lbs. towing capacity.

The Expedition 4x4 can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Expedition can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Q7 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Expedition’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Q7 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Expedition’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Q7 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Audi Connect CARE can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Expedition has a standard rear variable 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 Expedition offers an optional 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 Expedition is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Expedition owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Expedition will cost $830 to $3160 less than the Q7 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Expedition is less expensive to operate than the Q7 because typical repairs cost much less on the Expedition than the Q7, including $191 less for a water pump, $544 less for a muffler, $118 less for front brake pads, $838 less for a starter, $632 less for fuel injection, $101 less for a fuel pump, $542 less for front struts and $714 less for a timing belt/chain.

The Ford Expedition/Expedition Max outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by almost three to one during 2023.