2020 Audi Q7 vs 2020 Toyota 4Runner

The 2020 Toyota 4Runner featured a timeless design with tall slab sides, a high beltline, short overhangs, and a near-vertical front fascia. Its utilitarian attitude was reminiscent of an XJ Jeep Cherokee, with flared wheel wells designed to accommodate bulky off-road tires and short overhangs for tackling steep pitches and sharp declines. The hood scoop, a visual cue for the off-road-focused TRD trim, was one of the few non-functional elements. Small, angular headlights highlighted the front end, and the grille varied by trim, with body-color bars on most trims and blacked-out accents on the TRD Pro. The Limited trim featured bright chrome accents.

The 4Runner's trim lineup included SR5, SR5 Premium, TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, TRD Pro, and Limited, with the Nightshade Special Edition and Venture Special Edition trims adding a stealth aesthetic and off-road capabilities. Our test model, a Limited trim, aimed at comfort with leather upholstery and an 8-inch touchscreen. Despite the chrome and leather, the 4Runner's utilitarian DNA was evident, with plenty of plastic and a seating position designed for off-roading rather than highway cruising.

The 2020 Audi Q7 offered multiple variations, including the 45 TFSI with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and the 55 TFSI with a mild-hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. A performance-tuned Audi SQ7 with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 was also available. Our evaluation focused on the Q7 55 TFSI, starting at $60,800, with the test vehicle featuring the Prestige trim, Navarra Blue metallic paint, a Cold Weather Package, and a Towing Package, totaling $74,290.

Design changes for 2020 included updated front and rear styling, new wheels, and lighting elements, aligning the Q7 with the flagship Q8 model. The test vehicle's 20-inch turbine-style wheels wore 285/45 Pirelli Scorpion Verde run-flat all-season tires. Inside, the Q7 adopted the high-tech dashboard and instrumentation from the Q8, with three digital displays replacing most physical controls. The cabin, decked out in Okapi Brown leather with Gray/Brown Fine Grain Ash natural wood inlays, was upscale and high-tech, with multi-color ambient lighting adding a soothing vibe at night.

The 2020 Toyota 4Runner featured a 4-liter V6 engine with a 5-speed automatic transmission, producing 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. This engine was not designed for smooth and efficient performance but for durability and off-road capability. The 4Runner could tow up to 5,000 pounds, but its fuel economy was poor, with EPA estimates of 16 mpg city, 19 highway, and 17 combined. Our test model managed 17.7 mpg over 400-plus miles.

The 4Runner excelled off-road, with body-on-frame construction and advanced traction systems like Toyota's CRAWL control and Multi-Terrain Select. The full-time 4WD system on the Limited trim was better suited for maintaining forward progress, while the part-time system in the TRD models handled crawling up boulders. On-road performance was less impressive, with significant body roll in corners and heavy, vague steering.

The 2020 Audi Q7 55 TFSI debuted a new 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine, generating 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It featured a 48-volt mild-hybrid electrical system to conserve fuel, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi Drive Select offered several driving modes, including Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual, and Allroad.

The Q7 55 TFSI could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and tow up to 7,700 pounds. The EPA estimated 18 mpg combined, and our test vehicle averaged 21 mpg on a road trip. The Prestige trim included an adaptive air suspension, with adjustable firmness and height settings. The Q7 performed well on both pavement and trails, with agile handling and a quiet cabin, thanks to dual-pane acoustic side window glass.

The 2020 Toyota 4Runner offered excellent outward visibility and a relatively tight turning radius of 18 feet, 7 inches. The dashboard featured large, chunky knobs for HVAC and stereo controls, with easy-to-use physical buttons lining the 8-inch touchscreen. The steering wheel controls were not illuminated, making them difficult to use in the dark.

The 4Runner's tall seating position provided a commanding view of the road, and power-retractable running boards aided entry and exit. The optional third row of seats in non-TRD and non-Venture trims was best suited for short and occasional use, with narrow and thin jump seats that folded toward the floor when not in use.

The 2020 Audi Q7, with three rows of seats and seven-passenger capacity, was best used as a five-passenger vehicle. The third-row seat was suitable only for young children, with a flat, featureless cushion. When the third row was in use, cargo space was limited to 14.2 cubic feet, expanding to 35.7 cubic feet with the third row folded and 69.6 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The Q7's cabin was comfortable for a family of four, with eight-way power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats, and plenty of legroom and thigh support in the second row. The four-zone climate control, heated rear cushions, and rear side window shades ensured comfort in varying temperatures. The panoramic sunroof was perfect for sightseeing and stargazing. However, practical interior storage was limited, with the center console and dashboard screen taking up most of the space.

The 2020 Toyota 4Runner featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Toyota's proprietary system was not difficult to understand, but the onboard navigation system was less efficient than Google Maps. The 4Runner also offered Amazon Alexa compatibility, Bluetooth connectivity, a single USB media port, and various subscription services like Sirius XM Radio, Safety Connect, and WiFi Connect. Higher trims included a JBL stereo and navigation system. However, the 4Runner lagged behind competitors in total features and usability, with the most advanced features hidden in the powertrain.

The 2020 Audi Q7 introduced MMI Touch Response technology, combining a 10.1-inch upper touchscreen with an 8.6-inch lower touchscreen. The system included natural voice recognition, handwriting recognition, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation with Google Earth imagery, and Audi Connect subscription services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The user interface was generally intuitive, but dry fingertips sometimes made the virtual buttons unresponsive. The Prestige trim included a full-color head-up display and a Bose premium sound system, which Audi replaced with a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen system for 2021.

The 2020 Toyota 4Runner benefited from Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P), which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, and automatic high beams. The 4Runner also had eight standard airbags. The NHTSA awarded it four out of five stars overall, with three out of five in the rollover test. The IIHS gave it a Good rating in most crash tests, except for a Marginal rating in the small overlap front: driver-side test. The adaptive cruise control worked well, but the high center of gravity and imprecise steering made a more active lane-keeping assist system desirable.

The 2020 Audi Q7 featured HD Matrix LED headlights, which performed well but were rated poor by the IIHS for excessive glare. The Q7 included numerous advanced driving-assistance systems, with upgrades available in the Executive Package or Prestige trim. Highlights included Emergency Assist, Turn Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Assist with traffic-jam assistance and lane-centering assistance. The adaptive cruise control worked well, but the traffic-sign-recognition technology caused issues, and the Active Lane Assist was sometimes confusing. The IIHS gave the Q7 the highest ratings, except for the poor headlight assessment.