Audi Q7 SUV vs BMW 223d xDrive Active Tourer G42: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Q7 SUV hits 100 km/h in 7.07 s versus 7.43 s for the 223d xDrive Active Tourer. At this point, the Q7 SUV leads by 0.36 s and sits roughly 17 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Q7 SUV is doing 117 km/h against 121 km/h for the 223d xDrive Active Tourer. The gap is 0.55 s. The gap widens compared to the 0-100.

At 400 metres standing start, the Q7 SUV crosses the line in 15.11 s versus 15.43 s. The 0.32 s gap represents roughly 14 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The Q7 SUV maxes out at 226 km/h while the 223d xDrive Active Tourer keeps accelerating towards 233 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.09 s.

Around 675 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the 223d xDrive Active Tourer overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 7 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the 223d xDrive Active Tourer finishes in 27.75 s versus 28.09 s. The 0.33 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Q7 SUV is capped at 226 km/h, the 223d xDrive Active Tourer at 233 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (9.09 kg/hp vs 7.84 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.95 seconds. The 0.36 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.