Audi's three-row flagship is caught between two truths: the 2016-2020 models delivered some of the finest interiors the brand ever built, tactile, sophisticated, genuinely special, while newer examples cheapened out with creaky piano black and the platform itself now trails refreshed rivals by a generation. The safety systems will phantom-brake you through roundabouts with alarming confidence, and the base 2.0T four-cylinder has no business hauling 5,000 pounds of German SUV plus seven passengers. But the 3.0T V6 pulls strong, Quattro handles winter without drama, and long-term reliability has been solid across the second generation. Hunt for a pre-2020 model if you want the good bones, skip the four-cylinder entirely, and budget time to neuter the driver assistance, families prioritizing space and mechanical competence over cutting-edge screens will find a capable workhorse here.
The redesigned Trax nailed the hardest trick in the segment: delivering a genuinely pleasant ownership experience at the lowest price point, with a quiet cabin and spacious cargo that embarrass pricier rivals. Nearly every 2024-2026 will need a fuel filler neck replacement under warranty before 5,000 miles for a persistent EVAP leak, a quick fix GM inexplicably hasn't solved in three model years of production. Singles, couples, and two-kid families get exceptional value; three-kid households will find it objectively too small, and if you live above 4,000 feet or routinely haul a full load uphill, the underpowered engine becomes a real limitation.