Cabin fever
Report 3 Audi SQ7 £72,895 OTR/£94,920 as tested
At no point since taking possession of the SQ7 have I cursed the interior for a lack of technology or Fisher Price materials. I can connect my phone via Bluetooth, the satnav is intuitive and the DAB radio works. It also looks and feels better-built than my house, but that hasn’t stopped Audi from ploughing on and revealing its dazzling next-gen interior in the all-new A8.
And dazzling really is the word with a digital instrument cluster and two other screens fushly integrated into the dash shining away at all times. As a result, there’s barely a button or dial to be found – even the vent controls are super-slick, touch-sensitive screens with haptic feedback. Overkill? I’ll let you decide. Thing is, while it gives the appearance of something from the future, I’m convinced the SQ7’s cabin makes more sense. When you’re not using the central screen you can just fold it away, clearing your sight line and minimising distraction. And that happens quite a lot, given how easy it is to read the satnav, change your radio station, make calls and check you’re not accidentally cruising at double the speed limit, with the digital instrument cluster.
There’s also a feeling of quality and solidity that only physical buttons and switches can bring. Of course, progress must occur, but with these buttonless, big-screened interiors manufacturers seem to be falling for, there’s a whif of reinventing the wheel for no particular reason.