LOVE AT FIRST DRIVE
The creature comforts, cabin space and super smart tech make Audi’s SUV hard to resist
Iclimb into the driver’s seat of the Audi SQ7, press the ignition button and my senses go wild. The 8.3-inch colour display rises from the middle of the dashboard. The 12.3-inch virtual cockpit screen lights up behind the steering wheel and the cabin is filled with a deep low rumble.
I think I love this car.
COMFORT FIRST
The interior is definitely a cut above the rest. The Valcona leather seats are more comfortable than my couch at home. Sitting in it for the first time, my husband declares it’s “Ni-i-ice!” — which means he must be impressed, as he’s not usually too interested in cars.
I notice the aircon vent is one long strip across the dash and I know my husband is going to love the SQ7 too. We can set the temperature in four different zones — he can be ice-cold while I’m comfortable right next to him.
I adjust my seat, bringing it up and forward for my short legs. There’s another dial, too, to control the lumbar support and the curvature of the seat’s edges. I can tailor the driver’s seat to my own back … I’m falling deeper in love.
GOES LIKE A ROCKET
I roll the car out of the driveway and on to the road. The drive is smooth and the accelerator is the most responsive I’ve ever felt.
Heading towards the freeway, I put my foot down slightly to merge and the power delivery is spectacular.
AT A GLANCE
AUDI SQ7
PRICE From $153,616
WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km, 12 months/15,000km
SAFETY 8 airbags, AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera, reversing camera, parking assist, driver alert, lane keep assist, tyre pressure monitor ENGINE 4.0-litre V8 twin turbo, 48V boost, 320kW/900Nm
THIRST 7.6L/100km
SPARE None; repair kit
BOOT 775L
KIDSPOT.COM.AU
It only takes just a few minutes to get used to controlling all that urge. It’s how all cars should feel and I just want to drive it everywhere.
TECH
I can easily connect my iPhone to the infotainment and, as the battery is on 2 per cent charge, I place it inside the centre console and close the lid — it fits just perfectly and charges out of sight.
I enter my home address in the navigation. My only complaint about this car is this process — turn the dial until you reach your desired letter and hit enter … then on to the next letter and so on, slowly.
A touchscreen is the easiest way to enter information on the go, why can’t all cars have them? In the bottom of my field of vision, the head-up display shows my speed and the next step in the navigation.
Parking is a breeze in any situation with the Audi’s 360-degree camera. I can toggle between four different camera views to make sure I don’t brush against anything while parking. When I arrive home and step out of the car, it even reminds me that I’ve left my phone. I retrieve it, lock the doors and the side mirrors fold in deftly.
NIGHT LIGHTS
Driving the SQ7 is just as pleasant at night as it is during the day. Ambient lighting brightens the cabin and we can see the sky clearly through the panoramic sunroof.
We take the car for a spin down south and I’ve preset the speed limit to 110km/h to match the zone I’m driving in. I get beeped regularly. The car drives so smoothly it’s easy to creep over the speed limit without realising.
Returning home after our long drive, I activate the windscreen washers to clear the bugs off the window — little jets of water spray up from the headlight washers too. Very clever! With everyone out, I empty the boot, push the button and walk away — the tailgate lowers automatically. We haven’t needed the sixth and seventh seats in the third row but I decide to raise them to take a look.
The process is simple — hold down on the button on the side of the cargo area and watch appreciatively as the seats unfold electronically. If I gave birth to a fourth child, this is the car I would deserve for all my hard work. Nothing less. Someone send a note to my husband.
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