The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Diet has been good for Audi’s Q7
The first generation Audi Q7 was something of a behemoth.
It looked good and was comfortable but it was heavy and you were acutely aware you were driving one of the biggest cars on the road. And it was thirsty.
Here we have the second generation Q7, built to address the weaknesses of its predecessor.
While still huge, it is a little smaller than the first generation car and has been cunningly styled to make it look even more compact.
It’s also been on a diet, with an impressive 325kg trimmed off its waistline.
The vehicle sits on a new chassis – the same one which underpins Bentley’s first SUV, the Bentayga.
Seven seats come as standard and almost all models have air suspension.
Audi has dropped the unpopular petrol options, instead focusing on its tried and true three-litre V6 diesel.
Prices range from £47,610 to £53,655. That makes it a pretty expensive car but the same can be said of rivals such as the BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery.
If you want a car like this you need to be prepared for a big purchase price and high running costs.
After the styling update, the biggest change is how it drives.
The old Q7 had a comfortable ride but this version’s air suspension takes things to a new level. It almost feels like the car is floating over the road and it takes an almighty pothole before even the vaguest discomfort is felt.
The three-litre V6 diesel is available in two strengths: 268bhp and 215bhp.
I drove the more powerful model, which surges from 0-62mph in just 6.5 seconds, making it faster than the majority of hot hatches.
A huge 600 Nm of torque (which equates to pulling power) means the Q7 feels no slower when fully laden. For those who need to, it will tow up to 2,800kg.
Another surprise is its handling. Audi has dropped the centre of gravity slightly and that, combined with the great new chassis and weight reduction, make it a much more nimble beast.
It’s no MX-5, of course but unless you’re cornering really hard when its bulk is finally felt, you could easily think you are driving a much smaller car.
Audi claims around 47mpg for the diesel but like most official figures, this is simply nonsense. I took my test Q7 from Dundee to Skye for a long weekend and over around 400 miles of mixed driving it returned around 38-39mpg.
However, that’s still very impressive for a five-metre long SUV with fourwheel drive and weighing more than two tonnes.
It feels incredibly well planted on the road. Driving along the shores of Loch Laggan towards Dalwhinnie in a snowstorm the big Audi was a very secure and comfortable beast.
Indeed, the inside of a Q7 is a very nice place to spend time. The seats are firm but comfortable and dash quality reminds you how much you spent on the car. Only Volvo’s fantastic XC90 has a better interior.
The rearmost seats are only really suitable for children but the middle row can slide forward to give a bit more room. But even with all seven seats in play, there’s still almost 300 litres of boot space. With five seats there’s 700 and with all seats down, there’s a vanlike 1,955 litres.
It’s laden with technology, although only time will tell if all its electronic gadgets will remain glitch-free or economically repairable through the life of the car. The options list is almost endless – and endlessly expensive.
If you can afford one, though, the Q7 is a magnificent car. It looks good, feels as solid as they come, drives phenomenally and has acres of interior space.