Audi Q7
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Transcript of Audi Q7
LOVE LETTER TO
I love Audi’s, I drive a 3.0 Quattro and smile every time I get into it.
Not the most objective start to an Audi review I’ll admit,
however I am a seasoned professional and I like to think I can
take a car and review it on its own merits. What I didn’t expect was to
hide the keys when a colleague wanted to take a look. Nor did I think
that I would lie blatantly to anyone wanting to drive it saying that the
insurance wouldn’t cover them, obviously not the case with a press
car but they had the good grace to go along with my impassable lies.
I love this car!
So yes the Q7 may now be getting a bit long in the tooth now as it
made its debut in 2006 however it is still a very imposing car. Inside,
it offers a high driving position that gives a commanding view of the
road ahead that reflects its exterior looks. Plus, there’s no denying
that the seven-seat interior is massive, even though the legroom in
the last row of seats is a little tight. That said the Q7 happily housed
6 adults in style as we made our way to the local Indian for a business
meal.
When I first drove this car I hated the bouncy suspension and I
couldn’t wait to get back into my A6. I was convinced that the Q7
must have controllable suspension but as I couldn’t see an obvious
big button or lever to pull I figured I was wrong. It was my young son
who was fiddling with the central computer when he came across the
suspension setting and transformed this bouncy tractor into a luxury
limousine. When you get the right setting you have a car that corners
well, offers loads of grip and very
little body roll. It drives along
quietly at motorway speeds and
above and the V6 diesel engine
offers impressive performance.
It is easy to forget that you are in
a big 4 x 4 with this performance
and handling.
You won’t have to be a brain
surgeon to realise that the
Audi Q7 isn’t cheap to buy, and
neither is it cheap to run. Frugal
isn’t really the right word on our
test vehicle, the 3.0-litre TDI
diesel which delivered slightly
below 40mpg fuel economy. You
could argue that that isn’t bad for
such a large car, but that doesn’t
change the fact that road tax is
hefty too. However this is true
for my A6 and the Q7 has two
extra seats and must weigh the
same as a train!
I like a good light cabin in a
car and the optional extras of a
full-length glass roof was perfect.
There are three glass panels and
two of these open. If it becomes
too bright there is a full length
screen that covers the glass at
the flick of a switch.
Interior offers good
versatility and a massive boot.
With all seats in place, the boot
has 330 litres of space. When the
Q7 is in five-seat mode, you get
775 litres of boot space, which
expands to a frankly mammoth
2,035 litres when the back seats
are folded down flat. So, no
matter what you need to carry,
you can pretty much fit anything
inside your Q7, with not even
the Land Rover Discovery 4
matching its huge boot.
I am not going to go into much
detail on its off road capabilities
for a couple of reasons. Firstly,
other than me turning it around
in a wet field I didn’t do anything
off road with it. Secondly we did
have some floods which I didn’t
drive through. The good news
is it was fine on the field and
handled the puddle well which
is probably about as much mud
action as most of these cars will
ever see.
The Audi Q7 is well built
with a durable interior and Audi
prides itself on producing tough
and dependable cars, so the Q7
is a safe bet.
It’s a big car and its bulk is
always obvious. It weighs in
at more than two tonnes and
somewhat dominates any road
it’s driving on. I have read reviews
where they have said that the downside of that is that it’s undeniably
difficult to park and to maneuver down narrow city streets or into
driveways with tight entrances. I found this to be untrue as it has
front and rear parking sensors and huge mirrors. All windows offer
great visibility and no blind spots. Or I guess I am just a really good
driver!
Have no illusions though that you are never going to get a car this
big on a small budget. The Q7 is not a cheap car, in anybody’s book.
But the entry-level 3.0-litre V6 TDI Quattro does represent good
value for money as a starting point in this upmarket class of cars,
where £40,000-plus is a drop in the water. And you do get a decent
level of standard equipment for that money, too. Plus, when it comes
to sell on the used car market, the Q7’s resale values are strong and
you should find a better deal than someone selling a rival such as the
BMW X5 or Land Rover Discovery 4.
I have been smitten by the Q7 and am negotiating a finance deal
to buy one myself and I don’t say that after all car reviews! My Q7 will
soon be on order and I can’t wait.
BY STEVE WARMAN
AUDI Q7
“ EI have been smitten by the Q7 and am negotiating a finance deal to buy one myself.”