Audi claims that the Q7, with its new 4,2-litre TDI powerplant, is “the most powerful diesel SUV in South Africa.” So, when I recently got the chance to get behind the wheel of this Q7, I was eager to see what it had to offer.
Initially, all I noticed was the sheer enormousness of this vehicle. Granted, being just over 1,5 m tall will make many an SUV tower over me, but measuring in at over five metres in length, two metres wide and just over two metres high, the Q7 gives off a seriously intimidating presence – no matter your height. Slap those dimensions together with the Q7’s bulging bonnet and Audi’s mean-looking grille, and you get a force you wouldn’t want to reckon with out on the road.
Hopping into the driver’s seat, however, gave a different feel to the vehicle. Sitting in the cabin doesn’t give you the feeling that you’re driving one of the larger passenger cars on the road. While driving, I actually forgot that I was controlling something so colossal. It made me quite nervous at times because I was afraid that I would end up knocking something by misjudging the dimensions of the car (thank goodness for PDC).
Seating in the Q7 proved comfortable, and the electronically adjustable seats made quick work of putting me at rest for a comfortable drive. Rear legroom proved ample, even with the front seats positioned quite far back.
There are buttons everywhere and for everything, which distracted me more than making things easier! But once I got used to it, it was easy to control everything from my station selection to the suspension set up… everything except something as simple as opening the glove compartment. After much searching, the button was found in the middle of the facia of all places – nowhere near the actual compartment. Finding this button was met with joy because storage space for small items such as wallets, cellphones or keys was not easy to come by or access in the Q7 and the door compartments were hard to reach.
All of that aside though, I found the Q7 quite fun to drive. On tar, the Q7 handled road glitches, tight bends, and humps and bumps with ease. With a silent prayer and faith in Audi’s technologies, including quattro AWD, an advanced ESP system and various safety features, I put the pedal to the metal and… felt hesitation. This is possibly due to the Q7’s standard six-speed Tiptronic transmission taking a while to slip into the desired gear. However, once the Q7 goes, it really goes! You get thrown back in your seat as the 240 kW V8 engine proves its worth. Although not personally tested, (no, seriously, I didn’t) the Q7 can dash from zero to 100 km/h in 6,4 seconds and can carry on to reach a top speed of 236 km/h. Torque for this model is 760 Nm, which is available between 1 800 and 2 500 rpm.
I’m not too sure about the off-road capabilities of the Q7, but if the 2006 CAR road test of the 3,0-litre TDI version is anything to go by, there are better options out there for off-road use. The Q7 is a Crossover SUV, and therefore, best suited for transporting family, furry friends and fairly big items around…for those with R710 000 to spare, that is.
