Audi Q7 Engine Aims For The Crown Of SUV Market
The big Audi Q7 4x4 is a blend of space, comfort and quality along with real driver appeal. On the whole, the Q7 is all about success in all areas and without a shadow of doubt this car is a superb feat of engineering. The Q7's handling is brusque for and SUV combining with a well built seven seat interior alongside a very spacious boot. Basic models are the best value for money, but sporty S line models look sleeker and smarter. All models come with Audi's Quattro 4x4 system which make it capable off-road and on tarmac. There's no doubt that the Audi Q7 has the looks of a premium product when dressed up in S line trim and it is a head turner due to its big alloy wheels, under-body protection and brushed metal detailing. Despite of all this styling, it is still not the best looking car in the German firm's line-up. The front of the Q7 has a chunky look to it.
The Audi Q7 feels astoundingly sporty to drive although being such a big car. The steering is reactive and accurate and it feels stable through corners and bends. The only hair in the dough is the firmness of suspension, which doesn't even let go of the smallest bumps. The Audi Q7 engine range has petrol and three diesel engines. The base level 3.0 liter V6 diesel balances power with economy. Audi is renowned for its engineering and Q7 keeps on with this trend. Reported problems about the Q7 are few and far between however some early vehicles were recalled to fix the electric motor that powers the boot-lid. The Audi Q7 was only given four stars for Euro NCAP crash test rating where as five is standard for SUV's these days. All Q7 models come with driver, passenger and side airbags. The interior quality is unquestionable but the back seats are difficult to get to. The boot is very large so large that not even the Land Rover Discovery 4 cab match it. With all seats up it offers 330 liters of space but when you fold them down the figure jumps to a big 775 liters. None of the cars in the Q7 range are especially cheap to run. The most economical Audi Q7 engine is the 3.0 TDI diesel which delivers 201bhp and delivers just below 40mpg. Due to the size of the car insurance and road tax bills are going to be high. Add the CO2 emission figure of 189g/km to 242g/km to these factors as well. The mighty Q7 has made such a big impression on the segment that even the Range Rover seems little. In the SUV class a mix of qualities such as interior space, off-road ability, an upright driving position and capability to be used as a luxury saloon. And daringly, the Q7 is aiming for the top of the market.
I鈥檇 love to sample the optional sport exhaust that is now available for the E-Hybrid for the first time. Snatch a different gear using the steering wheel paddles and the eight-speed automatic delivers another cog with dual-clutch urgency but the smoothness of a torque converter. When left to its own devices, the programming is intuitive at the aggressive end of the spectrum, but switch out of Sport and it鈥檚 calming and benign. But the hybridised version carries a significant weight penalty, and there鈥檚 no hiding it when the way ahead turns twisty with more tendency to lean onto its outside front corner. While the other variants can carry more speed into corners, the hybrid requires more management prior to bends and will punish mid-corner braking and too much entry speed. Even with its extra electric payload though, the E-Hybrid is still surprisingly agile when changing direction. Light steering is precise, and the all-new platform has clearly been engineered with the heaviest end of the range in mind - not as an afterthought. It can鈥檛 keep up with the lighter siblings, but it still represents the upper end of handling when compared with rivals from other brands.
Hard braking also throws a few surprises into the mix. Initial pedal travel is disappointingly gluggy with the softness associated with hybrids that use lighter braking to recharge the battery. Push harder though, and the mighty ten-piston calipers come into play with a redeeming firmness that is a trademark of the Porsche middle (left) pedal. It is possible to fill both of the front rotors with too much heat, but you鈥檙e unlikely to get the opportunity to do that away from the track. Most commendable though, is the intuitive final drive鈥檚 attitude. Regardless of the drive mode, the adaptive transmission favours the rear wheels until the front axle is required and that adds an immediately noticeable sporty intent. Wider rear tyres compared with the front hoops (a standard feature regardless of the variant or option) add to the driver-focused chassis and overall layout. It would be easy to dismiss the E-Hybrid as the Cayenne that sacrifices a slice of the Porsche mission statement in favour of emerging technology, but that鈥檚 simply not fair or correct. A shamelessly hard drive through familiar roads has revealed exactly the opposite.