Eighteen years ago it was the progenitor of the “Q”, the range of sports utility which today dominates the sales of the Ingolstadt house. Today the Audi Q7 comes of age, even if it had already reached maturity with the second generation launched in 2015, developed on the MLB platform. With a new update, the flagship SUV presents few but significant improvements, both on a technological level, with the presence of new Oled rear lights and customizable light signatures for the front and rear lights, and on a technical level, with greater power and autonomy electric for the plug-in hybrid versions. These updates allow it to boast once again the title of standard-bearer of Audi SUVs, a title which is all the more rightful to it since, thanks to its 5 meters in length and the possibility of hosting up to seven passengers, it is the largest and most spacious in the range.
The success of the “Q”
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Despite being made up of several models in the run-out phase and close to a generational change, the Audi SUV range continues to enjoy great success, especially among the business customers, which represents 65% of the brand’s sales. This success is due to the wide offer of financial formulas and the flexibility of sales or rental contracts, but also to the high residual value at the end of the contract. In fact, one of the reasons why the SUV range has a higher average age than the market is precisely the desire to preserve the residual value of the cars, to guarantee the benefit of customers, who would risk, with the early exit of a new model, to see the value of your car decrease. This choice is also accompanied by an industrial plan which sees Audi progressively focus its energies on the development of new 100% electric models, such as the new Q6 e-tron and the next A6 e-tron, both developed on the Ppe platform.
The design
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It has lost many of its rough edges, but retains the design muscular and slender proportions. The S-Line setup, with 22-inch wheels and total black inserts, streamlines it, almost giving it the appearance of a raised station wagon rather than an SUV. The characteristic octagonal Audi grille extends to the base of the headlights and the redesigned bumper features larger air intakes. The lighting has also changed: now the daytime running lights are positioned in the upper part of the headlights, which are LED matrix. The Q7 also now adopts rear lights with Oled technology. These have a proximity function: all segments of the light cluster light up when a vehicle or pedestrian approaches within two metres, making the car easier to perceive.
Interiors
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Nothing new to add about the passenger compartment, which we had already appreciated for the construction quality and refinement of the materials. From the Alcantara headliner to the stitched seats, every detail of the car is pleasant to touch and smell. The Q7, like other high-end cars from the company, adopts a complete and intuitive digital instrument panel, customizable via buttons on the steering wheel, and a double display of theinfotainment. However, there is no lack of the right amount of buttons, necessary to activate some of the main functions, such as climate control and audio system volume, thus avoiding distractions while driving. Finally, as you would expect from a car 5 meters long and almost two meters wide, the space on board it is abundant, even for the rear passengers, who benefit from a reclining sofa. The comfort of the two seats in the third row of passengers is also acceptable for an adult.
The turbodiesel
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The Audi Q7 adopts diesel and petrol engines with module 48V mild-hybrid, but also more powerful and efficient plug-in engines (here to find out more). For those who are not satisfied, the SQ7 with a 507 horsepower twin-turbo V8 engine is also present in the range. The version we tested is the 50 Tdi, equipped with an engine V6 turbodiesel with 3 liters of displacement, 286 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque. This engine, in addition to being the most popular among private customers (the plug-in hybrid will be of interest above all to companies to contribute to the overall reduction of CO2), in our opinion is also the most balanced, since it offers the right compromise between comfort, performance and operating costs. If it is true that the times of Audi winning at Le Mans with a diesel engine are far away and that today the Ingolstadt company is projected completely towards an electric future, it is right to break a spear in favor of the V6 Tdi engine, which in terms of roundness and consumption is still the most convincing choice on a two-wheeler car. tons of weight. In addition to benefiting from tax advantages thanks to the hybrid approval.
How is it going
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That the Q7 with this engine has the nature of a traveler can be seen as soon as you fill up the tank: I am beyond 1000 km of autonomy indicated by the instrument panel. And on its streets of origin, the Autobahn Germans, the Q7 50 Tdi could travel hundreds of kilometers at very high speeds without having to stop to refuel the tank. On Italian motorways, subject to speed limits, we instead appreciated the readiness of the six-cylinder diesel and its silence, interrupted only when you set sport mode. I like the way it decisively tackles curves and the stability conveyed by it all-wheel steeringdirect and balanced for an SUV of this size.
How’s it going/2
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We also appreciated the steering on the rally roads of the Island of Elba, where the Q7 does not demonstrate its size at all and, thanks to the sports differential on the rear axle and the electronically controlled anti-roll bars, it offers an agility reminiscent of that of a rear-wheel drive car. In reality, like all Q7s on the market, it is offered as standard with the electronic all-wheel drive which distributes 60% of the torque to the rear and 40% to the front. On the Tuscan island we also had the opportunity to experiment with the air suspensions which, in off-road mode, allow the car body to rise up to a maximum travel of 90 mm and to tackle light off-road sections, which would otherwise be difficult for an SUV with a sporty feel.
Pros and cons
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Pleases: sporty SUV set-up, comfort and roundness of the turbodiesel.
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Do not like: The infotainment is fluid and intuitive but is sometimes slow in loading information
