Audi Q7: Spacious, capable and very clever

There is no way to really sugar coat what I am about to say, so I will just come straight out with it. The original Audi Q7 was not the most handsome of machines to look at.

I personally thought it looked like an oversize blob in a world then dominated by box shaped SUVs. Fast forward a good few years and so much has changed in this time. We now have Coupe SUVs and everything else in between on the road, but at the same time, the Q7 has quietly become somewhat more chiselled while nobody was paying attention.

For now (some sporty S and RS models are coming) there is only one diesel engine to choose from and that is the really good 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6. This engine produces 183 kW of power and 600 Nm of torque and this in turn translates into a claimed 0 to 100 km/h time of 6.9 sec and a top speed of 225 km/h.

Audi Q7 rear view

The Audi Q7 45 TDI quattro S line Tiptronic as it is officially known, runs an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox and permanent quattro all–wheel drive. Why the number 45? I still don’t know, and I doubt I will ever understand why, but this 45 is more than you will ever need on a daily basis.

Step inside this large SUV and you will immediately understand when Audi says that the Q7 outdoes its direct competitors with interior length as well as headroom and elbow room in the front and rear. I threw my mountain bike in the back, and it took me a week to find it!

Five seats, seven seats, electrically adjustable rear seats to a standard fitment electric tailgate with foot-activated gesture control are just some of the simplicity and convenience on offer when you are chasing space in an SUV.

Audi Q7’s capacious boot with the rear seats folded flat

You might for a moment think that this space comes at the expense of agility, but it doesn’t. You get all–wheel steering that allows the rear wheels to turn as much as five degrees in the opposite direction and make the large SUV easy to manoeuvre around town, and then stable and composed on the highway.

If you are really going to run around off-road in a luxury SUV that starts at R1 388 500, then you might as well go for the optional adaptive air suspension. It provides for variable ground clearance and sets up the Q7 for any sort of terrain via the standard Audi drive select dynamic handling system with a full seven profiles to choose from.

Of course, the Q7 is an absolute tech fest when it comes to the cockpit architecture and in car connectivity. Standard is the MMI navigation system that features an embedded SIM, a Wi-Fi hotspot, natural voice control and the extensive Audi connect portfolio.

Audi Q7’s minimalist and modern, tech-filled interior

If you want a very capable and truly large premium SUV, then the Audi Q7 should be on your short list. Ah, the choices the rich have to make…

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