The trend of souping up large SUVs continues unabated, this time with the behemoth Audi Q7, having been breathed on by the Audi engineers with an S in front of the name. The aim appears to be to make a huge SUV drive like a sports car, following on from the very first, the BMW X5, which drove like a normal car.
They have made a great fist of it as the magnificent, barnstorming 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 507 bhp and 770 Nm of torque, propelling this 2.2-tonne monster to 62mph in 4.1 seconds and that is a mightily impressive feat. The power just goes on and on, and it seems such a shame to take your foot off the ‘go’ pedal as it’s a thrilling rush that I just didn’t want to end. But it doesn’t have to be like that - pop it into Economy mode and it potters along on the school run or the weekly Waitrose shop.
This is the same engine that sits in the Bentley Bentayga and the Lamborghini Urus, and as I stated when I reviewed them, they are brilliant cars - and you get it for £100,000 less with the SQ7. The eight-speed gearbox is lightning fast, and you forget the hard work it’s doing, as you should.
It also handles brilliantly thanks to the air suspension, real-wheel steering, torque vectoring, rear differential and the massive 22-inch wheels that roll over potholes and make cornering a breeze, with little concern about the car’s weight or the high ride height. The four-wheel drive system will also ensure you get where you are going in rain, sleet and snow. The air suspension automatically lowers the car at speed, therefore making it slightly more aerodynamic.
As my regular readers will know, I like a thunderous roar from my cars, and this did not disappoint - this is probably one of the best-sounding V8s around when in Dynamic mode - again, pop it into Economy mode, and it is near silent, so if you leave the house at 6am, the neighbours will still be speaking to you when you get home.
The cabin is typically Audi - well put together with premium materials, great seats and with the seven-seat option as on my car, you can haul seven people with a full boot and almost not even notice they are on board. With all rear seats down flat, it offers a class-leading 793 litres, which is enough to move house!
No muscle required either, as all seats go up and down at the press of a button. Many folk might be put off by the fact that there is very little difference in the exterior and interior than the standard Q7, but what do you want - disco lights and dancers? The standard interior is excellent so why mess with it? Also, there is the synthetic exhaust note coming from the speakers and some fake exhaust pipes, but I am not really sure why anyone would give a hoot about any of that - it sounds great.
The head-up display works really well, the AC is freezing cold, the infotainment screens are all where they should be, and the famous Audi ‘view’ button means you can change the screen in front of the driver to any view you would like - still unmatched by any other car, and the sound system is terrific.
Drawbacks - well, of course there are a few. The touchscreen has now become annoying and difficult to use when on the move without rear-ending the car in front. The piano black centre console looked fantastic when they delivered the car, but after 100 miles, it was covered in dust and fingerprints - time for a change, Audi, as it is all a tad dated. Fuel consumption will trouble some, as it is heavy if you overuse your right foot. In anger, I got it down to 10 mpg, but the average is 24 mpg.
If you need a huge SUV with seven seats and a rocket under your right foot, this could be the car for you.
Tech Stuff:
Model tested: Audi SQ7 Vorsprung TFSI
Power: 507 bhp
Speed: 0-62 - 4.1 secs
Top: 155 mph
Economy: 22.8 mpg combined
Standard Q7 price from: £73,225.00
SQ7 as tested: £119,920.00
