Category: Large 4x4s 
Price Range: £38,560 to £94,255
Epic performance, imposing looks, decent fuel range.
Frightening cost, mammoth dimensions, likes a drink.
New V12 diesel is mind-bendingly quick, but the rest of the car can't keep up.
The V12 Q7 shrugs off its 2.7-tonne kerbweight with astonishing ease - and with 493bhp and 738lb-ft of torque from just 1,750rpm, there's no wonder. It's just a shame it can sometimes sound like a large truck.
Some torque limiting in the first of the six automatic gears means the Q7 feels less spectacular off the mark than expected, but once the pair of turbos have been awakened the experience is nothing short of mind-bending. Only the Porsche Cayenne Turbo feels subjectively quicker.
High speeds are uncannily achieved. On the derestricted autobahn our Q7 hit 140mph with ease and felt reassuringly stable. It can equally play the relaxing role too, thanks to the huge amounts of pulling power.
But then the roads begin to narrow and undulate, and the Audi quickly runs out of talent. The vast amount of grip offered by the standard tyres is undermined by body roll and steering that feels far from accurate.
On smaller roads you also notice the poor throttle response and a gearbox that shifts in an indecisive manner. The Q7 would be left for dead by a Cayenne Turbo and even a BMW X6.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Audi Q7
wrote on 05 07 2007