Audi Q7 (2006-2008) Review

On the road

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At 5086mm long, 1983mm wide, 1737mm tall and weighing nearly 2500kg unladen, the Q7 is big by European standards - and for European roads. It's going to be a tight fit down narrow country lanes and in congested city conditions. It's an easy drive, though, for something so large, with the bulk of the bodyweight well-controlled. Accurate, precise handling makes it easy to place on a fast corner, and it feels utterly obedient. The steering could do with a bit more weight and feedback, though, especially at speed, and the 'comfort' suspension setting does generate some body roll. On gravel or loose surfaces, you can feel the power distribution between the front and rear axles as the differential apportions torque to the end with the most grip, and the rear-axle bias in normal driving conditions gives a reasonably sporting feeling.

The seating position is high, giving a good view out, but it's worth opting for the upgraded parking assistance system with front- and rear-view cameras and in-dash screen, as well as audible warnings. Options also include adaptive cruise control, which controls distance from the car in front as well as speed, and Side Assist, a blind-spot warning system very similar to Volvo's BLIS which flashes a yellow LED on the door mirror if there's another vehicle coming up alongside. The Audi is so big - and could potentially squash a little lower-slung - that this is well worth having too.

Self-levelling air suspension similar to that of the Touareg and Cayenne is fitted, with three modes: dynamic, automatic and comfort. These basically speak for themselves, though automatic mode is the best all-round compromise between handling and comfort; dynamic mode lowers the ride height by 15mm, though this can lead to a rather choppy ride. The ride height automatically lowers at motorway speeds, for better aerodynamics, and the off-road mode gives ground clearance of up to 240mm for fording streams or scrambling over obstacles. All this is controlled via the multi-media interface (MMI) dials in the centre console - a much more intuitive system than BMW's i-Drive. Should you really want to go off-road, the ESP (stability control) incorporates downhill driving assistance, similar to Land Rover's Hill Descent Control, which works with rollover sensors to brake the car as it proceeds, and to keep it stable.

The 3.6 V6 FSI petrol engine is adequate, but could struggle a bit with a full complement of passengers and luggage. The 3.0 TDI diesel feels far stronger, especially mid-range, and is more than capable of cruising comfortably at highway speeds. Official performance figures are 134 mph and 0-60mph in 9.1 seconds; the 4.2 FSI is good for 154mph and 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds, but in most day-to-day driving, you might as well go with the more economical diesel, which is no poor substitute for the petrol V8 and should be more than sufficient to serve most needs. Expect more engine options later in the model-cycle: the V10 diesel, as in the Touareg, is unlikely to appear, but another larger, powerful diesel, probably eight-cylinder, could well come along. Don't expect the W12 petrol, either, but a more powerful version of the 4.2 FSI is probable at a later date.

The six-speed tiptronic transmission, with fully automatic and selectable sequential-shift modes, is one of the better gearboxes of its type; it's quick-acting, adapts fairly sharply to driving style and is generally smooth and subtle in its ratio-changes. There's a selectable sports mode, which gives later, faster upchanges; steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifts for the sequential shift mode are optional.