Category: Sporting 4x4s 
Price Range: £38,560 to £95,225
Well-built, posh image, well-equipped, good V6 diesel engine, handles well for such a large vehicle, comes in five-, six- or seven-seat form
Not a hardcore off-roader, very complex, huge and heavy
Smart-looking and relatively easy to drive, it's a credible alternative to the X5 and Range Rover Sport crew.
Audi narrowly missed out on being awarded five stars for occupant safety for the Q7 in the Euro NCAP crash tests. A ruptured footwell during testing was the reason for dropping that final star and Audi were quick to claim the problem has been addressed, ensuring the Q7 should remain one of the safest cars in its class.
Besides six airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounting points, the basic stability and obedience of the Q7 should help avoid a crash in the first place. It's not as top-heavy as a number of rival SUVs, and thus should be less likely to roll over in the event of a crash.
Electronic systems to help prevent a rollover include stability control, hill descent assist and the trailer assist control, as well as the anti-slip regulator (to prevent wheelspin), engine braking assist, brake assist with panic mode for stable straight-line emergency stops, and stopping distance reduction (in combination with the adaptive cruise control).
These various devices, and the blind-spot warning and parking sensor systems are no substitute, of course, for staying alert and keeping an eye out all round, but can help reduce the likelihood of an accident. Though in recent years Audis have become more attractive to thieves - and luxury 4x4s are often targeted by criminal gangs - the Q7 should be secure, with sophisticated locks and a standard-fit alarm. Best fit a satellite tracking device to be sure, however.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Audi Q7
wrote on 05 07 2007