Seven Kylie Minogues or a Steinway Piano. That’s how much weight Audi claims to have pared from the latest Q7, its flagship SUV, which tips the scales up to 325kg lighter than before. Above a huge list of technical advances, it’s this fact which permeates through the Q7’s specifications and driving experience. Less weight means better performance, economy and handling, essential gains when rivals are as talented as the Volvo XC90, BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport.
Fitted with a 3.0-litre TDI diesel with 268bhp, the new Q7 will hit 62mph from rest in a scant 6.5 seconds, yet still return 47.9mpg, up from 38.2mpg before. Quattro four-wheel drive is standard across the range. Emissions have been cut from 195g/km of CO2 down to 153g/km, reducing its annual tax bill from £265 to £180.
In fact, the Q7 is something of a review-buster, fitted with more on-board systems than any Audi in its history. Writing about them all is nigh on impossible, but we’ll try and cover the highlights.
How does letting the car take care of traffic jams sound? Yes, at speeds up to 37mph, this big Audi will accelerate, brake and, wait for it… steer along the road using navigation data and sensors mounted around the vehicle. It’s fitted as part of the Dynamic Pack, costing between £2,655 and £2,800.
Parking never your strong point? Well, the Q7 is a very large car, although measuring 5,052mm long, it’s actually 37mm shorter than before as well as being 15mm narrower. But more than this change in size, it’s the parking systems which make bringing the Q7 into port all the easier. It can now identify more types of space and steer into them. There’s even a button to rescue an aborted parking attempt, which sees the vehicle scan the area and sort out your mistakes.
Inside, the Audi Q7 boasts even classier looking materials, and you can have the optional £600 Audi Virtual Cockpit, a 12.3-inch digital replacement for the instrument cluster, which made its debut in the Audi TT.
Despite being slightly smaller, interior space is improved, and the Q7 is more practical. The 770-litre boot’s loading lip has been made 5cm lower and the standard (although they can be deleted for free) third row of seats now rise and lower into place electrically. Impressively, all six passenger seats can accommodate a child seat, making the Q7 the SUV of choice for parents of sextuplets.
All Q7s get five driving modes, with softer responses in Comfort and greater precision in Dynamic, but for the full effect you’ll need Adaptive air suspension. This hunkers down and stiffens for faster driving, and lifts for greater comfort or to improve ground clearance for off-roading. The Q7 always remains calm, but for the best ride quality choose the 19-inch wheels, because the 20-inch rims can send some jolts into the cabin.
Audi has thrown all its know-how at the Q7, and that’s no small statement. The result is certainly impressive and might add up to one of the best-value propositions on the new car market. This might seem like an odd statement to make about a £50k SUV, but when you consider its size, luxury and gadgets, it can make some cars costing four-figure sums look a bit old hat.