Alternative review of Audi Q7

I have to be frank and say that I'm not in the market for a large, luxury 4x4. If I was however, this one would be well up on my list, Audi's Q7. The weather was foul - very wet and windy - during the time of my test, but that's just what you need with a car like this. The solid feel, the high driving position and the reassurance of four wheel drive all contribute to a welcome feeling on invulnerability. All of this allied to Audi build quality is a recipe that I could see myself finding it hard to resist.

Being head, shoulders and torso above the rest of the traffic made me feel confident behind the wheel of such a heavy vehicle. It weighs about the same as a baby elephant, so you feel confident that whatever you hit, it will come off worse. Well bolstered high-set seats ensure comfort on a longer journey and a great view of the road. Seven seats is the standard interior configuration for the Q7. Set-up in this way, the seating provides copious amounts of space for the front and middle row occupants but the rear seating is suitable only for small children or adults on short journeys. There's 330 litres of luggage space when the rearmost seats are folded into the floor and if they're likely to spend all their time in this position, you might like to consider the 5-seat version. Here the third row is deleted which means the load floor is lower and there's 775 litres of luggage space. It's also possible to specify a middle row of two 'comfort' seats comprised of a pair of separate chairs with an armrest come storage box in between. This in conjunction with the 3rd row delete option, opens up the possibility of four or five-seater versions of the Q7 With a length of 5,086mm and a wheelbase of 3,002mm, the Q7 isn't the most nimble rock hopper, but it does feature variable ground clearance (from 180 to 240mm), hill descent assist and an off-road mode whereby the ESP stability control system backs off to allow for loose surfaces. There's also a trailer stabilisation system which reduces the risk of fishtailing via targeted brake intervention.

Driving through the ford we ventured into during my test was, of course, a piece of cake. While saloon cars hesitated at the 2-foot 'river' looking for a dinghy, we ploughed through, leaving a wake any Riva sports boat would be proud of. Four engines are available with big petrol units now notable by their absence. The entry-level petrol is the supercharged six-cylinder 3.0 TFSI, developing 268bhp. This sits below a 328bhp version of the same engine with fully 440Nm of torque between 2,900 and 5,300rpm. Of greater relevance to the UK market is the 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel. This engine is available in standard or 'Clean Diesel' guises, with the later using advanced combustion and exhaust after-treatment technologies to boost efficiency further clean up its act. Finally, there's the muscular 335bhp 4.2-litre V8 TDI powerplant which comes bristling with 800Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,750rpm. It's the liveliest Q7 up to 60mph with a time of 6.4s and a 150mph top speed. The more powerful of the 3.0-litre petrol engines has a 6.9s sprint that's faster than the old V8 petrol unit and a 152mph top speed. The Q7 handles very well on the tarmac with the weighty steering doing much to inspire confidence and no small amount of composure in corners considering the vehicle's formidable bulk. In fact, it's easy to forget you're piloting something quite so large until you glance in the rear view mirror and see the expanse of seating stretching out behind you. This car is of course equipped as standard with quattro permanent four-wheel drive. Its Torsen centre differential directs power to all four wheels, on-road and off-road, which means fast-reacting power to whichever wheel can best deploy it and excellent lateral stability - the prerequisites for optimum driving dynamics and safety. The driver benefits - also thanks to virtually balanced axle load distribution - from even better agility and steering precision that remains practically free of torque steer. That's that horrible feeling you get in some cars when the steering wheel writhes in your hands under heavy acceleration.

So could I live with one? One thing's for sure, everyone gets out of your way when you're in a Q7. To have exclusive use of the roads is certainly a prospect I could live with. To have a vehicle fit for the jungle isn't especially necessary for a city dweller like me though. That said, this Audi in its own way offers an exciting driving experience that I became quite attached to as my test drew to a close.

TOP 5 Q7 DEALS

The results below show the top Q7 deals on buyacar

Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 245 Quattro 5dr Tip Auto Diesel Estate
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Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 245 Quattro S Line Plus 5dr Tip Auto Estate Special Edition
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Audi Q7 3.0 TDI 204 Quattro S Line 5dr Tip Auto Diesel Estate
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Audi Q7 3.0 TFSI Quattro S Line Plus 5dr Tip Auto Estate Special Edition
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