Audi Q7

Audi has produced a fine contender for premium SUV honours.

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Rating:
On the road price: £38,830 - £50,695
For : Seating, engine and gearbox, elegant and well-built cabin, residuals, handling
Against : Hard ride at low speeds, cost of extras, rearmost seat headroom, size, A-pillar blind spots

Driving
The Q7 offers lots of performance - the 4.2-litre V8 petrol is impressive, but the 4.2-litre V8 TDI diesel is a benchmark for the sector! With 326bhp and 760Nm, it's the most powerful diesel on the market, and zaps the 2.5-tonne off-roader to 60mph in 6.4 seconds. However, the best-selling 3.0-litre TDI V6 isn't disgraced, with 233bhp shoving it to 60mph in just 8.4 seconds. Equally impressive is the Tiptronic transmission, shifting down on hills to improve engine braking. It complements a mighty set of brakes. And the Q7 has handling to match the performance. The air suspension includes roll control and height adjustability, making the car nimble and composed around corners. It even manages to reward keen drivers, not least because it uses the same rear-biased four-wheel-drive system as the latest RS4 supersaloon. Big wheels, however, spoil the ride. Cat's eyes send a thump through the frame, while potholes shake the chassis. Tyre roar can also spoil the ambience when on the move.

Marketplace
Big, isn't it? Together with the Mercedes R-Class, the Q7 is one of the latest generation of off-road machines, which are taking another step up the size ladder. But, despite its size, it's fairly aerodynamically efficient - this is because Audi has eschewed the usual bluff, butch appearance for a close resemblance to an A6 Avant, instead. Its lines disguise the proportions, though it lacks the exec estate's elegance. Three trims are available, with SE likely to prove the most popular. Other premium rivals naturally include the Range Rover, Volvo XC90 and BMW X5, even though the Q7 dwarfs them all. It even towers above the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, with which it share underpinnings.

Owning
With immaculate materials and outstanding build quality outside and in, the Audi makes rivals seem tinny and low rent. There's even an optional Bang & Olufsen digital audio system, which sounds great and has speakers that rise out of the dash when it's switched on. The only downside is its £4,000 pricetag; it complements the Q7's exceptional refinement extremely well. Yet that's not to say everything is perfect. The big mirrors not only create wind noise but, together with the A-pillars, they ruin forward visibility. The foot operated parking brake is old fashioned too, and you need to watch your head on the low doorframe when getting in and out. The seats, however, are superb and there's ample space for seven adults, with plentiful legroom for everybody. All seats fold flat easily and the boot is massive, if blighted by a protruding bumper and high floor. Fuel economy won't win any records, as is to be expected, but retained values are likely to be among the best for any car on sale in the UK. Good job, as the Q7 is also a costly SUV to buy in the first pace, particularly if you plunder the premium-priced options list.