Audi A7 Sportback review - MPG, CO2 and running costs

Given the huge song and dance Audi makes about its 48v mild hybrid system, the 10% economy improvement claimed for the A7 Sportback doesn’t seem that impressive. Nevertheless, all engines are competitive on paper when it comes to their claimed WLTP fuel economy. 

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Starting with the petrol A7, the 2.0-litre 45 TFSI has economy claims of up to 34.4mpg and has the lowest emissions rating of 185g/km. The gives the A7 Sportback an advantage over the Porsche Panamera, as this car doesn't have a 2.0-litre petrol engine, while the A7 is more efficient than the 2.0-litre equipped versions of the Mercedes CLS. Go for the V6 55 TFSI petrol, and the best economy and emissions scores are 30.7mpg and 208g/km respectively. Of course, all of these figures will change depending on whether you choose Sport, S line, Black Edition or Vorsprung trim and the different wheel sizes that come with them.

Diesels hold more appeal for running costs. The best of the range is the 40 TDI which has a WLTP best of 49.6mpg and 149g/km in Sport trim. Add quattro 4WD and the best WLTP figure here is 47.1mpg. Go for a V6 diesel, and the 45 and 50 TDI both manage up to 39.8mpg.

The S7’s switch from petrol to diesel power has had a staggering effect on improving fuel consumption. While the old V8-powered S7 would manage 29.4mpg on the old, rather optimistic NEDC testing cycle, the new model is claimed to achieve 43.5mpg by the same measure. On the new WLTP assessment, it manages 35.8mpg – a figure that, during our time with the S7, seemed entirely plausible.

These running costs are all boosted by the 48v mild hybrid system, but company car users will likely want to hold on for the A7 Sportback 55 TFSI e plug-in model which has a WLTP combined fuel consumption of 134.5-141.2mpg and claimed CO2 emissions of 48g/km. However, this model is likely to be pricey, and still won't deliver the kind of Benefit In Kind costs that a full EV like a Tesla Model S delivers. 

Insurance

The A7s initial insurance groups look competitive next to its rivals. The smaller 2.0-litre cars are in group 41, while the V6 models range from group 43-45. That’s considerably better than any variants of the Porsche Panamera (Group 50). Even the older BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe can’t match the Audi’s figures. It still won’t be particularly cheap, however. 

Depreciation

The A7 is a large car, but its competitive price tag means there’s less initial outlay to lose than in many rivals. Expert data suggests that the 55 TFSI petrol predicted to retain 40% of its value over 3 years/36,000 miles. Be careful with the options list, however, as its easy to add thousands to the car’s list price that you won’t recoup come resale time.