Auto Express – July 30, 2019

SpecialIssue 25

AudiQ7 NEWCARS

THEREwasn’tthatmuchwrongwith

thelastQ7,soAudihasfocusedits

attentiononaesthetics,technology

andmild-hybridefficiencytobringits

largestSUVuptodate.TheQ7may

notofferthelastwordindrivingfun,

butthisisatwo-tonneSUVthatisn’t

allatseagoingdownatwistyroad;

itsbalanceofridequalityand

bodycontrolisimpressive.

★★★★★

Verdict

wellresolvedforwhatisoneofthelargest

SUVsonthemarket.Thestandardadaptive

airsuspensioncontinuallyadjuststothe

surfaceand–evenonourcar’s20-inch

wheels–soaksuptheworstofroughroads

withoutcompromisingbodycontrol,even

inlaid-backComfortmode.Larger,more

abruptimperfectionscanupsetthecar’s

composure,buttheQ7neverfeelsasatsea

asaRangeRovercaninsimilarconditions.

Excessivepitch androllarenotableby

theirabsence,evenwithoutAudi’snew

activerollstabilisationsystem–anoption

thatwon’tmakeittotheUK.TheQ7feelsa

littlemorecomposedthantheVolvoXC90,

withabettercompromisebetweenrideand

handling:asplushinitscomfiestsetting

andmorepliantwhensettoitsstiffest.

Otherwise,thenewQ7offerseverything

thatalargepremiumSUVshould:great

buildquality,high-classmaterials,acres

ofspaceandasizeableboot.Thelatteris

amongthebiggestinitsclassbutitslip

feelsparticularlyhighofftheground.

EQUIPMENT

Sat-nav is standard
across Q7 range and
operated via upper
10.1-inch screen.
Lower 8.6-inch
display looksafter
the climatecontrol
settingsand media

PRACTICALITY

EveryQ7has seven

seats, and both rear

rows can fold into

the floor.Infive-seat

mode, the boot takes

670litres of luggage

–40morethan the

Mercedes GLE