New Audi Q7 tested in the UK: Luxury on a quattro ‘flying carpet’

The second generation Audi Q7 is more or less a technology demonstrator for the brand. It is built for speed and luxury yet has a body that takes seven passengers on a self-assured quattro ride.
If the company had the Range Rover in sight for luxury and the X5 for handling, it has succeeded.
This second-generation Q7, driven in the UK is indeed a benchmark for the class and a statement of Audi’s competence all round. Driving the Q7 is like riding on a ‘flying carpet.’
The Q7 has the largest interior in the segment and weighs up to 325 kg less than the original.
The result is up to 27 percent fuel saving compared to its predecessor achieving best score in efficiency than the competition.
The significance of the light weight could never be overstressed.
The all-new chassis provides excellent comfort and agile performance.
Handling is light and stable at all speeds and of course fuel consumption and emissions are relatively low.
The car tested in the UK is an S-line Q7 TDI with a diesel engine (that cannot be heard from inside the cabin!) However, Q7s distributed in the region have TFSI petrol engines.
The 45 TFSI with 333 bhp brings the new Audi Q7 from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds.
The top speed of 250 km/h is a mere formality for the TFSI all the while with unusually low fuel consumption.
The TFSI needs only 7.9 liters per 100 kilometers and emits only 183 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
Onboard, the new Q7 benefits from modular infotainment platform and optional virtual cockpit.
The new MMI all-in-touch control unit with large touchpad makes operation intuitive and simple.
In the region, Audi tablet for rear passengers and the two sound systems with 3D sound are further innovations.
Driver assistance includes adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist and the cross-traffic assist in the rear.
There are blind spots warning lights on the wing mirrors and rear view camera which is very useful for this size vehicle.
The interior has room to accommodate seven passengers in total comfort, despite
being shorter and narrower than the original Q7.
There is ample space for luggage behind the seats.
An optional all-wheel steering system makes it more maneuverable at low speeds and more stable at high speed, while adaptive air-suspension is another extra worth selecting for the comfort and refinement it provides.
The Q7 competes in the most hotly contested full-SUV segment of the market which includes the Porsche Cayenne, the BMW X5, Range Rover, Volvo XC90, Lexus RX and Toyota Land Cruiser.
It is interesting that the Q7 is built on the VW MLB platform that also supports the VW Touareg and the new Bentley Bentayga. The Bentayga is shipped to the Bentley factory at Crewe, UK for final assembly.
Second to the Range Rover in off-road capabilities, the Q7 has a quattro 4X4 system to be proud of. In normal operation it splits the torque 40:60 front to rear, but can send up to 85 percent of the torque to the rear axle if required.
Most of the Q7s sold will never venture off-road and this emphasis is obvious in the pleasant drive either in town or on motorways. The cabin is very quiet at high speeds with no awareness of wind, tire or engine noise.
One more aspect of the Q7 worth remembering is that it is a vehicle that keeps its value. Experts place it in the category of “good depreciator” as it retains 56 percent of its original value after three years.

Driving the Q7
The exterior design expresses new design language for the Q-line with 3-D grille, LED lights and 20-inch wheels for the S-line.
Despite the size, it looks more aerodynamic with crafted lines along the sides and silver roof bars. Compared to the old Q7, the new model looks thoroughly modern.
The rear contributes to the good looks with large tail-lamps, rectangular twin tailpipes and powered rear door.
Air-suspension enables the driver to raise or lower the car when loading heavy items.
Inside, the Q7 exudes luxury and opulence with classy materials and impressive design.
Keyless entry and ignition raises the large navigation screen and unfolds the side mirrors.
Behind the steering wheel is a virtual cockpit with controls at the driver’s fingers to change the view.
There is also head-up display with the speed as the main figure. There is dual climate control and a stop-start system.
Audi Connect provides access to the Internet, and there’s a choice of two Bang & Olufsen sound systems with up to 23 speakers.
Rear passengers can enjoy a pair of detachable, tablet-style touchscreens on the seatbacks, which will stream content from smartphones via Bluetooth.
This is a practical car for seven people with an enormous boot space, quattro drive with reliability and safety built-in expressed in five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.

Source: Arab News