Audi Q7 Road Test Review — Know About Performance, Interior Comfort And Price

During my stay in Mumbai for a few days, I had the rather big Audi Q7 to drive and at first, the size had me hesitant but after living with it for a few days, I loved it.

Audi Q7 Road Test Review

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

A big SUV in our increasingly cramped cities is not a recipe for a relaxed drive. Furrowed brows, lack of space to park and constant chatter of parking sensors around you means that big SUVs and cities do not mix. Or so I thought. During my stay in Mumbai for a few days, I had the rather big Audi Q7 to drive and at first, the size had me hesitant but after living with it for a few days, I loved it.

The Q7 is a full size luxury SUV but once you start driving it, the size melts away and it shrinks around you. The steering is light and driving it around town is no issue at all. Squeezing past Mumbai traffic or entering narrow roads posed no problem while the nice visibility helped matters. I would say that the huge size and the elevated driving position made the Q7 further easier to drive. Then there is the suspension which is the highlight as it soaks up the bad roads while the engine is quiet along with excellent NVH.

These are things you expect when you pay near Rs 1cr for a luxury SUV but where the Q7 surprised me is with its power and agility. The 3.0 twin-turbo V6 petrol is eerily quiet at low speeds and it feels lighter than other SUVs of this class. It is strong on power with 340 hp and 500Nm but it is tuned to be smooth.

Power is always on tap and I did not feel the need to use the paddle shifters also. For an SUV so large a sub 6 second 0-100 km/h time is seriously quick and it feels so. Put it in the Sportier modes, the Q7 leaps forward and also makes a nice soundtrack.

Of course the flip side of that is that a tankful can be expensive for your wallet with efficiency being at 6 kmpl. You can raise the height of the car but again the standard ground clearance is pretty good in the first place and Quattro means grip is always there.

In short, the Q7 has the agility of a smaller SUV while having a compliant ride. With 3D surround cameras, parking is not an issue either and you soon get used to the size. The twin screens and the typical Audi digital cockpit is something you expect from its premium offering and you also expect high quality materials at this price too. The layered look is nice though but the second touchscreen does require you to take your eyes off the road to use them.

Chauffeur driven owners also won't have anything to complain about with ample space at the back. There are plenty of toys on board with a 19-speaker audio system, four-zone climate control, powered seats, full length panoramic sunroof plus more. That said, I missed ventilated seats.

Priced at Rs 92.3 lakh, the Q7 is better priced than its rivals and packs in a more punchy engine along with better agility. As a big SUV to enjoy yourself behind the wheel and use everyday along with being chauffeured at the back, the new Q7 is at the top of the choice list because of its engine and ease of use.