Like any late arrival to a party, Audi’s new Q7 has everybody turning their heads to take a look. And, just like a late arrival, it has ruffled the feathers of those who made the effort to be on time.
Audi says the Q7 arrived late on the luxury SUV scene simply because it’s a small brand that has been concentrating on growing brand awareness and making a success of its established products. Now, however, it will be making strides in markets for which it has no products. It is also the reason why Audi is currently working on the Q5 — a smaller luxury SUV that will take on the likes of BMW’s X3.
I really don’t care that other brands, like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, are already on their second-generation SUVs because the Q7 has made a thoroughly impressive entrance in this segment.
The first thing you notice about the Q7 is its size. Its competitors are big vehicles in a sort of stocky, boerbull manner. The Q7, however, is like the Great Dane of SUVs. It makes you feel like a midget and you become most appreciative for the optional extra of the rear camera, which not only gives you a view of what’s behind you, but also shows you exactly what line to take to fit perfectly in those parking bays that seem to be constantly shrinking in size.
Despite its considerable size, the Q7 looks very much like an Audi, with the front and rear of the vehicle taking styling cues from the A4.
The local launch took us from Port Elizabeth to Knysna and then to George through flood-damaged areas and on a particularly hairy road known as Prince Alfred’s Pass.
With no barriers and a tricky combination of rain and mist, the dirt-road pass proved to be more of a test than Audi envisaged. As the press release says and like the car proves: “Audi created Quattro for their cars and now they’ve created a car for Quattro.”
I’ll admit that I didn’t really push the Q7 to its limits on this pass as there were drops of about 70m and I wasn’t keen on finding out what the car felt like as we were plummeting down a rocky cliff. So, I drove conservatively and waited patiently for any stretch of tar to see if the car was as agile as Audis are known to be.
The 4,2-litre FSi petrol is a beast of a vehicle. With 257kW and 440Nm, it accelerates like a sports sedan, feels comfortable at high speeds and makes the kind of general impression that forces you to drive it with respect.
Don’t forget that it weighs two tons, so every time you step on the accelerator to reach illegal speeds, the fuel-gauge needle dips as if someone is forcibly pushing it down. At R595Â 000, the top-of-the-range Q7 is incredibly driveable, but its insatiable thirst is bound to put a dent in even the fattest of wallets. However, it’s worth mentioning that it’s more powerful and cheaper than offerings from the other two German marques.
My choice would be the 3,0-litre V6 diesel with a not-too-shabby 171kW and 500Nm at R520Â 000.
The top-of-the-range Q7 is about two seconds faster than the diesel on the 0-100kph sprint, but considering you’re driving an SUV, speed isn’t all that important and, in my opinion, the diesel feels as composed as the 4,2-litre model.
The Q7 comes with the usual array of safety and other specifications, but two features set it apart from other SUVs. The first is called Side Assist. Flick this little switch on the panel on the driver’s door and the Q7 starts to monitor the cars on either side and if you want to change lanes, it will beep if you start to move over and there’s a car alongside you that you haven’t seen.
The second feature is a button located behind the last row of seats, which allows you to adjust the suspension of the vehicle so that you can drop it quite considerably if you have to load big objects into the back of the vehicle.
The Q7 has achieved a bold entry into a market with a rather fussy clientele and, after driving it for just two days, I have no doubt that it will make its mark faster than its competitors would like it to.