Snackable Review: Audi Q7

PROS

• Refinement. The first thing you notice about the Q7 drive experience is how quiet it is inside. The turbo-diesel V6 is blissfully smooth.
• Space. Though it’s smaller outside, clever packaging makes the Q7 bigger inside. It’s a very nice place to be.
• Power. Despite its lumbering frame the Q7 shifts along with impressive ease. Reams of torque lie under your right foot. Steering and body control is surprisingly good for a car of its size.
• Seats. Seven of them in fact, and all are independently configurable for a huge range of cargo and people moving potential. Third row leg room isn’t especially generous but the seats themselves are more comfortable than most.
• Technology. Audi nicked the TT’s beautiful and highly customisable digital display for the driver’s instrument cluster. It’s a really nice feature to have and works well in concert with the retractable display on the dashboard. Also adding to the infotainment experience is the touchpad with handwriting recognition, giving you another level of control over systems like the satellite navigation.

CONS

• Options. Advanced systems like auto emergency braking and semi-autonomous control are optional on the Q7. It’s a shame they’re not standard. The included safety kit is sophisticated but overshadowed by the standard kit on the Volvo XC90.
• Comfort. Unfortunately that comfy last row of seats doesn’t get its own air vents, even with the optional ‘deluxe’ air conditioning package. Perhaps a small oversight if you aren’t likely to use the third row of seats a whole lot.