2022 Audi Q7 – Powertrain and Handling
The 2022 Audi Q7 rides well and feels refined on the go. The “55 TFSI” badging points to a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol which makes 340 hp and 500 Nm of peak torque. The early peak torque overlaps with the building power curve around 2,000 rpm and the petrol six feels quite sprightly then, even for a two-plus-tonne behemoth. The Q7 also has the Audi drive select modes that enhance its qualities. The “efficiency” mode is what I spend most time in given the potential for some eye-watering fuel-economy figures. Even so, a city figure of 5.5 km/l and 12.5 km/l on the highway was the best I could manage, even with the mild-hybrid assist doing its best to save fuel when coasting. The reality is that traffic is terrible and you need long and open stretches to really extract the most efficiency from a car such as this. The handling, too, is not a strongpoint with plenty of body-roll and wallow when changing direction. Of course, it’s no TT RS or even an SQ7, so that sort of behaviour is almost to be expected. The brakes, too, do a decent job but getting carried away with speed is not the best idea. The braking distance for a seven-seater SUV on the other side of two tonnes (nearly three tonnes with seven folk, luggage, and a full tank of fuel), even with big steel brake rotors, is considerable.
Having said that, a big plus is actually the air suspension. While it can’t provide magical dynamics for a huge car, it does make for a cushy ride and, though the seats are rather firm, the ride is bettered by the soft set of air bellows that have five chambers. The Q7 rides in level three for the most part. The “dynamic” mode lowers it to its second lowest position, with the big SUV lowering further at speed. In “efficiency” it rises 20 mm while the “allroad” and “offroad” modes raise it all the way up to its maximum, 65 mm more than in efficiency mode and 85 more than in dynamic. The “offroad” mode also turns the electronic stability control to “off” and has the hill descent control on standby, which kicks in when a drastic downslope is detected.
2022 Audi Q7 – Verdict
The Q7 steps into a sea of very credible competition and from the biggest names, too. Though it can’t match a BMW X7, Mercedes GLS or even the Volvo XC90 on the luxury quotient and wow-factor, the seven-seater BMW X5, Mercedes GLE, and a bunch of Land Rovers — from the Defender and Discovery to the Range Rover Sport — are all vying for your Rs 80 lakh or thereabouts. Yes, at Rs 88.33 lakh (ex-showroom) for this “Technology” variant, there could be an actual brawl for the winner. One thing is telling, though: the lack of a diesel engine means most other competitors have an advantage when it comes to fuel choice. But, for what it’s worth, Audi have their hat in the ring.
Need to Know – 2022 Audi Q7 55 TFSI quattro Technology
Price: Rs 88.33 lakh (ex-showroom)
Engine: 2,995-cc, V6, turbo-petrol, direct-injection, 48-volt mild-hybrid
Max Power: 340 hp @ 5,200-6,400 rpm
Max Torque: 500 Nm @ 1,370-4,500 rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed, automatic, all-wheel drive
Suspension: Double-wishbone front, multi-link rear, air springs
Weight: 2,140 kg
