It’s a truly sensible car. The 2.0-litre engine sounds like its working but is refined and frugal. In our test, it returned 7.5 km/l in the city and 11 on the highway. An overall 8.4 km/l paired to the 75-litre fuel capacity gives a range of well over 600 km on a full tank. It also doesn’t let any vibrations through. In fact, the active air suspension is a star. With five levels available, 165 mm to 245 mm, it varies by as much as 80 millimetres. That brings me to the drive select modes, of which there are five: Comfort, Dynamic, Individual, Allroad, and Allroad with lift. There’s also an ‘Auto’ mode.
The Q7 is at its lowest in ‘Dynamic’ mode, with the digital display showing two bars. Speed up to triple digits and it hunkers down to level one. In ‘Comfort’ it’s at three bars, riding reasonably low and looking like a large luxury wagon. However, switch to ‘Allroad’ and it rises to four bars. Want to tackle some really challenging surfaces? ‘Allroad with lift’ raises the Q7 to its maximum ride height of 245 mm, a full five bars. This mode is only available at low to medium speeds. Get past 60 km/h, and it lowers itself again.
What stands out is the ride quality. The air suspension absolutely nullifies all sorts of bumps and dips. You only hear the bump, you don’t feel it. Body-roll is also in complete check with the alert damping system doing its best to keep all four wheels planted. The steering feel is light and effortless, yet offers good communication with the road surface. Which brings me to the actual performance. It may be an immensely practical and refined car that lets you travel for several hundred miles in utmost comfort, but it’s not exactly a slouch.
The Q7 40 TFSI dismisses the quarter mile in just over 16 seconds, getting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.68 seconds. When overtaking, the engine note doesn’t really match the rise in speed. It does go from 40 km/h to 80 in 3.5 seconds, which, if done right, can get you ahead and into a clearer lane rather swiftly. Another important element to consider is the brakes. Large ventilated discs shed speed like a small car, taking just 2.5 seconds and 25 metres to get from 80 km/h to a complete stop. And this was achieved in damp conditions.
Then, there’s the price. The Q7 40 TFSI quattro ‘Technology’ variant is priced at Rs 74.43 lakh (ex-showroom). There’s also a ‘Premium Plus’ variant, positioned below it, for Rs 67.76 lakh (ex-showroom). That much for a large luxury seven-seater with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine? If you happen to be a family man of means, with a couple of kids and a couple of dogs, who wants to travel long distances in comfort without the need for absolute speed, it does work. And it does what it needs to do very well indeed. It makes sense.
Need to Know – Audi Q7 40 TFSI quattro Technology
Price: Rs 74.43 lakh (ex-showroom)
Engine: 1,984 cc, in-line four, turbo-petrol
Max Power: 252 PS @ 5,000-6,000 rpm
Max Torque: 370 Nm @ 1,600-4,500 rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed, automatic, all-wheel drive
Weight: 2,165 kg
