Ah! That takes me back. Almost two decades ago I was a member of the media that helped launch the new Audi Q7 in Australia in a transcontinental relay from east to west.
My section of the trek began in Birdsville and ended up at Uluru.
An assortment of ‘scribblers’, me included, had scaled Big Red, the iconic Simpson Desert sand dune west of Birdsville (because we could), in a string of Q7s, the premium seven-seater which went on to become the mainstay of the brand’s SUV lineup, before setting off down the Birdsville Track, on to the Oodnadatta Track, Coober Pedy and up the Stuart Highway to the Rock.
Like the luxury Audi SUVs did then, this brings me nicely to the theme of this piece – the new SQ7, which, with its high-performance heart wrapped in a luxury skin, has recently undergone upgrades as part of Q7 design, comfort and technology updates.
Designated by the MY25 tag, the car comes to market for a base $174,815, plus on-road costs. Standard equipment includes 22-inch Sport wheels with red brake callipers, and Sport steering wheel, leather seat upholstery with embossed S logo and diamond pattern stitching.
Audi drive select enables access to six driving modes – Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual, Efficiency, Off-Road – Adaptive drive assist includes Stop & Go, distance indicator, traffic jam assist and lane guidance. Cost options include a Dynamic Package ($10,900) consisting of roll stabilisation system and quattro sport differential.
Furthermore, a Sensory package, for $14,400, adds Bang & Olufsen 3D Advanced Sound System, front seat massager, rear sunshades and air quality package. This, plus other odds and bobs, took the total price of the test car to $209,215. The vehicle is subject to Audi’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, plus five years roadside assist.
STYLING
Naturally, to justify the premium price over the Q7 ($66k), the SQ7 has a unique character on the outside, starting with the single frame octagon grille with vertical inlays. Air inlets have been updated, which together with new headlamp graphics, engender a more modern and assertive stance.
S-specific bumpers and quad tailpipes and red brake callipers double down on the car’s performance credentials. Owners can opt for digital OLED rear lights, allowing taillight signatures to be customised through the MMI system.
INTERIOR
In keeping with the athletic exterior, the cabin offers sport-style leather seating with contrasting stitching, plus quality inlays in matt brushed aluminium with linear embossing.
Up to seven occupants can be carried in comfort and safety thanks to a versatile seating system, the result of the SQ7’s three-metre-plus wheelbase.
A three-spoke sport leather steering wheel sports shift paddles, plus a multitude of buttons for vehicle systems.
Cargo (up to 793 litres), carried in the area behind the third row of seats, can be expanded to 1921 litres with second and third rows folded.
INFOTAINMENT
Also included is the latest MMI touch response with its dual displays – Audi virtual cockpit with 12.3-inch colour display and MMI navigation plus with 10.1-inch touchscreen. A Bang & Olufsen Advanced 3D Sound System with 23 speakers serves up 1920W of crisp sound.
The ‘scene’ is set with headlining in black and full leather seating, including massage function up front, heated seats in the back and manual sunshades for rear side windows and rear window.
Air quality is taken care of by four-zone climate control air-conditioning, ioniser and two quality perfumes in four intensities. Audi Connect plus dishes up navigation and infotainment, plus security and assistance services. Smartphone interfaces are wireless for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
ENGINES/TRANSMISSIONS
The impressive powertrain is at the service of a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine stumping up 373kW of peak power and 770Nm of maximum torque, enabling the SQ7 to top 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds.
SAFETY
Audi pre-sense front with autonomous emergency braking, with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus pre-sense features head up the advanced safety systems followed by Audi side assist with blind spot warning and lane guidance assist.
Park assist features parking system plus, while traffic sign recognition is making a first appearance on this model.
DRIVING
In these days of electric vehicles quietly taking over the streets there’s nary a sound but the honeyed hum of the motors. Enter the SQ7. Drop into the premium leather driver’s seat of this Audi high performance seven-seater SUV, press the start/stop button and the cabin is filled with the growl of an engine just itching to do something that’s hard to ignore.
And this one does not disappoint: try 100km/h from rest in 4.1 seconds to the rasp of a donk let loose. Press the accelerator pedal and there’s a solid shove in the back too, as the wagon takes off. Talk about a flying start.
In what Audi calls its upper-large SUV family, the five-metre-plus SQ7 is streets ahead of much of the segment in powertrain performance alone. However, fuel consumption is in the upper reaches of the ‘pipeline’ at 9.2 litres per 100 kilometres in highway traffic and up to 18 litres per 100 kilometres in stop-start city stuff.
Advanced driving dynamics get in on the act with the standard mix of adaptive suspension and all-wheel steering, while an even more exhilarating driving experience is provided by the addition of the Dynamic package of quattro sport differential and active roll stabilisation, the latter electromechanically reducing the side tilt of the body during cornering. It works!
SUMMARY
People ask: Why buy a vehicle – especially one that tips the scales at $200k-plus – that can go at twice the legal speed limit. In the case of the SQ7 it’s not the destination, but the journey. I’m sure the wagon would not be wanting on the Birdsville Track too.
RATINGS
Looks: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Safety: 7/10
Thirst: 7/10
Practicality: 7/10
Comfort: 8/10
Tech: 8/10
Value: 6/10
