Review
For years, Audi resisted making this car - arguing that SUVs were just a fad and that demand would eventually fade. The company was wrong, of course, and the Q7 is an admission of that mistake. The outrageous success of the X5, M Class and XC90 made this car inevitable.
Based on the same platform that underpins the gawky Volkswagen Touareg and the willfully ugly Porsche Cayenne, it's not too surprising to find that the Q7 is a car with opinion-splitting styling. The front end projects plenty of visual presence, but from other angles the big Audi looks like a generic pastiche of some of its competitors.
Inside, there's more to enjoy with a fine driving environment and plenty of gadgets - including options like active cruise control and a very clever anti-blindspot radar, which detects overtaking traffic and warns the driver through lights incorporated into the door mirror housing. It's useful too, thanks to a third row of seats. These offer more space than those in the XC90 or Land Rover Discovery, and can be collapsed into the boot floor easily to maximize luggage space.
The suspension system is also premium quality, with air springing standard on all versions. Handling is impressive, the Audi belying its two-ton bulk with impressively composed cornering. And it's comfortable, too - thanks to a soothing, well-damped ride and excellent noise refinement.
Both the 4.2-litre V8 - taken from the RS4 - and recently revised 3.0-litre TDI are strong performers, although you'll soon be on first name terms with your local filling station manager if you opt for the petrol. Both ship with Audi's six-speed Tiptronic auto box.