Audi’s recent cycling of new cars into their range would signal that the venerable Q7 SUV is near the end of its run. We have driven the 2.0 and the V8 before, but think that this V6 is the “Goldilocks” of the pack.

Singapore – The Audi Q7 to me, has the advantage of being quite the underrated SUV. For those who like their luxury cars to “fly under the radar”, Audi’s venerable second generation midsize SUV has served well over its rather long lifespan. Before the current Q7 bows out, we snagged ourselves this final iteration.

With a few tweaks over its eleven years, the Audi Q7 still looks somewhat fresh amongst its stablemates. However, as design cycles go, Audi is beginning to round their edges with their new range of vehicles. Take the A5 Sedan for example, where it is now less “aggro” than its predecessor. Very soon, the Q7 with its edgier styling will show its age. But according to our sources, Audi will be unveiling its replacement sometime in the middle of this year (at least in Europe).

I quickly took a liking to the current Q7, when I was first introduced to it back in 2016. I simply loved the understatedness of the car. Even with a midlife restyling some years ago, the Audi A7 retains its purposeful lines, hinting of lightness. The Quattro blisters along its wheel arches point to its ancestral links with the iconic Quattro rally car. Visually, it looks “serious business”, but on the inside, it is all family utility.

A little “Business Class”, but it feels like home

On the inside, you are greeted with miles of piano black plastic panels, which are great to look at, but you’d need some serious discipline to keep your surfaces clean from smudges.

The Q7’s dual stacked infotainment screen setup is the same arrangement you’d find on the same period A6 and up. While the MMI interface is starting to show its age, you have to give it to Audi for producing something that is remarkably easy to navigate. I like that the system feels light, and its response time is remarkably quick. As a constant reminder that you are in an Audi, you get that signature ‘tick’ sound, when depressing any of the virtual buttons on the haptic glass screen, or physical ones.

The lower screen, which is primarily used for the car’s climate control, doubles as a writing pad for you to “squiggle” your destination in for the SatNav. And although the character recognition has been around for quite a while now, I must say that it is still pretty impressive.

While it has been about a decade, the dashboard has aged well. And if you are a stickler for build quality, I cannot deny that the interior is an absolute Audi cliché… if you know what I mean.

While this is Audi’s only three-row offering, it does its best work as a 5-seater, and an occasional 7-seater. However, I note that Audi Singapore has omitted the ventilated front seats on this variant, which would have been great to have, especially in our tropical climate. For the average adult, the second row offers sufficient leg space, even if the seats are rolled slightly forward, to make room for those in the third row seats.

As for the third row, the Q7’s relatively straight roofline ensures a decent amount of headroom. While the rear is more suited for journeys of not more than 30 minutes, you’d still have enough leg space to not induce a cramp.

The Q7’s boot capacity from the second row seat stands at 780 litres, which is 130 litres more than the BMW X5. Loading = is made easier by the lowering of the rear air suspension.

Silky smooth delivery

The Audi Q7 is available with three engine options, ranging from a 2.0 litre four-cylinder, to a 4.0 litre V8 – the latter which is also deployed in the Bentley Bentayga.

The variant here, which I feel is the sweet spot, is endowed with a 3.0 litre V6, which produces 335hp and 500Nm. Maximum torque can be realised from a low 1,370rpm, and stretches to 4,500rpm. To provide a small boost, and to contribute to efficiency, the engine is also equipped with a 48V mild hybrid system.

Mazda CX-80 Plug-In Hybrid 2.5 Luxury Sports Review : Priced to Win

When taking off, you can hear the engine spin for a split second, before coaxing that 8-speed ZF family gearbox to life. This very V6 is by far one of my favourite powertrains, as it delivers with a certain fluidity. That wide band of torque ensures that you’d hardly have any flatness between gearshifts.

Thanks to its adaptive air suspension, the Audi SUV soaks up the ruts without complaint. Around turns, it builds confidence, while retaining enough padding to keep things within the cabin civilised.

Perhaps the BMW X5 does trump the Q7 when picking through corners, but Audi has a 5-seater Q8 for those who want a more spirited drive. 

Back in the Q7, it feels more relaxed, as it should be. After all, we are driving a family-oriented people mover.

Family friendly transport, wrapped in a business suit

While the Audi Q7 is near the end of its run, it has plenty going for it. From the smoothness of that V6 to the sublime ride quality, there is really little to fault. 

Priced at $498,999 (in today’s horrid COE environment), for a luxury mid-size 7-seat SUV, it certainly is quite tempting.

Text & Photos: Clifford Chow

ProsCons
Superbly smooth engineNo ventilated front seats
Premium cabin
Adaptive air suspension delivers fantastic comfort

Audi Q7 Mild Hybrid 3.0 TFSI S line

DrivetrainPetrol-electric mild hybrid
Layout12,995cc, V6
Power / torque335hp / 500Nm
Transmission8-Speed S tronic
Efficiency10km/l
Fuel Capacity85 Litres
0-100km/h5.6 seconds
Top Speed250km/h
VES BandC2
DealerAudi Singapore
PriceS$498,999 with COE and VES
VerdictThe Audi Q7 has aged well. It still looks fresh. The 3.0 V6 is the best engine choice of the lot too.