It seems to be becoming clear that electric drives alone will not be the future in many segments and in many markets. Manufacturers like Audi are therefore happy to have kept well-known vehicle sizes with combustion engines in their product portfolio. After the Ingolstadt flagship models A8 / S8 and Q8 / SQ8 have already been revised, the new Audi Q7 / SQ7 will follow this spring. The luxury crossover, which is over five meters long, is receiving technical fine-tuning, is more elegant than before and is more clearly committed to the diesel engine than many others. Apart from slight technical adjustments, the engine portfolio remains largely unchanged and all models have an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive as standard. As before, the two diesel versions of the 45 TDI / 50 TDI (from 79,300 euros) are particularly popular with the Audi Q7. Their three-liter diesel engines produce 170 kW / 231 HP / 500 Nm or 210 kW / 286 HP / 600 Nm and between 7. Consume 8 and 8.4 liters of fuel. The top speeds are 226 and 241 km/h.
If you prefer a petrol engine, you can opt for the three-liter six-cylinder turbo of the Q7 55 TFSI with 250 kW / 340 HP / 500 Nm, which accelerates from a standstill in 5.6 seconds and has an average consumption of 10.1 Liters can reach speeds of up to 250 km/h. Mild hybrid systems are installed in all versions, which reduce consumption in customer operation by up to 0.5 liters per 100 kilometers. This consists of a lithium-ion battery and a belt starter generator that supplies the 48-volt on-board electrical system with energy. Between 55 and 160 km/h, the Audi Q7 can cruise with the engine off for up to 40 seconds if the driver lifts off the accelerator. At a later date, the Audi Q7, like the Q8, will again be available as a plug-in hybrid with a significantly improved range. However, the Ingolstadt-based company is still keeping a low profile when it comes to the technical details of the new battery pack. The bottom line is that the two available PHEV versions of the Q7 should have a range of 80 to 100 kilometers.
Visually, as with the A8 / Q8, there are only slight retouches on the front and rear of the Audi Q7 with new LED lighting elements and modified aprons. The technical highlight are matrix LED headlights, which can be equipped with selectable light signatures at the front and rear as well as laser high beams. With the new edition, the customer also has the choice between steel or variable air suspension suspension with an adaptive damper system. Depending on the pilot’s wishes, the ground clearance can be varied by up to nine centimeters on the road or off-road. The all-wheel steering, which is standard on the top model Audi SQ7, provides additional agility. The SQ7, which stands out from its brothers with sporty details inside and out, is powered by a four-liter V8 twin turbo that produces 373 kW / 507 hp and a maximum torque of 770 Nm. This means it gets up to speed from a standstill in 4.1 seconds and has a limited top speed of 250 km/h, which corresponds to a consumption of 12.0 liters per 100 kilometers.
In addition to the chassis and drive, the variable space available is one of the greatest strengths of the Audi Q7 / SQ7. Depending on the position of the rear backrests, the luggage compartment in the five-seater version offers a volume of between 780 and 1,908 liters. The tailgate opens and closes electrically as standard, and optionally via gesture control using foot movements. On request, there are adapters for three child seats for the second row as well as seats that can be individually adjusted in the longitudinal position and in the backrest angle. The two seats in the third row can be electrically extended from the trunk floor.
