CAR REVIEW: Audi Q7 TDI 245 S-Line.

The Audi Q7 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 2005 and arrived here in the UK in 2006. It is a full size luxury SUV and shares its platform with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne. Only a few other SUVs are as big as the Q7, its large body measures over 5 metres in length and it accomodates 7 people in 3 rows of seats. It also has a reasonable size boot with all 7 seats in use. The Q7 has been through a mild facelift in 2009 which has brought optional LED headlights, an automatic ZF 8-speed transmission, start/stop fuel-saving technology and also the optional 21-inch titanium-effect wheels as featured in our test car. The engine in our car is the 3-litre TDI with 245 bhp.

EXTERIOR: As we already mentioned the Q7 is a rather large SUV, the front is typically Audi with 14 LED daytime running lights, Xenon headlights, an 11 LED turn signal lights and fog lights. Along with the long bonnet, the huge grille with vertical chrome slats makes the Q7 look rather imposing. The back also has LED lights which come up with the tailgate to allow a wide and practical access to the luggage area. There are also some auxiliary rear lights incorporated in the bumper for when the tailgate is open. The rear window is large but the 2 rows of headrests behind the driver restrict the rear visibility. The bumper houses an exhaust pipe on either side making the car symmetric and elegant.

INTERIOR: The driving position is lofty and forward visibility is excellent. The interior has a typical Teutonic quality and the finishing standard is impeccable. The controls are shared with other Audis and include an MMI Multimedia System with a screen which incorporates Sat-Nav, Park Assist and other vehicle information such as suspensions setting. The climate control switches are set in the lower part of the centre console but the functions are displayed on the MMI screen to avoid taking your eyes off the road. The electrical seats are very comfortable and the half-leather/suede along with the aluminium inserts on the dashboard create a very smart interior.

DRIVING: Many people would be put off by the sheer size of the Audi Q7 but I must admit that it doesn't feel that big once it gets going. I would certainly recommend making good use of the parking sensors because the Q7 doesn't squeeze in the smallest of spots. The 3-litre engine is very well subdued and the 8 speed automatic gearbox makes good use of the 406 lb/ft torque. The 6 cylinder engine goes through the gears in a seamless way and it has a very efficient engine brake which assists your braking action making the car very easy to use. In Comfort mode the car rides slightly higher and it soaks up rough roads with minimal effort never rolling too much on bends. On the other hand, if you set the suspension on Dynamic and the gearbox on Sport, you will be surprised how agile this car is with the steering mounted paddle-shifts giving you full control and providing quite a lot of fun.

PRICES: The Q7 TDI 245 S-Line can be yours for £46,485 and that's a few grand cheaper than a BMW X5 30d M-Sport or a Mercedes ML 350 CDI. This car has loads of road presence and Audis have good residuals which makes the Q7 a brilliant choice. The S-line trim is loaded with kit including a power tailgate, cruise control, heated seats and the optional 21-inch titanium-effect alloy wheels complete the car's profile without looking vulgar as some of the black alloy wheels currently in fashion.

VERDICT: We give this car thumbs up, it returns 32mpg on a real-world combined cycle and will retain 46% of its original value after 3 years. Some of the eco-friendly people would condemn this car without realising that it only throws 195g/km of CO2 which is the same as a 1.6-litre Grand Vitara or 100g/km less CO2 than a Land Rover Defender 110. When you put it in this prospective, the Q7 comes out as a winner. Let's also remember that our test car costs 30 grand less than a full size Range Rover with the big advantage of not breaking down every fortnight. MG

Motorsguru would like to thank Lease4Wheels for providing our test car.