In the past few years, Audi India has made its presence felt. The number of Audis on the streets has gone up . And so, today, gone are the days when one would turn around, in admiration, seeing an Audi cruising past. Today, you step out and it is not so rare to spot one.
So I was driving the Audi Q7 for the past few days in Delhi and no one really cared. No stares and no glances! Well, you could be basking in your 70-odd lakh rupees spent but still it won’t let you show off. The reason is Audi has made all the Q series cars look pretty much similar – at least to a stranger with no devout love for cars. So be it Q3, Q5 or Q7, it doesn’t make much of a difference.
But, for those who have been inside and have taken a ride shall understand the class of it for Q7 exudes excellence from inside and not from the outside. It might get some cold reception from the people who don’t know it so well but, the ones who know will like the comfort and the ample space the car provides. The highlight, I suggest, is enough space and comfort provided by the manufacturer. But, that’s not it.
It has to pack some power and it does. It also takes care of the pot-holed roads quite well and makes you experience luxury in every which way.
The Q7 is powered by a 246hp 45TDI 3-litre diesel engine that has a peak torque of 600 Nm. The engine is mated with an eight-speed triptronic transmission and comes with Quattro, i.e. permanent all-wheel drive which Audi has been highlighting. And, the speed aficionados, yes you can do 0-100kph in about 7 seconds.
On the inside, an airy cabin welcomes you with a low-set dashboard in the front, a 7-inch infotainment screen and all-digital instrument cluster which is called the ‘virtual cockpit’. There are dual inlays with a mix of aluminium and walnut brown.
There is pretty much every feature that you can think of – from park assist, traffic jam assist, navigation to different drive modes. There is a great sound system in place thanks to Bose 3D sound system with 19 speakers all around the car.
It is stable and well planted on roads even at high speeds despite the massive weight-reduction that the latest Q7 has gone through. Overall, there here is charm there is class and there is sheer comfort.
