Audi SQ7 2017 Review

Use the force
A haze of brown and green flits past as I slot the Audi SQ7's eight-speed transmission from third to second. Euphoria and fear vie for supremacy as I hurtle towards another low-grip gravel bend at a ridiculous speed.

Dabbing the brakes - whopping 400mm front rotors with six-piston calipers (and optional carbon ceramics if you really want to show off) - transitions weight to the front end.
Then I just turn the steering wheel and feed-in plenty of throttle, spooling up not one, not two, but three turbochargers…yes, the Audi SQ7 isn’t lacking in force.

But the force is definitely with you as the 4.0-litre triple-turbo V8 diesel engine and eight-speed automatic transmission route power with effortless ease through the SUV's quattro AWD system plus, in our test car, the sport differential (at $13,500 the latter is an expensive, but desirable option).

Front to rear torque distribution is handled by the quattro AWD system and the sport differential takes care of left-to-right power supply at the rear axle. The result? Miraculous gravel road cornering.

All the driver needs to do is point the SQ7's nose in the right direction.
Audi's all-wheel steering and active roll stabilisation technology provide the big rig with a smaller, more nimble feel than it has any right to, allowing you to blast out of corner after corner with relative nonchalance.

Eat your heart out Ken Block – I haven't seen you ‘Gymkhana-ring’ in a 2400kg, 5.0-metre long, seven seat luxury SUV. Yet.

Merely two days later, with grandma in the second row and niece and nephew in the third, we're lugging fresh food from the market through awful suburban Saturday traffic in the rain. And I'm still smiling.

This is life in the SQ7.

Big, fast, fun…but frugal

‘Astonishing’ almost undersells the Audi SQ7’s breadth of ability. The seven-seat SUV can be a rally car, a sports car, family taxi, people mover, luxury car and executive cruiser. Germany’s finest has even taken on the true-blue Aussie pilgrimage otherwise known as the Summernats.

Just as impressive: After filling the fuel tank, the SQ7’s trip computer calculates I can cover 890km before needing to again find a diesel pump.

Sure the SQ7 was singing pretty loud during some of this seven-day test, but there was some freeway cruising too, with the 4.0-litre turbo-diesel showing just 1300rpm at 100km/h.

So average fuel consumption was 8.3L/100km – a frugal outcome considering how often I had the triple turbo tangoing on those dirt tracks not far from the Great Ocean Road, south-west of Melbourne.

Comfort and technology inside
Open the doors of the Audi SQ7 and you’re greeted with abundant space and a welcoming level of comfort. As a luxurious cruiser, the SQ7 doesn’t quite match the Bentley Bentayga, but they’re similar (not surprising as both are Volkswagen Group companies).

And don’t think the pampering is exclusive to the front row occupants. There is quad-zone climate control and even foot vents in the rear.

Like other models in Audi’s impressive product portfolio, the SQ7’s infotainment system looks and feels fantastic, the minimalistic layout adding to its chic appeal. Two USB ports is novel (for Audi) and Apple CarPlay is handy

A row of eight customisable shortcut buttons is clever and intuitive, the fully digitised virtual cockpit still impresses and even the gear lever looks and feels dreamy. But manual adjustment of the steering column? Poor form really.

Fast on dirt, faster on road
Yes, on the dirt the Audi SQ7 is so accomplished you need to reset your brain’s logic function. But it’s a similar story on sealed roads where performance is more akin to a go-fast wagon that a full-size luxury seven-seat SUV.

Even when punching through a long sweeping corner much too fast, the SQ7 still sits flat and when pushed to exceed its excellent chassis technology, simply transitions to a gentle slide.

There is some degree of autonomy too - in stop-start traffic, the SQ7 can brake and accelerate by itself for short periods of time.

Perhaps the SQ7’s only sealed road shortcoming comes when you jump hard on the brakes. While deceleration is massive, the large seven-seater does dive quicker than a Dutch World Cup footballer (read: Robben).

Here’s hoping the mid-life update (due in about three years) introduces dive control.

Surprisingly smooth performance
Audi’s 4.0-litre triple-turbo V8 diesel engine doesn’t really sound like a regular diesel – it’s gruff and mechanical. Despite its exclamation point power and torque figures, the oil burner still doesn’t inject the whiplash-inducing rush of say a contemporary turbo-petrol V8.

The 320 kilowatts of power hits between 3750 and 5000rpm and the giant wave of torque – 900Nm to be precise – breaks at just 1000rpm before ebbing beyond 3250rpm. Zero to 100kmh is rated at 4.9 seconds which is good enough to hose many sports cars in the traffic light duel, especially to 80km/h.

Regardless of how you analyse that data, the Audi SQ7 is a heavy-hitter in the acceleration stakes…unlike the BMW X5 M, you just don't feel as though you've been manhandled by airport security.

Of course, with 900Nm of torque it doesn't matter whether you're cruising solo or fully loaded, the SQ7 barely bats an eyelid. Towing capacity is 3.5 tonnes and maximum gross combined weight for the SQ7 is 6440kg.

For some, the Audi SQ7 is still a bit too ‘block of flats’ in the looks department and just doesn’t project as athletic (despite the massive alloy wheels). But it’s an automotive pleasure like few others with incredible levels of luxury and technology combining with driving dynamics which are so good they border on sheer madness.

True, when you factor-in tyres, fuel, insurance, scratch repairs for those gorgeous 22-inch alloy wheels, depreciation and service costs, the SQ7 may set you back $20,000 annually to run. But for a technological wonder like this, justification is swift.

The force is strong with this one. Bring on the quad turbo RSQ7!

2017 Audi SQ7 pricing and specifications:
Price: $153,616 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 triple turbo-diesel
Output: 320kW/900Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 190g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP