Making its official global debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the 2015 Audi Q7 has been made lighter by 325kg and more fuel efficient.
UNLIKE LAND ROVER, Audi isn’t fettered by having to make its vehicles as usable off-road as they are on-road and, so, the 2015 Audi Q7 will focus more on ride and handling. According to Audi, greater use of high-strength lightweight steel and a new chassis has allowed it to make the new Q7 up to 325kg lighter making it “extremely agile”.
Professor Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi Board Member for Technical Development, said: “The new Audi Q7 is a statement of our competence. Weighing 325 kilograms less, it sets the benchmark in its class. It is around 26 percent more fuel efficient and is equipped with the latest assistance systems, infotainment modules and connect features.”
Under the sleek-looking bonnet of the new Audi Q7 will be a range of new or tweaked engines, including a 3.0TDI producing 200kW and 600Nm of torque, a detuned version of this engine will also be used and makes 160kW and 500Nm – this engine will be introduced later. The Q7’s 3.0TFSI makes 245kW and 440Nm of torque while a four-cylinder 2.0TFSI will be introduced for Asia and the US (it’s unlikely this engine will come to Australia) producing 185kW and 370Nm.
Audi will also introduce a Q7 e-tron running a 3.0TDI making 190kW and a 94kW electric motor mated to an eight-speed transmission. It will get quattro all-wheel drive as standard.
Audi says this will be the most spacious Q7 ever and one of, if not the most spacious SUVs in the segment. To that end, there’s an extra 21mm of legroom for second row passengers, there’s an extra 41mm of headroom in the front and 23mm more in the back. Yet, despite being roomier, the new Q7 is shorter by 37mm and narrower by 15mm.
In seven seat configuration, the Q7 offers 295 litres of bootspace and 770 litres with the third-row seats folded flat. In five-seat set-up there’s 890 litres and 2075 litres with the seats folded flat. A power rear hatch is standard and like the previous generation, a kicking motion under the rear bumper activates the release mechanism.
The interior, technologically speaking, hasn’t been neglected either and the Q7 runs Audi’s “second-generation modular infotainment platform is on board, as is the Audi virtual cockpit. The new MMI all-in-touch control unit with large touchpad makes operation child’s play”. You’ll be able to sync your Android or iOS smartphone via Google Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
In terms of safety, the Q7 will feature rear parking sensors, cruise control, adjustable speed limiter, rest recommendation and Audi pre sense city which uses sensors to scan the road ahead and will provide heavy braking if the driver fails to react to a situation the system thinks is an impending collision. It will also offer cross-traffic assist, trailer assistant, ACC stop and go and traffic jam assistant.
We’ll have to wait until the Detroit Motor Show to learn about Australian pricing and release.
Since most SUVs drop their height making them look like family vans, I guess buying a station wagon may be a better choice.
Absolutely. These faux four-wheel drives are really just bloated AWD station wagons. If you’re after an off-roader than the Disco, Rangie or, dare I say it, Jeep GC is probably the way to go. Cheers, Isaac (editor).