A visual and technical update is just what the doctor ordered for Audi’s large Q7 SUV to stay competitive in the large SUV market segment.
From the outside, the Q7 is visually in line with the rest of Audi’s Q family members. From the front view, the large octagon-shaped single frame grill has six upright slats. The two-part side air inlets have a much more expressive line, just like the sill area that underscores the large SUV’s ground clearance.
The headlights, optionally with Matrix LED technology, emphasise with their contours the width of the Q7. On the restyled rear, a chrome strip creates the visual connection between the flat rear lights. The Audi Q7 is even more striking in the S-line model with enhanced exterior accents: A blade in the front bumper, radiator grille in titanium black with vertical slats in aluminium sliver matte, sportily accentuated underbody protection at the rear along with a full paint finish, high gloss package, roof rails in aluminium and 20-inch wheels come standard.
Audi has substantially enhanced the dynamic facets of the Q7. The optimised all-wheel steering allows the rear wheels to turn as much as five degrees in the opposite direction. This makes the Q7 more manoeuvrable, precise and agile in urban traffic and on hairpin bends.
There is one diesel engine in the local model range line up. It is coupled to an eight-speed tiptronic and permanent all-wheel drive. The Audi Q7 45 TDI quattro tiptronic produces 183 kW and 600 Nm.
The Audi Q7 has now grown eleven millimetres to 5 063 millimetres long. It measures 1 970 millimetres wide and 1 741 millimetres high. The Audi Q7 outdoes its direct competitors with interior length as well as headroom and elbow room in the front and rear. The new version also boasts a host of storage compartments and a new compartment in the instrument panel.
The cockpit architecture now includes a new, digital operating concept, which incorporates two large touchscreens. They provide haptic and acoustic feedback when clicking on the touch controls. When off, the top display slots almost invisibly into the large black decorative surface.
The standard MMI navigation plus features an embedded SIM, a Wi-Fi hotspot, natural voice control and the extensive Audio Connect portfolio. The last-mentioned ranges from online traffic information, point of interest search, navigation with Google Earth and live weather updates. The Audi connect functionality now also includes Car2X services, which consist of standard safety and service features in the event of damage, breakdown or minor accidents.
The new Audi Q7 will offer the package concept as introduced on other new models launched in South Africa. The concept aims to reduce complexity when ordering a new vehicle, considering that a customer is generally faced with a long list of options. It classifies key options according to a specific customer need and offers a straight-forward value proposition that is easy for a customer to understand.
These packages include Comfort, Black Styling and S-line interior. Within each package structure there are a few options suited to the proposition.
The prices (November 2020) of the updated Audi Q7 range are Audi Q7 45 TDI quattro Tiptronic (R1 328 500), Audi Q7 45 TDI quattro S line Tiptronic (R1 388 500).
Competitors include the BMW X5, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, Jaguar F-Pace, VW Touareg and the Volvo XC90.
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