Audi Q7 3.6 FSI Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Audi Q7 3.6 FSI
Prices: £38,700-£43,135 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 16
Emissions: 304g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 8.2s / Max Speed 142mph
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 23.3mpg
Safety: twin front airbags, side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ESP, ABS, EBD, ASR.
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height 5086/1983/1737mm

CUE THE RUSH

Our Rating: 7.4 / 10

If you must own a luxury 4x4, at least make it a smart one. Andy Enright takes a look at the Audi Q7 3.6 FSI and searches for the appeal

Trying to justify why you need a petrol-engined Audi Q7 is a fool’s errand. Never try to do this. You will end up either sounding spoiled, snobbish or, worst of all, like an engineer. Is there really any excuse for this quite enormous luxury 4x4, especially when a 3.6-litre FSI engine is slotted into that vast engine bay?

Let’s look at the financial case first. There isn’t much of a financial case when compared to the 3.0-litre diesel Q7 which is now also offered in ‘Clean Diesel’ guise. The diesel is not only cheaper to buy but also massively cheaper to run. Justify the 3.6 FSI to yourself instead by thinking of the children. Opt for the entry level diesel engine and you’ll be forcing them to breathe all manner of carcinogenic particulates but that Clean Diesel derivative does clean up its act. Yes, this 3.6-litre six-cylinder might chug out a lot of carbon dioxide but it’s reduced by the kinetic energy recovery system and as any biologist will tell you, this is the very gas that trees breathe. At this juncture you can probably tell that I’m struggling to justify this vehicle and it’s probably best to come clean. I’d buy the Q7 3.6 FSI over the diesel because it’s faster. There. I said it.

Packing 278bhp does that for this big Audi, and that’s fully 48bhp more than the diesel model in a car that carries significantly less weight in the nose. Where the diesel feels like a big plodder, the 3.6-litre Q7 turns into a corner more crisply. The front suspension is less concerned with isolating the ironmongery in the nose and can concentrate on soaking up imperfections in the road. It feels a very different and hugely more enjoyable car to steer through a set of corners.

The price for this is a fuel consumption figure of 23.3mpg on the combined cycle. I ran a long-term Q7 4.2 V8 FSI, this vehicle’s big brother, and could never get anywhere near Audi’s quoted economy figures, even if I drove the thing as if the luggage bay was packed with nitro glycerine, so expect around 19mpg from the 3.6-litre car in ‘real world’ driving conditions.

Is it possible to drive this car without feeling a degree of guilt? Even if I had more money, I don’t think the nagging sense of profligacy would really evaporate. Only if you’re lugging a family around and you really need the seven seats can you approach

Despite the lighter engine and weight-saving aluminium parts, this behemoth still tips the scales at over 2,200kg, so it needs all the horsepower it can get if it’s to make dignified progress. While it lacks the step-off ability of the big 4.2 V8 and the midrange of the Q7’s tempting diesel options, the 3.6-litre FSI nevertheless feels nimble and plenty quick enough in most scenarios to keep even a well-driven GTI honest. It’ll get to 60mph in just 8.2 seconds and run onto a top speed of 142mph which, in a vehicle of this size, takes a lot of stopping. Fortunately the Q7’s brakes are commensurately super-sized.

All Q7s are equipped as standard with quattro permanent four-wheel drive. The Torsen centre differential directs power to all four wheels, on-road and off-road, which means fast-reacting power to whichever wheel can best deploy it and excellent lateral stability – the prerequisites for optimum driving dynamics and safety. The driver benefits – also thanks to virtually balanced axle load distribution – from even better agility and steering precision that remains practically free of torque steer.

The chassis of the Audi Q7 comprises numerous aluminium components – independent wheel suspension with double wishbones at the front and rear – and excels with its all-round qualities. Steel spring suspension and twin-tube shock absorbers are designed for sporty driving and superior comfort, even off-road. The tilted position of the rear spring and shock absorber unit reduces overall height and creates more room at the rear.

With a length of 5,086mm and a wheelbase of 3,002mm, the Q7 isn’t the most nimble rock hopper, but it does feature variable ground clearance (from 180 to 240mm), hill descent assist and an off-road mode whereby the ESP stability control system backs off to allow for loose surfaces. There’s also a trailer stabilisation system which reduces the risk of fishtailing via targeted brake intervention.

The latest models display the results of a mild