Audi Q7 - fascinates or scares?

Both Mercedes and BMW entered this century with their luxury SUVs. What about Audi? It's left behind. And so much so that she released her gun only in 2005. Although no - it was not a gun, but a real atomic bomb. What is Audi Q7?

Although several years have passed since the premiere of the Audi Q7, the car still looks fresh and commands respect. The 2009 facelift hid fine lines, making the car ready to compete with BMW and Mercedes for customers. However, after a while, a little reflection comes to mind - Audi has created a real monster.

Great - THIS IS IT!

True, two German competitors had offered SUVs before, but the company under the sign of the four rings still surprised them - it created a car in which competing SUVs looked like rubber dolls. It wasn't until a year later that Mercedes responded to Audi with an equally gigantic GL, while BMW decided to go its own way and didn't care about the subject.

The secret of the Q7 lies in the market for which it was created. The car is really focused on the Americans - it is more than 5 m long and almost 2 m wide, it looks majestic and hard to miss. Everything is fine here - even the mirrors look like two pans. What does this mean in Europe? It is difficult to recommend this car to someone who drives to an office building in the city center from his villa on the outskirts of the metropolis. The Q7 is simply inconvenient to drive around the city, and you need to look for a place to park a catamaran. But in the end, this car was not created for the city. It's perfect for long business trips, and that's not the only task it does well.

One of the biggest advantages of this car is space. As an option, two extra seats could even be ordered, turning the car into a luxurious 7-seat coach. It has as much space as an empty barn, so everyone will find a comfortable position inside. The 775-liter trunk can be increased to 2035 liters, which means that you may not even need to rent a truck for the duration of the move. It's a pity for the materials inside - they are excellent and it would be a pity to damage them.

AUDI Q7 - COMPUTER ON WHEELS

In fact, it's hard to find any hardware in the Q7 that doesn't have a soldered cable and isn't supported by the computer. Thanks to this, the comfort of the car captivates. Most functions are still controlled by the MMI system. It was introduced in 2003 in the flagship Audi A8 and consists of a screen and a knob with buttons next to the gear lever. Audi considered it an absolute revolution, but not the driver's. It is said to have over 1000 functions, is complex, and pressing all the buttons while driving can be fatal. Currently, the concern has already simplified it.

The list of add-ons was so huge that it resembled last year's invoice folder. Many items were downright ridiculous - aluminum accessories, alarm, multifunctional steering wheel ... the extra charge for such elements in such an expensive car is an exaggeration. Due to such seemingly small elements, the price of the most additional equipment could almost be equal to the base price of the entire car. Nevertheless, they often spoiled the standard equipment - a twilight sensor, a rain sensor, four-wheel drive, automatic air conditioning, an electric trunk, front, side and curtain airbags ... It can take a long time to replace. The richest versions have the greatest loss in value, which is why they are worth looking for in the secondary market - and there are quite a few of them. However, the high degree of complexity of the wagon design has one drawback.

Minor electronics failures on the Q7 are nothing out of the ordinary, let alone a malfunctioning tailgate. Unfortunately, some problems are difficult to diagnose and it happens that the car is forced to stand for several days in the service because of a trifle. And not everyone - not everyone can handle it. Much better mechanically. The traditional suspension is durable, but in the pneumatic there are system leaks and fluid leaks. Due to the heavy weight of the vehicle, it is also necessary to change discs and pads frequently. The good news for that is that the Q7 shares a lot of components with the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, so there are no problems with parts availability. And the engines? Petrol ones are much more durable, but they are expensive to maintain and gas installations are difficult to install. Due to direct fuel injection, meeting a Q7 with LPG is as difficult as meeting Tina Turner in Lidl. On the other hand, who buys such a car to install LPG in it? Diesels have problems with stretching timing chains, boost and particulate filter. On TDI Clean Diesel versions, you need to add AdBlue or urea solution if you prefer. Fortunately, the drug is inexpensive and you can do the work yourself. I must also mention the 3.0 TDI engine. This is an enticing and very popular design and is easy to find in a thrift store. However, with higher mileage, problems may arise - the injection system fails, which ultimately leads to burnout of the pistons. Bushings also tend to wear out.

YOU CAN BE BLESSED

As befits an SUV, the Q7 doesn't like dirt, although that doesn't mean it's afraid of it. Each instance has a 4×4 drive with a Torsen differential. Everything is monitored by electronics, which slows down the slipping wheel and transmits more torque to the rest. Of course, it will also come in handy on the road, and this is the surface that the Q7 likes the most. However, before choosing a specific instance, it is worth considering two issues. Air suspension is complex, expensive to repair, and more dangerous than conventional suspension. However, they are worth having. In fact, it's the only car that can handle a two-ton monster and combines brilliant comfort with superb handling. The usual layout also keeps this tall car on the road, but it is enough to drive a few hundred meters on the pavement to forget your own name - tuning is simply too tough. And in this type of vehicle, apart from driving, comfort is the key to satisfaction.

The second problem is engines. The choice seems to be large, but it really isn’t on the aftermarket - almost every Q7 has a diesel engine. Usually this is a 3.0 TDI engine. The car is heavy, so when driving around the city, the engine can “take” even a dozen liters of diesel fuel per 100 km, but since the fuel tank has a tank capacity, you don’t have to worry that the car will stop. . The engine itself has a pleasant, delicate sound, great work culture and good performance. 8.5 sec to 4.2 is more than enough, and the high torque increases flexibility. However, the 7TDI is probably the best choice for this car. This V6.0 is a piece of engineering that makes the Q12 easy to handle like a baby stroller. The power reserve is so great that almost any maneuver on the road does not cause tension, and the car willingly accelerates to infinity. And while the engine is impressive, it's not a showcase of the brand - at the top is a XNUMX V TDI, i.e. a monstrous diesel engine, created in collaboration with Satan, which, connected to an electric generator, could power half of Warsaw. It is difficult to talk about the operation of this unit in everyday life, its task is rather to show the capabilities of the concern. As you can see, they are quite large.

The Audi Q7 is a vulgar car that wants the very best. It is huge, you can cook dinner for the whole family on the surface of its mirrors, and the luxury it offers is simply stunning. For this he was created - to terrify with his magnificence. However, it is difficult to disagree with one thing - this is what is most beautiful in it.

This article was created thanks to the courtesy of TopCar, who provided a car from the current offer for a test and photo session.

http://topcarwroclaw.otomoto.pl/

st. Korolevetska 70

54-117 Wroclaw

Email address: [email protected]

tel: [phone]