10 things we learned about the Audi Q7 this week

Date: 29 April 2016 | Author: Alisdair Suttie

Can the second generation of Audi Q7 impress Al Suttie where the first one left him cold?

1 - Bloated on the outside, cramped and dreary inside: it's fair to say I didn't like the original Q7. The second generation Q7 is very different.

2 - The last Q7 was a reverse Tardis: big on the outside, small inside. However, the new car is the opposite.

3 - Crisp styling helps disguise the Q7's proportions and inside this is everything Audi is famous for.

4 - There's a precision feel to the Q7's cabin quality that leaves its rivals trailing and it's all so damned well thought out.

5 - The touch pad that lets you write destinations for the sat-nav could easily be a gimmick, but it works brilliantly.

6 - Three generous rear seats plus the standard third row pews provide opulent versatility and the boot is enormous with seats folded.

7 - A Range Rover Sport might be livelier on country road, but the Q7's composure is beyond reproach in all conditions.

8 - Handling is not exactly nimble, but the Q7 tracks through corners with little lean and loads of secure traction.

9 - The 272hp 3.0-litre V6 is a lesson in vibe-free turbodiesel engine building. It's also plenty pokey enough for overtaking.

10 - Combined fuel economy of 47.9mpg and 153g/km easily better the Range Rover Sport's, and the Audi is also quicker off the mark.