By: Henrie Geyser

click to enlarge

And strangely enough the market has Volkswagen to thank for that because the Q7 just couldn't match the pace and power of VW's 5.0-litre Touareg. That is until quite recently when the Audi boykies got tired of having sand kicked in their faces and pulled this titanic version of the Q7 out of the hat.

Not only has the Q7 now got more punch than the Touareg, but it costs less.

The flagship oil-burner's other competitors are probably the Range Rover TDV8 Vogue (which is considerably more expensive) and the BMW X5 diesel Sport Steptronic (less expensive but no match for power).

And don't forget the Q7's own baby brother, the 3.0-litre Q7, which at R588,000 is R150,000 less than the Q7's R738,500 price tag - quite a substantial amount if you convert it into paying for the liquid gold they are pumping out on the forecourts these days.

But for sheer bragging rights, the bigger Q7 can happily push out its chest because no other diesel SUV can match its awesome torque of 760Nm.

In the gallop stakes, the V8 Q7 will do a top speed of about 230km/h and take just over seven seconds to get from zero to 100km/h.

On the road it feels a tad heavy, but thanks to permanent all-wheel drive, traction control, well weighted, variable ratio steering and adjustable air suspension, it performs astonishingly well in the twisties, without protest from the 275/45 rubber.

Not that owners of swank tanks buy them to throw them around corners or take them on anything rougher than a gravel road to a game lodge.

click to enlarge

Nope, it's all about presence and prestige, good looks and as many fancy bells and whistles as possible. And the Q7 has more than its fair share of bling, beauty and buttons.

We were particularly impressed by the clickable choices such as suspension adjustments, foldaway tow bar and rear door opening.

The ladies loved the plush leather clad cabin interior, the good sound system and the comfortable seating.

It is a superb cruising vehicle and will no doubt make an excellent towing vehicle and long distance cruiser.

Being an optional seven-seater it will also no doubt be called upon to perform mum's taxi duties, although on stop-start runs around town I should imagine that it's fuel consumption will be quite high, considering the sheer size of it's big engine.

Talking of which, the V8 has a solid rumble to it, which will no doubt sound even better if it wasn't so politically correctly subdued.

Because of its size, it's not the easiest animal to squeeze into a tight spot, but then that goes for most of these big beasts. At least the Q7 has parking sensors to help.

We rated it highly as a commuter vehicle and we loved its quick response when you stomp down on the pleasure pedal. It makes overtaking and finding gaps in the traffic an absolute pleasure.

And key to its rapid progress is a butter-smooth six-speed automatic with sequential mode.

Turbo lag is ever so slight, but we never ventured far inland, so it might be more noticeable at energy-sapping Reef altitude.

The Q7's long list of classy goodies includes automatic aircon at the front and back, radio/CD player, adaptive air suspension, cruise control, electric windows, mirrors and seat adjustments, electric tailgate, trip computer, eight airbags, ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, traction control and quite a few more.

click to enlarge

Our test car came with seven seats, but a note of warning - you pay extra for the additional two seats. Like all vehicles in this price range, the list of options is extensive and expensive.

But even bog standard it is a classy vehicle, prettier than most other SUV's, comfortable, spacious and luxurious. The Q7's superior build quality, its long list of luxury features and its mighty V8, force-fed by twin turbochargers, place it top of the SUV podium.

[8 Jul 2008 17:22]

SEND TO A FRIEND  |   PRINT