Audi Q7 (06 on) - Review

Review by Ben Wall on
Last Updated: 11 May 2010
The Q7 may be Audi's first full size 4x4 but like alternatives such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class it's firmly designed for staying on tarmac rather than tackling harsh terrain. Audi is famous for its quattro four-wheel drive system and has put its expertise to use with the Q7, however it lacks clever off road systems like the Land Rover Discovery. It's a big vehicle though and this translates into superb passenger space and seven-seats as standard while the air suspension ensures supreme comfort. It makes great family transport and it's stylish too - but it's not cheap to buy or run. In mid-2009 it was given a mild facelift while a cleaner 3.0-litre TDI was introduced.
4.5 out of 5

Other Audi reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

Owning a car like this is never going to be a cheap experience, but the Q7 doesn't disgrace itself. It's predicted to keep a respectable hold of its value and is priced fairly in comparison with similar 4x4s. The 3.0 TDI option is obviously the most affordable in terms of running costs and will hold a bigger percentage of its value over time. The V12 TDI is only for those with deep pockets.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£2,360 - £2,922 *

Diesel

£1,644 - £2,564 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

As per on-board indicator to a maximum of two years.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£250.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
    189
  • K
  • L
  • M
    309

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The Q7 is never going to be very green but Audi has attempted to reduce emissions and improve economy. The 3.0 TDI 'clean diesel', introduced in mid-2009, uses the existing engine but uses an additive called AdBlue to eradicate virtually all harmful nitrous oxides from emissions. It also uses an energy recovery system which reduces CO2 emissions by 5g/km. All this helps it to emit 234g/km of CO2 while averaging 32mpg. This is good, but not as clean as the BMW X5 XDrive 30d.

Find the exact engine and CO2