Owning an SUV like this is never going to be a cheap experience, but Audi Q7 running costs are not as shocking as you may first think. 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.

Audi Q7 emission levels are never going to impress the environmentalists 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.

The Q7 is very sophisticated, but Audi has been making four-wheel drive systems for over a quarter of a century and so the standard of Audi Q7 reliability is generally good and problems are unlikely.