Audi Q7 50 TDI Quattro: Don’t Condemn Diesel Too Quickly

The second generation Audi Q7 is already 4 years old. It has therefore just received its facelift, which further advances it qualitatively. An impressive vehicle, especially in diesel. What? In diesel ???

2019 was not a bad year for Audi, but compared to that of Porsche, its growth within the VW Group is “a little” behind. Porsche indeed shows an increase of 11%, against only 1.8% for the brand with the rings. So is there something going on at Audi? Judging by the updated Q7: no, absolutely nothing. We would even see a comeback of diesel.

Charisma

When it first appeared in 2015, the second generation of the Q7 was like a “return to normal”. Because she turned her back to the monster-like appearance of the first Q7, that by becoming a little lower and more… anonymous. This is an excellent SUV, of which we can say as with almost all SUVs that the bigger it is, the more roomy it is, the better it is. But in the automotive landscape, it no longer stood out. The Audi Q7 evolves in the high-end categories from which one does not expect huge sales volumes used cars in japan for export, but as a standard bearer, it must still exude a certain charisma.

More presence

And with a few subtle tweaks, it does: Audi manages to give the updated Q7 an extra presence. At the front, the radiator grille receives chrome ornaments worked with more finesse. With a large coat of mascara, we go with a light pencil line. It’s so much more subtle! The air intakes at the bottom of the abacus give more character, and the LED light signature of the headlights gains in dynamism. At the rear, the new headlamps and the chrome bar that unites them enhance the refinement. Small changes then, but which greatly enhance the whole.

Digital dashboard

But the most striking differences are on board. The Audi Q7, for example, receives a brand new digital dashboard, which even in its basic version offers multiple configuration possibilities, such as displaying the navigation map between the dials. The central console consists of two touch screens, the upper one for multimedia, the lower one for air conditioning. Thanks to virtual buttons that click when touched, operation becomes more precise. In a 5-seater configuration, the Audi Q7 offers more space than you dream of. The minimum volume of the trunk is 865 liters, which can be extended to 2,050 liters by folding the bench seat. We did our best to fill it all up, but nothing helped, we had to admit defeating the Q7. He literally swallows everything! We just regret that the motorized opening of the tailgate, delivered as standard, is not accompanied by the possibility of folding the bench from the trunk.

Diesel Euro6D

The 3.0-liter V6 TDI has of course been adapted to Euro6D standards. It delivers 286hp and 600Nm, and is associated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. With all this, the Q7 shoots 0-100 in 5.9 seconds and speeds up to 241 km / h. Whoever has a few thousand euros to spend can add the air suspensions and the directional rear axle, but be aware that it is not on the dynamic level that the Q7 scores the most points. Its absolute asset is comfort. We note that since tougher emissions and fuel consumption standards came into effect, new cars seem to be a bit more placid at start-up. But maybe it’s just an impression. And since we’re talking about standards: the WLTP figures for this Q7 are 8.2 l / 100 km and 214 gCO2 / km. After a week of testing, mostly short trips, we recorded an average of 9.2 l / 100 km. On the motorway, the Q7 is easily around 7.5 l / 100 km. You see, while in the past it was impossible to approach the official consos, it seems that the current standards are even more severe than your own driving style. Which also risks raising the question of taxation again …

The new Audi Q7 50 TDI quattro starts at € 73,380, which is less than a diesel Q7.