Audi’s giant SUV begins its stint in our long-term fleet with the time-tested Mahabaleshwar journey, however we take the extra treacherous route this time.
Probably the most harmful freeway (if it may be referred to as a freeway) is the NH66, supposed to be a four-lane ‘improve’ of the erstwhile NH17. As soon as a picturesque, single lane, Mumbai-Goa freeway, NH17 fortunately served generations of motorists earlier than the expressway growth that mushroomed all around the nation, after the flip of this century. Slicing via Maharashtra’s Konkan area, NH17 was as soon as the quickest technique to get from Mumbai to Goa, however not anymore. It’s now an utter mess, because of {a partially} full growth of the freeway left in limbo for the previous 12 years.
Giant swathes of unfinished sections, treacherous street situations and winding terrain have made the NH66 a veritable loss of life entice for motorists, and a automotive breaker too. However what attracts me to NH66 is that it’s nonetheless the quickest technique to Mahabaleshwar, a great 30km shorter than the longer Pune route. Plus, the final 40km on the fabulous Poladpur to Mahabaleshwar ghat is a drive I at all times look ahead to. However to courageous NH66, you want the best automotive, or slightly a strong and secure SUV with loads of floor clearance.
Q7’s excellent journey, security and robust engine a great option to courageous the lethal NH66.
The Audi Q7 entered our long-term fleet simply earlier than my customary New 12 months’s break in Mahabaleshwar. The timing couldn’t have been higher as a result of I wanted a automotive that had a great deal of house for the household and baggage, a comfortable journey to smoothen out the bombed-out sections of NH66 and a robust engine for fast overtaking on the remaining single-lane sections. Above all, I wanted a automotive that was completely secure, particularly if I used to be taking my household on a freeway that, in accordance with studies, has witnessed virtually 2,500 deadly accidents in 12 years. Like most German luxurious vehicles, the Q7 is solidly constructed and bristling with security tech, together with eight airbags and lively security options like a blind spot monitor and a brake help operate. Very reassuring.
Delicate suspension and high-profile tyres ship unbeatable journey consolation.
Topping up the 85-litre tank is a expensive affair, particularly with Indian Oil’s pricier high-octane XP95 petrol, which I discover works rather well in the entire VW Group’s high-compression TSI and TFSI engines. Work out the mathematics for a tankful of XP95 at Rs 113.31 per litre (Rs 7 greater than common petrol), and all of the sudden your drive to Mahabaleshwar is dearer than a flight to Delhi. Price it? The Q7’s 340hp 3.0-litre V6 actually thinks so. It runs smoother and feels extra responsive than when on a weight loss program of standard gasoline.
In actual fact, the silky clean V6 with its lusty torque unfold was simply what I wanted to scythe previous lengthy traces of vehicles on the one lane sections. Overtaking is an absolute breeze and also you don’t even have to click on the left paddle to manually go down a gear. The 8-speed DCT is splendidly fast, intuitive and at all times in the best gear to profit from the 500Nm of torque. In contrast to a turbo-petrol, this engine likes to be revved and that’s if you wish to take cost of the gearbox and wind the mill to its 6,500rpm redline.
3.0-litre V6 is punchy, refined and likes to be revved.
We’ve at all times rued the discontinuation of the three.0-litre TDI diesel within the Q7, however for the primary time I didn’t miss it. The Q7 petrol has sufficient grunt and a large torque unfold to waft you effortlessly to mad speeds. However you don’t wish to be doing foolish speeds on NH66 due to the nasty surprises thrown at you. Overtaking within the quick lane could be downright harmful as a result of, with out warning, vehicles and bikes come at you from the wrong way. This is because of the truth that, on this unfinished freeway, sections of easily concreted street abruptly finish, and visitors will get diverted to the alternative aspect with out warning.
So you must be extremely alert and also you merely can’t take your eyes off the street, and this leads me to 1 flaw within the Q7. The third touchscreen, a devoted air-con panel, sits low within the console, so it’s a must to take your eyes off the street to function the controls. In actual fact, each time I needed to vary the temperature or modify the blower velocity, I really needed to decelerate to do it safely, as a result of if you’re wanting down, the street isn’t even in your peripheral imaginative and prescient. I can’t perceive why all carmakers don’t give arduous buttons for the much-used and fiddled-with capabilities just like the aircon.
Working aircon display screen takes your eyes off the street.
The freshly laid four-lane sections on NH66 tempt you to dig into the Q7’s enormous reserve of energy. However simply if you’re about to settle right into a high-speed cruise, the concrete street, with out warning, all of the sudden provides method, and earlier than it, you’ve hit a dug-up street with stones, crumbled tarmac and large potholes. This sudden swap from a clean floor to one thing that appears prefer it’s been hit by a missile can catch you out, should you’re not alert. Tyre blowouts and damaged suspensions are frequent, however the severity of the street is remarkably masked when driving within the Q7.
The Q7’s high-profile 255/55 R19 tyres are the primary line of defence towards sharp edges, stones and ruts, while the air suspension soaks up the larger potholes and bumps. After driving on NH66, I can categorically say that no different luxurious SUV soaks up dangerous roads in addition to the Q7. That is the best-riding SUV in its class. Interval. The suspension has been tuned purely within the curiosity of consolation, and even in Dynamic mode, the sportiest of the Q7’s drive modes, I discover the massive Audi SUV too softly sprung.
Huge and heavy Q7 rolls fairly a bit when pushed via corners.
This was instantly apparent driving up the Poladpur ghat. Right here, a tauter suspension would have gone a good distance in preserving the roly-poly Q7 from leaning side-to-side at alarming angles when attacking the staccato of tight corners on this slim mountain street. It’s truthful to say the massive and heavy Q7 doesn’t notably like corners and prefers to be eased slightly than hustled via them.
As a long-distance automotive, the Q7, with its roomy cabin, magic carpet journey, fuss-free dynamics and polished powertrain, is solely arduous to beat.
Additionally see:
Audi Q5 long run overview, first report
Audi Q5 long run overview, second report