The world's fastest diesel-powered seven-seat SUV.
It's a tag that the Audi SQ7 has worn proudly ever since its introduction in 2016.
Well, now in 2020, the SQ7 has come in for its first major update.
Let's check it out.
The SQ7 returns for 2020 with some notable interior, exterior, and technology updates.
It also has a new SQ8 stable mate that uses the same twin turbo V8 engine and clever electronics
to harness its two and a half ton mass.
As before, the SQ7 features a seven-seat layout, five-star safety, and the latest luxury appointments.
Pricing has officially fallen $400 despite the inclusion of $15,000 worth of more equipment.
The changes are most noticeable from the driver seat, you've got access to two new display
screens in the center fascia, so a 10.1 inch display sitting at the top of the center fascia
that controls things like music, navigation, infotainment, that sort of thing, and then
at the bottom, there's a secondary 8.6-inch touchscreen that controls climate control
settings, which drive-select function you're in and a lot more.
Then the third element of the displays is a 12.3-inch virtual cockpit display that sits
in the instrument cluster.
Now, virtual cockpit has been around for a few years now, but it just seems to get better
and better.
And to top all that off, you've got premium soft touch materials, big door pockets, and
these really swish Valcona leather seats with contrasting diamond pattern stitching.
It's a really nice place to be inside the SQ7 for the driver and for passengers.
Under the bonnet is the same twin turbo charge V8 diesel with unchanged 320 kilowatt and
900 Newton-meter outputs.
The diesel is augmented by a clever 48-volt electric subsystem that powers an electric
compressor, forcing air through the turbochargers when the engine is in the lower reaches of
the rev range.
Now, the upshot of all that is virtually no turbo lag.
There's a little bit of a delay as the eight-speed automatic does its thing, but then it's all
guns blazing.
Nought to 100 in 4.8 seconds and effortless in-gear acceleration.
It is incredible for a 2.5-ton SUV the way that the SQ7 piles on speed.
In terms of handling, the SQ7 sits right where you think it would for a seven-seat SUV.
It's really accomplished on bumpy back roads, it manages to control its way quite admirably
through tighter stuff, but it's just a real joy to tour in.
There is so much power on hand that you can do the slow in, fast out corners with real
ease.
Never really gets caught out, thanks to all the electronic wizardry happening underneath.
Another real safety net with the SQ7 is its brakes.
400 millimetre front disk, 350 millimetre rear disk, that really give you that nice
composed and sure-footed feeling out on the road.
The SQ7 performs some special voodoo magic when it comes to cornering as well, like rear
wheel steering and a variable ratio steering rack.
There's also the option of an electronic stabilisation pack that uses the same 48-volt electrical
subsystem to tauten the body using electric motors.
Now, it's easy to think of the SQ7 as a performance SUV but for me, it really builds on all the
strengths of the regular Q7, seven-seat layout, huge boot, plenty of second row space, five
star safety, and all the luxury appointments that you've come to expect.
In fact, for me, I reckon it's the most rounded member of the Q7 family.