IT’S four in the afternoon and we’re supposed to leave the office at five heading south to Batu Pahat. Yet, I’m still in the Audi Q7 staring at the narrow slopes that lead down to NST’s lobby driveway. As Rudi Venter, marketing director for Audi Malaysia shares in the press release: “The new Audi Q7 combines the off-road ability of an SUV, the versatility of a family vehicle and the prestige of an executive sedan.”
He certainly wasn’t overstating it.
Just to give you a little imagery. I stand at exactly 5-feet and the 19-inch, five V-spoke alloy wheel reaches waist high. My mind can’t help playing the 1001 ways the short distance down can go all wrong. But then I remember Kelly Mah’s (digital communications executive for Audi Malaysia) advice: “If the space looks hard to manoeuvre, trust the 360 camera.”
So, it’s with faith I push the button and like magic, I have eyes in the sky! It takes a little getting used to, but if you’ve played much of the 8-bit car games on arcade back in the 1980s and 1990s, it’ll be a breeze. With split window viewing on the 8.3-inch central screen, I have not only the 360 degree camera in view, but also a choice of back, front or side camera views. It allows me to see every square-inch of space around the vehicle, thus going down tight bends is as simple as 1,2,3 — breathe, let go of the brakes and drive.
SIZE MATTERS
‘We’re off to a good start!’ I assure myself as I pick my colleagues up with a confident glow. “Why the car looks so big outside but boot so small inside?” my colleague exclaims not knowing that the 50:50 split seats on the third row can be folded down. Simply push the electronic buttons located on the sides to fold the seats down and the cargo space immediately increases from an already large 770-litres to a cavernous 1955-litre.
“Now that’s enough to kidnap and lay down three men in a row while still having space for one of us to get in between!” my other colleague jokes. Kidnapping aside, at least I now know that having a Q7 will come in handy if we ever do decide to go camping in the jungles someday for the boot is roomy enough to turn into bed space.
Size, as they say, is what matters and size is what this Audi Q7 2.0 TSFI quattro variant proudly possesses. Couple size with the distinctive Audi Q design, this is one road monster that’ll carve paths on the speedway. I can’t help but smirk as I glide through traffic feeling like a queen on her high horse. My baby of an i10 will be bullied into submission in the same circumstance, but the Q7 cares not for nonsense on the streets where it rules.
It’s no wonder Jason Statham favours this brand for all his transporter endeavours in the last two movie series. Its muscular and sculptured body with a bold Singleframe grille and signature sharp piercing LED daytime running lights give off a domineering aura. It’s hard not to move aside seeing a fierce face like that coming from behind in your rear-view mirror.
STRESS-FREE DRIVE
Even with its large bulk, the weight of this vehicle is 325 kilogrammes lighter than its predecessor due to Audi’s smart multi-material design and strategic placements of aluminium components. The weight loss shaved off 0.8 seconds from this Q7’s acceleration, clocking its century sprint at 7.1 seconds. This quicker pickup is definitely a blessing as I overtake large lorries and trailer trucks with sharp ease on the one-lane Jalan Yong Peng leading to Batu Pahat’s town centre.
Like any other high-end vehicle, the Q7 comes with various driving modes to help maintain a stress-free driving experience that’ll suit any terrain. All that’s required is to push a button located on the centre of the dashboard. Each setting calibrates the car’s electronics and physical dynamics.
Hence, the ability to shift into Dynamic drive mode that delivers more aggression while still maintaining a steady control on my last leg towards home puts a song in my heart. The SUV glides smoothly up and down small hills and around steep bends with poise that rivals even the best sports car available today.
This list of driving options and the agility it lends to the vehicle shouldn’t come as a surprise with the amount of cash you’ll have to part with to obtain it — a stunning RM524,900 (on the road without insurance) if you’re wondering.
Nonetheless, I’m highly impressed with the Lift/Offroad mode aside from the Dynamic drive setting. This mode essentially lifts the body up to a maximum height of 60mm so that driving on a pothole-riddled, soft red-soiled path towards a duck farm in Minyak Beku the next day requires no sweat on my part or from my passengers.
Add that with specially engineered adaptive air suspensions, riding the Q7 on such rough terrain is far from riding a bullock cart. The electronically controlled air spring damper system keeps the vehicle level no matter the load distribution. For a person who can’t even carry a tray of water for a short distance from kitchen counter to table and keep it from spilling, seeing the almost undisturbed cup of coffee in the cup holder is astounding to say the least.
STEADY PARTNER
With all these high-tech engineering and aerodynamic craftsmanship, the Audi Q7 allows me to take pressure off the brakes and enjoy the drive. Even with such pure automotive construction, the engineers didn’t overlook the little extra comforts and luxuries such as the four-way lumbar support for the front seats and ample leg room space. This makes sitting in the vehicle feel like a driver’s haven.
Furthermore, the SUV’s height comes in handy for a petite person. Being able to see more of the road in front of me from a higher perch and also with a wider perspective makes driving simply effortless. This is one steady partner to drive with and I doubt I’ll be able to find another. I can’t help but repeat a slightly altered Donnie Yen’s epic Rogue One mantra: “I’m one with the road, the road is with me,” as I take the wheel one last time for the ride back to the city. Just a word of goodbye may not suffice for this sturdy road partner of mine.