Audi SQ7 review

The SQ7 is a pricey cash buy, no doubt. It will set you back a few thousand pounds more than the BMW X5 M50d, yet remains a relative bargain next to the Porsche Cayenne or Range Rover Sport SDV8. It’s worth keeping in mind that the Cayenne will hold onto its value better, though.

Claimed average fuel consumption of 30.1mpg is way better than is promised by the Range Rover Sport SDV8 (27mpg) or Cayenne Turbo (20.8mpg) – the advantage of the SQ7 running on diesel – and it averaged an even better 30.8mpg in our real-world True MPG fuel test.

A higher list price than the X5 M50d means the SQ7 will cost company drivers more in benefit-in-kind tax, although it'll still cost you far less in salary sacrifices than a Cayenne Turbo. Just bear in mind that even though the SQ7 has relatively low CO2 emissions, it's still in the top 37% tax bracket.

Once you’ve accepted the relatively dramatic costs involved, you can at least enjoy the long list of luxuries and gizmos that come as standard. There's sports adaptive air suspension, 21in wheels and a sports exhaust, plus Valcona leather seat trim, sat-nav, four-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. 

If you really splash out and go for the Vorsprung edition and you'll also get huge 22in wheels, adaptive cruise control, a panoramic glass roof, a black styling pack, matrix LED headlights, a full leather interior and a punchy 558W Bose 3D sound system. It is significantly more expensive, but if you were planning to raid the options list anyway, it does make sense.

Euro NCAP awarded the SQ7 a five-star safety rating. It comes with active safety equipment including low-speed automatic emergency braking (AEB), which alerts you to potential frontal collisions with cars or pedestrians and applies the brakes if necessary. However, the Vorsprung variant adds heaps more standard safety aids, including high-speed automatic emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, traffic sign recognition and active lane-keeping assistance.

Passive safety comes in the form of standard front and side airbags, plus curtain airbags that protect those in the front and middle seats. There’s no driver’s knee airbag, but rear side airbags for the middle-row passengers are on the options list, while all six passenger seats have Isofix child seat mounting points as standard.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here