2013 Audi A7 Review
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Audi A7 Sportback 3.0L Quattro Review: Performance and Interior Insights
The more Audis I drive, the more I’m convinced there is something special that sets them apart. The Audi A7 Sportback 3.0L Quattro not only destroys the competition in terms of driving performance; it smiles while doing it.
Driving Performance
Compared to the BMW 530i and Mercedes CLS350, the Audi A7 is the only model to surpass 400 Nm of torque, which basically means you step on the pedal and it’s bliss.
The A7 is the only model among its rivals that accelerates from 0-100 km/h in under 6 seconds (all official figures used). You get seemingly endless grip even in the most challenging corners. The performance and handling of the A7 are as accomplished as we have come to expect from Audi, emphatically in coupe territory and best in class. While cruising at high speeds, road, wind, and engine noise are barely audible. Push the A7 a little harder, however, and you’ll be rewarded with a satisfying low growl.
Anything negative? Yes, it consumes more petrol than the above competitors, 8.2L / 100 km to be exact, making it the only model among the three rivals to cross the 8-liter mark.
Interior
The A7 is designed in the ‘four-door coupe’ style that is emerging as a desirable new market sector. In the trade-off between beauty and function, the rear headroom might be slightly compromised for taller passengers, but perhaps that is a small price to pay for the car's almost endless curb-appeal.
There is nothing breathtakingly different about the A7’s interior design compared to the rest of the Audi family, but then why should there be? Audi interiors are renowned for their design and build quality. The ‘wrap-around’ styling in the front is reminiscent of a cockpit rather than a car, and the lacquered oak veneer is standard, as are the leather sports seats and the driver’s seat memory function for seat settings.
While there isn’t the space to do justice to all the features included in the standard specification here, it includes:
- Four-zone automatic air conditioning
- Heat insulated windows
- A sunscreen for the rear windows
- DVD changer
- Audi’s intuitive multi-media interface (MMI) with a touch-pad interface that enables you to ‘write’ letters of a destination or digits of a telephone number on the screen with your finger
The high lifting long hatchback provides easy access to its generously sized 535-litre cargo capacity, expanding to a very useful 1,390-litre capacity when the rear seats are folded down.
However, it must be noted that the boot shape is long, which means wider items (like a baby twin stroller) can only fit if the seats are partially folded. So what’s the point? My Camry has more practical boot space than the A7’s boot. Thus, while the A7 has the biggest boot in terms of space, its shape makes it less practical.
Verdict
Performance-wise, the Audi A7 hits the bull's eye. Practicality depends on your situation. If you have a family, it might be worth investigating interior spaciousness a bit more.
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