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 BMW 530i and Mercedes CLS350, Audi A7 is the only model to surpass 400 Nm of torque. Which basically means you step on the pedal and it’s bliss.
It’s the only model compared to the above rivals that accelerates 0-100 km 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 coupe territory and best in class. Whilst cruising at high speeds, road, wind and engine noise are barely audible. Push the A7 a little harder however and you’ll be rewarded by a satisfying low growl.
Anything negative? Yes, it consumes more petrol than the above competitors, 8.2L / 100 km to be exact, 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 cars almost endless curb-appeal.
There is nothing breathtakingly different to the rest of the Audi family in the way the A7 interior is designed 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.
There is not the space to do justice to all the features included in the standard specification here but it includes four-zone automatic air conditioning, heat insulated windows, a sunscreen for the rear windows, DVD changer and Audi’s intuitive multi-media interface (MMI). Its touch-pad interface 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.
But! It must be noted, the boot shape is long which means wider items (like our 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 boot. So, the A7 has the biggest boot in terms of space but it’s shape makes it less practical.
Verdict
Performance wise, it hits bulls eye. Practicality, depends on your situation. If you have a family, it might be worth investigating interior spaciousness a bit more.
