Entry model problems
It’s all down to psychology, particularly when it comes to price. A glance into the Audi literature shows an entry level A7 sportback for just over 50 thousand Euros. Those who go for the 300 horsepower coupé with the 3 litre TFSI engine are called on to invest 58,600 for their automobile. Quite a sum. But then for a model which has such elegance and sporty performance, for a car which has been awarded many honours for design and technology, a sum which could be justified. But it soon becomes clear that for the entry price there is just a basic entry version. Anyone wanting to equip their A7 with the comfort and assistant systems which turn the car almost into an oasis of wellness, anyone ticking all the boxes on the list of extras, is in for quite a surprise. Forget 58 thousand Euros… the car we tested would have cost not less than 98,281.46 Euros. And that’s without any heads-up display or massage function in the seats.
-
- While the front of the A7 conforms with the established Audi design language the rear end is expressive of new boldness and character.
The best-looking Audi?
But for those with deep enough pockets a trip to the Audi dealership can be fruitful. A couple of weeks later he will be driving off the lot in a car which will certainly not disappoint. The A7 sportback is the car to bring real enjoyment to everyday driving. The sedans of the series A4 through A8 have in the passing years come to resemble nested matryoshka dolls. The Audi two-seaters seem destined to be only second cars of a household. But in contrast the A7 exists in its own right as a successful combination of fastback sedan and four-seater coupé. A chunky back end with broad hips, a long and swooping side profile, windows without frames, that’s a good looking mixture and one that will still draw admiring glances a couple of years down the road.
-
- The comfortable seats can be adjusted in all imaginable ways… height and position, the grip of the cushions at the sides of both the seat and the head-rest. The steering wheel can be brought closer or pushed back and inclined as the driver prefers. And all this is handled with electrics commanded by simple push buttons. There is also a memory function so that the driver’s preferences are instantly available again after other hands have gripped the wheel.
Autobahn ease
The A7 is, however, more than just a think of automotive beauty. It is based on the A6 platform and is an auto which is supremely suited to everyday use, as at home in city traffic as on longer journeys. Whether the distance is 8 or 800 kilometres, at the end of the trip the driver is perfectly relaxed. The comfortable seats can be adjusted in all imaginable ways… height and position, the grip of the cushions at the sides of both the seat and the head-rest. The steering wheel can be brought closer or pushed back and inclined as the driver prefers. And all this is handled with electrics commanded by simple push buttons. There is also a memory function so that the driver’s preferences are instantly available again after other hands have gripped the wheel. Relaxed driving is also the advantage of the various assistant systems on board. One example is the separation distance from the car ahead. Enter the Autobahn speed limit of 160 into the cruise control and the driver can take his foot off the accelerator. But then there’s a crawling convoy to deal with in the so-called fast lane. Now the A7 smoothly decelerates to take its place in the queue and only accelerates again when the system reports that the way ahead is free. In the event that the crawl degrades and becomes a traffic stand-still then the system brakes the A7 accordingly. The system is now so sophisticated that it can deal with the idiot who cuts in front of the driver to profit from the prudent gap in the column. The reaction can be a full braking. Distance-sensitive cruise control is by no means exclusive to Audi and other premium sector models feature similar systems. But in the Audi A7 it impresses and makes for easy riding in the Autobahn’s fast lane.
-
- The navigation system is extremely precise. The screen is large and has a brilliant display giving easy-to-follow instructions.
RTFM
The manual needs to be studied closely, also in respect of the optional extra which is the Adaptive Lighting System. This does not just offer automatic beam control as soon as oncoming traffic is detected at night. Via the navigation system and using various sensors it recognizes the characteristics of the road and the built environment and shades the beam of the headlights accordingly. Whether driving along a country road, through a town centre, approaching a cross-roads, ascending a hill… in fair weather and foul… the lighting remains always optimal. The dimming of the high beam is a hundred percent reliable. Only rarely does the system fail to respond correctly when brake lights or approaching headlights appear ahead. But in order to profit fully from all of the systems careful reading of the manual is a must. When the lessons have all been learned the driving the A7 becomes logical and simple. The informed driver will know that he can make entries in the navigation system either conventionally using the rotary knob or via the touch pad next to it. The navigation system is extremely precise. The screen is large and has a brilliant display giving easy-to-follow instructions.
-
- The interior of the A7 is expressive of sporty refinement. Much here reminds of the Audi flagship model, the A8. We find high quality materials such as rare woods or matt aluminium, there is finely worked leather and an excellent level of sound insulation which is effective even at the highest speeds and allows the quality of the B&O loudspeakers to be appreciated.
Discreet, sporty and elegant
The interior of the A7 is expressive of sporty refinement. Much here reminds of the Audi flagship model, the A8. We find high quality materials such as rare woods or matt aluminium, there is finely worked leather and an excellent level of sound insulation which is effective even at the highest speeds and allows the quality of the B&O loudspeakers to be appreciated. All this combines to make a drive in the A7 more than just a journey from A to B it is … pace BMW… a story of joy. The A7 is a car one can become addicted to. Space inside is generous, above all up front and unless the back-seat passengers are very tall they’ll ride in comfort, too. The taller will, however, find the steeply sloping coupé roof a slight disadvantage. The wide tailgate opens onto cargo space permitting loading in estate car dimensions. 535 litres of cargo can be carried in normal configuration, rising to 1,390 when the rear seas are folded down.
-
- The 3 litre compressor V6 delivers 300 horsepower and 440 Newton metres of torque. The A7 hits a hundred in 5.6 seconds. Fuel consumption in our test was at 10 litres higher than the 8.6 litres claimed for this model but can be regarded as satisfactory.
Gently aggressive
In short, everything fits well together. The driver has a choice of modes, ‘Sport’ or ‘Comfort’, to control the output of the V6 petrol engine with its 300 horsepower and turbo charged 440 Newton metres of torque. The steering is as precise and is sensitive. The double-clutching transmission shifts almost un-noticed through its seven speeds. The all-wheel-drive is the perfect way to get the power onto the road. And the brakes are sufficient to get the A7 quickly and safely to a stop. The driver so inclined can take his A7 to a hundred kilometres an hour in 5.6 seconds, as fast as in a Porsche Panamera S. The fuel consumption of the 300 horsepower A7 is relatively modest, officially 8.6 litres, and this is to no small extent the result of a very efficient automatic start-stop system. In our test we found that about 10 litres were called for, but we were driving long Autobahn stints and so this result can still be seen as satisfactory. So all in all there’s not much wrong with the Audi A7 sportback… apart from the price.
