ROADTEST: AUDI Q7 3.0TDi QUATTRO SPORT CLEAN DIESEL:Audi's Clean Diesel claims to meet the toughest emission standards in the US. It's a shame that it doesn't translate to tax savings here, writes MICHAEL McALEERMotoring Editor
ANOTHER WEEK and another SUV in the driveway: who says that market is dead? Well, perhaps the sales figures do illustrate that it’s not exactly in rude health in Ireland, but the car firms – as we have seen – don’t devote their every waking hour to developing bespoke cars for Ireland’s 70,000 new car buyers. Ideally, as we share the same lump of rock in the cosmos, we should all have a similar desire to care for its well-being. The problem is that not all of the governments have the same strategies for saving the planet from an ignominious end.
For car firms, that means primarily catering for the demands of the big volume markets. And despite the wave of small car fever, there remains a viable market out there for the larger SUVs in many countries.
Take this Q7, for example. On Irish roads it looks excessive, a behemoth even among the large premium SUVs. It measures in longer and wider than its main rivals, such as the BMW X5 or Mercedes ML. It’s even bigger than a Toyota LandCruiser or Range Rover. Yet that’s partly explained by the inclusion of a proper third-row of seats while retaining a fully functioning boot. It’s also exacerbated by the decision to retain the bonnet to bottom front grille that looks imposing when fitted to an Audi A3, never mind a 2.4-tonne SUV. Discretion was never part of the Q7 brief, but then in some markets its owners don’t want to be lost in the crowd.
Today, the question is being asked as to whether these vehicles still have a place on our roads. Well, in principle the idea of rugged all-rounder with luxury trim is unlikely to fade entirely, though it will significantly retrench. The offerings also need to clean up their act.
This 3-litre TDI Q7 has been christened a “clean diesel” by Audi. It claims to meet some of the toughest emissions standards in the US and complies with emission limits that are due to come into force in Europe by 2014.
The problem is that for all the hot air spoken about environmental concerns these days, the only way to get the masses behind an eco-friendly effort is to either tax or incentivise the issue. Governments could have ran 24-hour news bulletins on the perils of carbon emissions, but it’s only when it starts to hit the pocket that people take an interest in what they spew out in their daily lives. The proof is evident from the tax changes in Ireland in 2008: we had several years of carbon campaigning but it was the sudden introduction of emissions-based tax on vehicles that motorists really began to take notice.
This clean diesel manages to pull its emissions down by five grams to 234g/km, but it still resides in the top tax bracket. The savings to the planet might sound good in public, but behind closed doors, where motorists try to make their financial decisions match their high public morals, it’s not going to be enough.
Yet you have to suspect that Audi’s eyes are not entirely focussed on Ireland – or Europe – when it comes to the Q7. The biggest boast about the new clean diesel engine is the fact that it reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 90 per cent compared to its regular counterpart. That’s a whopping saving. Without going into yet another chemistry lesson in a car review, these emissions arise particularly in diesel engines, damage the ozone layer, and can cause lung damage. They are one of the main reasons why diesels come with catalytic converters and why NOx is a major feature of US legislation, even if they don’t grip the attention of EU legislators – or the public’s attention – to the same extent.
To tackle them Audi has introduced a new feature that injects an additive called Ad Blue (top marks for originality there) into the exhaust fumes, which decomposes into ammonia. And as you all no doubt will be aware from your Phds in chemistry, the ammonia splits the nasty nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water. Each clean diesel model features a 23-litre tank of Ad Blue that’s refilled during servicing. It’s good news for our health and the planet, even if it doesn’t make any immediate difference to our wallet.
Where it should win great acclaim in the US, where NOx emissions have regularly been used as a legislative stumbling block to prevent diesels becoming mainstream choices. So this clean diesel has its eyes on buyers in California and Maine, if not quite as much on Cavan and Mullingar.
Aside from slightly lowering its carbon footprint and cutting down in carcinogens, what’s it like to live with? Well, it’s a proper seven-seater, with room for two adults in the third row, albeit in a rather constrained position. The last time we tested this car we took it for a four-day all-Ireland tour with five friends. It coped admirably with one person in the third row and a proper load of luggage. The back seat was filled on a rotation basis, but there were surprisingly few complaints from anyone under 5ft 9inches who took up the last row.
This time we restrained ourselves to everyday motoring and stuck to the front seats. Given its size and permanent four-wheel-drive, it’s hardly surprising that the Q7 feels stable on the road, though the steering could be more informative at motorway speeds, sometimes feeling a little neutral.
We opted to take the Q7 into the fields instead and though the sight of a bright white Q7 on 20-inch alloys criss-crossing a muddy field still seems anathema, it copes admirably with the clawing mud. If such conditions were a regular feature of our daily drive, however, we’d still be opting for a Toyota Land Cruiser or Range Rover. The Q7 is capable, but the Land Cruiser would still be our car of choice if the earth does start to crumble.
Ultimately the Q7 is a capable luxury car that can cope with the challenges of a rain-sodden gymkhana rather than pursuing missing hikers up Sally’s Gap. One of Audi’s biggest boasts about the Q7 is its towing capability. It certainly has the torque to handle muddy fields, though the Range Rover would seem to have its equal in this regard as well.
The quality of the interior trim remains up to Audi’s standards, something of a benchmark for premium marques these days. The MMI menu-based control system is one of the most intuitive on the market, though we still prefer the touchscreen system of Jaguar to these turn and click devices.
There have also been some changes to the standard fittings. Leather upholstery, electric heated front seats and 19-inch alloys are now standard on the range. You still have to dip too deep into your pockets for some features – the sat-nav comes at €4,201 for example – but then none of its rivals are exactly charitable either.
Overall, the Audi is a status symbol that offers superior interior space to its rivals, and a powerful new diesel engine. It might be cleaner in terms of NoX, but that really isn’t the main concern of the cash-conscious Irish buyers. It’s biggest threat comes from the new BMW X5, due for Ireland later this year and promising a 3-litre diesel that will pack 245bhp and 540Nm of torque, but with only 195g/km. While we don’t yet know its NOx levels, we suspect – for good or ill – the Irish buyers won’t care that much. They’ll see the carbon footprint – and consequent lower motor tax – as being the most relevant features in their efforts to publicly save the planet and, privately, save their euros.
Factfile
Engine:2967cc V6 diesel engine with particulate filter and nitric oxide catalyst putting out 236bhp @ 4,000rpm and 550Nm of torque @ 2,000rpm
0-100km/h:8.5 secs
L/100km (mpg):urban – 11.2 (25.2); extra-urban – 7.6 (37.2); combined – 8.9 (31.7)
CO2 emissions:234g/km
Tax:€2,100, band G
Specifications: 20' alloys; multifunctioning steering wheel; MI terminal and controls; cruise control; dual front, side and head airbags; electronic stability controls; leather Alcantara seats; rear parking distance control; LED lights; front heated seats; xenon headlights. Options include MMI navigation (€4,201); Bluetooth preparation (€952);
Price:€82,765
The Rivals
BMW X5 3.0d M Sport
Power: 235bhp
Torque: 520Nm
0-100km/h: 8.3 secs
L/100km (mpg): 8.2 (34.5)
CO2: 217g/km
Tax: €1,050, Band F
Price: €82,140
Mercedes ML 320CDI 4matic
Power: 221bhp
Torque: 500Nm
0-100km/h: 8.6 secs
L/100km (mpg): 9.6 (29.4)
CO2: 254g/km
Tax: Band G (€2,100)
Price: €83,645
Toyota LandCruiser 3.0 D-4D LWB
Power: 173bhp
Torque: 410Nm
0-100km/h: 11.5 secs
L/100km (mpg): 9.0 (31.4)
CO2: 242g/km
Tax: Band G (€2,100)
Price: €71,935
Range Rover 3.6 TDV6 HSE
Power: 268bhp
Torque: 472Nm
0-100km/h: 9.2 secs
L/100km (mpg): 11.1 (25.4)
CO2: 294g/km
Tax: Band G (€2,100)
Price: €99,765