• Summary

    5 out of 5 5.0

    What does this car say about you?

    Sadly probably nothing good due to the Clarkson school of reviews but what I would like it to say is that I have made an intelligent choice and that the car suits my needs perfectly.

    What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

    I have had no negative comments at all and most people are really impressed with the car and have stated that it is a better quality proposition than many upmarket rivals.

    Would you buy this car again and why?

    Probably, the newer models have lower emmissions, lower road tax and better fuel consumption. When the new Q7 is finally relased, I hope that through some clever packaging they are able to reduce the overall size and weight whilst retaining the practicality. Things that I would like to fix in the next version: Glovebox is pathetically small for such a large car. Needs better standard equipment and a much better Sat Nav system with better traffic integration.

    What are you likely to buy next?

    I hope that the new Q7 will be announced in 2013 so until then I will hang on to mine so that I can make an informed decision.

  • Buying experience

    5 out of 5 5.0

    Type of dealer you bought from?

    Franchised

    Did you buy this car new?

    No

    What price did you pay?

    £42,000

    When did you buy the car?

    April 2007

    Did you get a good deal and why?

    I have a good relationship with my dealer and they always look after me. The car was an Ex-Demo and was advertised as havving a full leather interior but I fount it to have only partial leather so in addition to a healthy discount, they kitted the car out with full leather.

    Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

    Having returned from a year in the US where I became an SUV convert, I fell in love with the style, presence and exclusivity of the Q7.

    What was the dealer like?

    Very helpful, treated me like they valued my business, happy to provide test drives and to spend the time with me to answer my questions. Did not attempt to over-sell additional products such as GAP insurance but made me aware of my optrions.

  • Driving it

    5 out of 5 5.0

    What's it like to drive?

    Really impressive. Great handling for such a large heavy car, well weighted steering and strong performance from the engine. Driving position is great with good forward visibility, seats are really comfortable and offer a lot of fine tuning possibilities. Refinement is top notch and it always impresses passengers.

    What's it like to park?

    I have never found myself unable to park it but you have to be selective/realistic about the spaces that you squeeze it into. Always reverse park it, the parking sensors are very good and the mirrors are huge so it is easy to operate the car in confined spaces.

  • Living with it

    4 out of 5 4.0

    Have you had any problems with the car?

    The car has been really reliable overall with only one emmission control related failure in 5 years.

    What's most practical about your car?

    This car does everything really well but if I had to pick one thing, it would be the ability to cover big distances in supreme comfort with outstanding safety.

    Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

    Very hard to choose just one, the Bose is excellent, and the blind spot warning system has been a life saver but the full Leather interior makes the cabin feel really special.