Big diesel engines are something of a fashion must-have among the prestige brands at the moment, and Audi has responded by slotting its 326PS 4.2-litre V8 diesel into the Q7 off-roader.
It is a huge vehicle, and the other diesel, available from the Q7’s launch last year, but due an upgrade, is a 3.0 TDI that struggles a little with the car’s bulk. Not so here – the bigger diesel offers plenty of pace, given that it’s no sports car but a 4×4 with high centre of gravity and plenty of weight that needs to be slowed down again for corners.
That bulk also means economy isn’t brilliant. Around town 20mpg is just about achievable, and over 450 almost exclusively motorway miles, the Q7 returned 23.8mpg.
At 65.9 pence per mile, the 4.2 in S-line trim is almost 10ppm more than the equivalent 3.0-litre diesel. The 4.2 is also almost £10,000 more in P11D terms. But the larger engine is certainly the one to go for, if you can afford it.
Verdict: Q7 is almost too big for British roads, especially around town, but the 4.2 is a fine engine if you can foot the hefty purchase and fuel costs
