Comfort when you need it and sportiness when you get horny. Okay, not in the strictest sense of the word but you get my drift. Having choices is an indispensable right in order to live life to the fullest. Imagine if your life follows a single route and without any alternative route you can choose from. Such prospects would risk an unfulfilled, routine life that fills with nothing but a monotonous series of banality.
Imagine having a car that restricts your 'driving mode' to just a single, predetermined character trait. Well, a short test drive still managed to reveal so much of a car's personality trait which I just learnt after testing the Audi Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro and Audi A4 2.0 TFSI at the Audi Drive Event taking place at The Mines Resort & Golf Club (mind you, the cars pictured above are not the test cars).
Entrusted with a single-natured car and the experience turns from stadium atmosphere to a desolated barren land. Throw in a dual-natured car and you have the most authentic menage a trois moments of ecstasy. From my brief test drive, I found the Q7 fell in the latter category, with the A4 taking up the former category.
Audi Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro
The test drive begun with the Q7 2.0 TFSI quattro, Audi's answer to the F15 BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. Ahh, that legendary nameplate graces the 7-seater SUV for both this variant and the range topping 3.0 TFSI quattro which wasn't available for test drive at the event. For the review's sake, I'll be focusing on the 2.0 TFSI quattro variant.
The entry level 2.0 TFSI quattro is motivated by a 2.0 litre turbo 4 pot with direct injection and Audi valvelift system outputting 252 hp at 5000-6000 rpm and 370 Nm of torque at 1600-4500 rpm. The engine is paired to the quattro all wheel drive and mediated by an 8 speed Tiptronic with paddle shifter.
Standard kit includes LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, heated and auto anti-glare side mirrors, powered tailgate and park assist with surround view camera.
Step inside, you'll get MMI navigation plus with MMI touch, 8.3 inch central display and four-spoke steering wheel without electric steering adjustment.
To keep you from killing yourself, Audi has fitted Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) with Traction Control, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and 8 airbags.
As for pricing, the second generation Q7 retails at RM525k (OTR without insurance) but according to the Sales Consultant accompanying me on the test drive, the price can be truncated to RM400k after discount.
For starter, this 7-seater full-size SUV was a pleasant surprise to this writer. Never for even a fleeting moment did I expect this jacked-up luxobarge to be full of character. The first SUV bearing the famous 4 rings to hit the market is a spacious vehicle which rides rather comfortably over the abysmal Malaysian road with plush leather seat to boot. The second-generation 4M Q7, which rides on MLB Evo platform, is on the mark if commuting to work, ferrying your family around and taking them on a long distance field trip in relative comfort is your priority.
However, that doesn't mean you cannot play with it when your favourite road comes up though. The Q7 is quite a versatile SUV in meeting the need to be hospitable to significant others while satisfying the insatiable craving for some spirited backroad jaunt. This is all thanks to Audi Drive Select system. This lets you toggle between allroad, lift/offroad, comfort, auto, dynamic, efficiency and individual mode. I didn't try out the allroad and lift/offroad mode so don't ask me what they do.
In comfort mode, it does what its namesake imply - delivering cossetting ride like a limo, numbs steering feel and softens engine response. Chucking it into dynamic mode stiffens steering feel and uncorks the turbocharge mill, giving you the satisfying, unadulterated performance that keeps you wanting more out of this 7-seater SUV.
The good news is dynamic mode doesn't sacrifice ride comfort. I had a chance to test this 7-seater SUV in heavy traffic and it just glides along without any unpleasant buffeting, the adaptive air suspension doing a terrific job in balancing between pliancy and surefooted, confidence-inspiring handling. Auto mode automatically adapts between comfort and dynamic so you don't have to dick around with the mode selector and help you keep your eyes peeled on the road. If you think you know better than the electronic wizardry, you can tailor the car's behaviour to suit your taste with individual mode which lets you control engine/gearbox, steering and suspension setting.
The brake impressed this writer with its instant, direct response in reining in this 1985 kg SUV. It doesn't feel grabby nor mushy. Audi does a great job in striking that delicate balance between numb brake and head-bobbing anchor.
Being of large size, it is expected to not just being a family hauler but also a cargo hauler. With all 7 seats up, you have 770 litre of boot space. Folding down the 2 third row rear seats increase boot space to a whooping 1955 litre! More than capacious for
balik kampung jaunt or when you're out on Ikea shopping.
As this is a short test drive, I didn't get to try out every features available on the SUV. Overall, this SUV fits the bill for both the sporty camp and comfort-oriented camp.
Audi A4 2.0 TFSI
Right after handing back the Q7 key, I was ushered to the B9 A4 compact sedan. Launched last September in 3 trim levels - 1.4 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI and 2.0 TFSI quattro, the 5th generation A4 (which also rides on MLB Evo platform) will lock horns with the likes of W205 Mercedes C-Class and F30 BMW 3 Series LCI.
The particular model I tested was the 2.0 TFSI variant (which I'll be focusing on throughout this write-up), meaning it eschews quattro all wheel drive leaving the driveshaft hanging off the front axle only. On top of that, the 2.0 litre turbo 4 pot under the 2.0 TFSI bonnet is toned down in output, churning out 190 hp at 4200-6000 rpm and 320 Nm of torque at 1450-4200 rpm, as opposed to the range topping 2.0 TFSI quattro 252 hp at 5000-6000 rpm and 370 Nm of torque at 1600-4500 rpm. The company's 7 speed S-Tronic Dual Clutch Transmission with paddle shifter governs the 4 pot grunt to the front wheels.
On the exterior front, standard kit mirrors that of the range topping 2.0 TFSI quattro except that the latter will get electrically adjustable and folding side mirrors with heated function, automatic anti-glare and memory function. The mid range 2.0 TFSI makes do with electrically adjustable and folding side mirrors with heated function only. The rest is standard affair with LED headlights with LED daytime running light, automatic headlight adjustment dynamic, headlight washers, LED rear lights with dynamic indicators and parking system plus with selective display.
Inside, MMI radio plus, driver information display and bluetooth interface take centre stage. Also, 3-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats and 4-way lumbar support ensure a comfortable experience.
Safety wise, 6 airbags, Electronic Stabilisation Control (ESC) with Traction Control, hill hold assist and ISOFIX child seat mounting meet the safety brief.
On the pricing side of things, the 2.0 TFSI retails at RM249k (OTR without insurance) but you can get it at RM200k after discount as divulged to me by the Sales Consultant.
Onto the test drive. As illustrated by the above photo, I was handed the key to the S line variant. Features that adorn the S line are shown in the photos below:
The S line package includes but not limited to alcantara leather front seat upholstery, stainless steel pedals, 3-spoke multifunction leather steering wheel with S line badge embossed at the bottom of the steering and of course, the S line emblem on the front fenders to remind passer-by your A4 is a looker.
The short test drive unveiled the distinctive character that set apart the B9 A4 from the 4M Q7. Right off the bat, I noticed difference in brake feel, which felt softer on the former.
Unlike the Q7, the A4 seems less receptive on the changes I made to the drive mode. Putting it in dynamic mode didn't do much to change steering feel and engine response - it felt subdued regardless whereas the Q7's steering would feel meatier and the engine more eager to make itself known. On the other hand, the S-Tronic Dual Clutch did a sublime job in juggling between 7 ratios in utter comfort, but this writer wish dynamic mode would give some added kick to the shift intensity to add some sporty flavour.
The ride, as discerned from the short drive, is incredibly refined over Malaysia's terrible road texture, the adaptive comfort suspension with damping control performing a stellar job in filtering out road bumps before it translates into a joint-killing ride.
Nevertheless, the A4 2.0 TFSI is still an excellent daily driver if comfort is your main priority. Despite its supple nature, do treat it with respect as it can make its displeasure known as learnt by this writer. It was raining during the test drive. As I was driving over a wet cobblestone road, I planted the throttle so hard that the traction control light went bonkers.
Cargo space wise, it's not in the same league as the Q7. With the rear seat up, you have 480 litres of boot space to spare. Tumble the rear seat down, you have 965 litres of room to play with. Still, not a big deal for balik kampung but could be problematic if Ikea shopping is part of your itinerary.
Conclusion
The Q7 has to be the most talented of the bunch, being more receptive to changes in driving mode making it cossetting when you just want to chill out and playful when the mood strikes. The A4 on the other hand, is more of a limo, putting pleasant ride quality over sportiness in its repertoire of skills to meet the needs of those who see cars as a point A to point B tool.
Also, if ample boot space is what you're looking for, the Q7 wins again with its colossal 1955 litres with rear seats down over the A4's 965 litres.
Nevertheless, my impression is based on a short test drive so I might have overlooked some aspects which could have skewed the review a bit. A longer test drive would certainly reveal things that had slipped my conscience during the short test drive.
