why the Audi A7 Sportback could be the right choice for you…

why the Audi A7 Sportback could be the right choice for you…

overview 00:00
background 00:44
driving experience 03:05
design and build 12:33
market and model range 24:49
cost of ownership 46:34
summary 56:24

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Jonathan Crouch writes an in-depth Audi A7 Sportback review. If you want to watch more reviews on vehicles like this Audi A7 Sportback, make sure to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and comment what YOU want us to review next.

Audi’s A7 Sportback offers a smart, quite unique fastback-style option to Executive segment buyers and the Ingolstadt maker has put a lot of effort into keeping this second generation version current. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review
The second generation Audi A7 Sportback has been subtly updated, extra equipment and some tempting optional technology. It’s still a beautifully constructed thing but now offers just that little bit more polish in the face of some very talented rivals.

Background
You might think that a full-sized Executive car – say something like an Audi A6, a BMW 5 Series or a Mercedes E-Class – was a pretty desirable thing. Buyers in this segment though, don’t always agree, which is why in recent times, so many of them have drifted away into up-market SUVs and crossovers. In response over the last few years, the prestige brands have produced more dynamic and individual four and five-door designs to sell alongside their standard executive models. Here’s Audi’s offering, the second generation A7 Sportback.

The underpinnings feature some of the technology you’d find in the brand’s luxury segment A8 saloon. This car though can be more efficient than any A8. That’ll be important for business segment buyers, but we’ve a suspicion that it’s technology that’ll really sell them this car. Much of this is optional of course, but if you tick the right boxes for things like the hi-tech Matrix headlights and the advanced autonomous driving and connectivity technology, this car really can be state of the art. A final round of subtle updates made to this MK2 ‘Type 4K8’ design (first introduced in 2018) has produced the car we’re going to look at here.

Comment your opinions down below…

Writer – Jonathan Crouch

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How do A7 sportback moves to the next level in second generation guys buyers in the full executive segment get Grand Turismo body styling as before for a more individual demeanor but the smarter package on offer has been thoroughly rejuvenated with mild Hybrid engine technology class leading possibilities for driving autonomy sophisticated media

Connectivity and Cutting Edge cabin design the result is a high-tech combination of style and practicality buying a full-sized Executive Car is no longer as straightforward as it used to be large SUVs now compete with conventional saloons and Estates to tempt buyers in this segment as do more Dynamic and

Individual four or five-door Coupe Style Grand Turismo class designs like this one Audi’s smartly suited and Uber sophisticated second generation A7 sportback launched here in early 2018 the first time around this model was merely a swooper more fashionable fiveo take on Audi’s A6 this time though it’s

Arguably got more in common with the Brand’s larger boardroom level A8 luxury Saloon there’s a different demeanor here of course to the sense of prestige that characterizes engle’s bigger model in an A7 it’s all about pure progressiveness apparently uh but the technology is pretty much the same both inside and

Under the Bonnet and there’s quite a lot of it which is just as well because competition in this profitable little niche has ramped up quite a lot in recent times since the launch of two direct Rivals BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo and the third generation version of the

Model that pioneered this segment the Mercedes CLS but there’s nothing quite like this A7 and for the time time being anyway also nothing quite like the so-called level three autonomous driving Tech it can potentially offer which theoretically allows the driver not only to relinquish control at certain speeds

But actually to engage in other tasks unconnected with driving and that’s just the start uh the petrol and diesel engines used here have become much more efficient thanks to MH mild hybrid electrification and the new era cabin is now completely touchscreen orientated in addition the Sleek exterior styling

Introduces a fresh design language for the brand and it cloes a completely new and much stiffer aluminium intensive MLB Evo body structure plus options include four-wheel steering and an astonishingly sophisticated active air suspension system in short it’s all very VOR sprung duk Technic now it’s great in an A8 but

Will it work in a segment where buyers want their cars to be more tactile and charismatic let’s find out set off and initially the sport element of this sportb model’s driving demea can seem a little remote if you’re driving quite lazily up your game though and

This A7 responds the new stiffer mrb Evo platform that’s done so much for this model’s Porsche Panamera GT cousin also makes a big difference here combining with the Supple multi-link suspension system to deliver a composed ride and cornering ability more agile than you might expect such a large car to be able to

Deliver there’s even more important news beneath the Bonnet well at least in the middle of the lineup anyway uh if you’re looking at options lower down the range uh then you can talk to your dealer about a 4cylinder 2 L TDI derivative and a lower powerered TDI V6 variant at the

Top of the lineup uh the brand has developed super quick S7 and RS7 sporting derivatives our Focus here though is going to be on the two mainstream engines that this second generation model was launched with now both are three l in size designated either 55 in tfsi petrol form

Or 50 in TDI Diesel guys those unfamiliar figures come in courtesy of Audi’s Complicated new naming convention that sees the two initial numerals representing different Power output bands now both power plants are evolutions of existing units but they come enhanced by the addition of the clever 48 volt electrical system that

Was first introduced in the Brand’s sq7 SUV this improves torque power and throttle response but it’s chiefly there to boost efficiency at cruising speeds where the car can Coast with the engine Switched Off and in traffic where the MH setup gives extended stop start intervals now thanks to the current

Legislative disapproval of diesel power the A7 sportback 55 tfsi petrol rant is likely to enjoy a slightly higher take up than it might have done in times past it offers 340 PS and that’s good enough to get you to 62 in 5.3 seconds on route

To a maximum that as usual on big Audi uh has to somewhat pointlessly be limited to 155 mph most bus though are still going to want to opt for the 3 l diesel model uh the 50 TDI derivative and that’s what we’re trying here and they’re reassured that the lower 286 PS

Power output will be more than compensated for by a larger helping of torque the 620 newton meters of it sure enough that’s sufficient to hurl you to 62 mph in just 5.7 seconds which you might think was quite something from a 5 m long fiveo executive GT able to return

Nearly 50 MP gallon in regular use that’s until you find that obvious Rivals like the Mercedes CLS and the BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo can manage that too both those competitors copy Audi by offering bios four-wheel drive but englishat contends that it’s improved Quattro system is more sophisticated

Than the Rival formatic and X Drive setups uh the Quattro package uh that features on every A7 pushes 60% of power to the rear and 40% to the front during normal driving but if grips lost at either end then the majority of power instantly goes to the other axle now

Another piece of technology that is uh copied elsewhere in this segment by BMW incidentally is this Audi’s party piece embellish M to quattro four-wheel drive and that’s the optional Dynamic all-wheel steering package as usual with such technology the idea is to improve highspeed cornering stability by making

The rear wheels slightly turn in the same direction as those at the front and also to improve uh low speed maneuverability by in that situation getting them to turn in the opposite direction to those at the front it’s the parking speed enhancement that you’ll probably notice first it

Reduces the Turning C CLE significantly and that makes parking much easier as ever with Audi models there’s a standard Drive select driving mode system that works through the usual Comfort efficiency uh Dynamic and auto settings and those alter a range of driving parameters including throttle response and steering F now that setup also

Tweaks the gear shift times of the standard auto transmission now there’s a seven-speed stronic box in the 55 tfsi petrol model and a tougher 8 speeed Tiptronic unit to deal with a greater torque of the 50 tdii models Diesel power plant the drive select system can also alter suspension settings if as we

Suggest you upgrade from the passive springing that comes fitted to standard now we think that you’re really going to want to do this if you’re going to upgrade from the uh Base Sports bet that we’re trying here to smarter sline trim that’s because the pricey sine package comes fitted with a stiffer pass

Suspension setup lowered by 10 mm that’s a combination likely to leave this car with ride quality that many executive buyers will think is rather over firm a better option we think is to stick with entry level sport trim and spend some of the extra cash instead on one of the two

Uh optional adjustable suspension packages now there are two suspension with damping control which electronically Alters the shock absorber settings based on your choice of Drive select mode ideally though be better to stretch to the more sophisticated adaptive air suspension setup that’s borrowed from the A8 that really suits

This car perfectly now this also works through Drive select but it more continuously adjusts the damping at all four wheels and it provides self-leveling suspension with automatically regulating ride height an air suspended A7 flows comfortably over potholes and speed humps but it’s also able to keep chassis movement in check

Through turns at higher speeds without Channel Ferry levels of body roll there’s a lift mode for rough roads or ramps and at over 74 mph the suspension automatically lowers itself to improve the aerodynamics so let’s say that you’ve got the spec of this A7 right just how

Much of a GT really is it well earlier we remarked on the way that this car’s agility is quite impressive given its size and that’s a reference to the way that this second generation model feels the more responsive part than it’s rather dreary predecessor that’s especially if you happen to have the

Four-wheel steering system fitted you sense quite quickly that it’s easier to push along through the bends than was the case with the previous car but that isn’t a suggest that this sportb is in conventional terms rewarding to drive um we’re just saying that well that the big

Improvements been made and that by class standards should the need a curfew to push things along uh then this Audi will do a better job than you might expect ing trying to respond the limiting factor here is steering feedback uh unfortunately there’s not a great deal

Of it although the helm is certainly now more precise and that’s aided by a progressive setup that allows it to operate more and more directly as the Turning angle increases standard wheel selective torque control further helps through the bends uh now this uh minimally breaks the two wheels on the

Inside of the corner before they can begin to spin and there’s the option of a sport differential which at speed through tight turns can constantly vary the amount of torque that’s distributed to each of the rear wheels now um someone like to specify that is not the kind of buyer being targeted by

Autonomous driving options which have been introduced with the A7 this time around so let’s take a look at those now like its fourth generation A8 stablemate this Mark I model A7 sportback has had the potential for so-called level three driving autonomy designed in that works via an optional traffic jam pilot setup

And this will allow the car to drive itself in an unsupervised fashion at speeds of up to 37 mph so long as you’re on a highway with a physical barrier separating both directions of traffic that’s quite a step forward plus Audi’s also provided uh parking pilot and

Garage pilot systems that allow you to stand on the curb and remotely Park your A7 using a smartphone app and that’ll enable it to perform far more complex Maneuvers than anything that competitor systems manage all of that’s impressive and on the Move in this sportb it all serves to

Further emphasize the feeling that you’re really only scratching the surface of what this car has been designed to do now that is very obviously the case in terms of the autonomous driving Tech but it also applies in other areas too uh the drive Dynamics in particular can as we’ve said

Uh be sometimes quite surprising although the throughout the sheer weight and width of this Audi will never be very far from your mind the Exemplar refinement though that’s much easier to appreciate or at least it is at speed now Audi says that this A7 is one of the

Quietest cars it’s ever built but it doesn’t feel that way when you’re standing next to an idling TDI variant out on the highway though uh the cabin easily reaches the whisper quiet standards required in this class and that’s just one of the many things which now allow you to pitch this car credibly

Against its toughest rivals this is certainly a very imposing piece of design is it beautiful well that depends on your definition and very possibly on the amount of money you have to spend on the finished spec either way you’ll certainly get yourself a very sizable piece of sculpted executive

Segment German real estate this second generation a87 sportb being nearly 5 m long and almost 2 m wide yet standing only 1. 4 M High classically elegant well maybe not but it’s certainly handsome and sophisticated the Grand Turismo style profile perspective remains much as before with athletically Tor surfaces a

Long Bonnet and that low roof line tapering sharply towards the rear now this sharp shoulder line is there to try to lower the optical center of gravity extending back from the headlight and then reappearing above the rear door handle where it’s used to Fashion the powerful muscled section above the wheel

Arch now as part of this you get this third d-pillar side window that tapers upwards in a style apparently referencing Audi’s 100 Coupe S model of 1970 uh no we don’t remember that car either anyway further down this uper the angled lower belt rail line gives a

Flank some shape and it separates arches housing wheels and between 19 and 21 in in size we’ve got the 19in 10 wipoke rims here the front is dominated by this wider lower single frame black finished grill with outer angled Corners that flow into crease lines that tilt upwards

In a manner referencing the bow of a yacht four sharp Contours flow down the aluminium Bonnet into this centerpiece that sits above three air inlets uh this lower narrow slit flanked by honeycombed Corner cutouts fashioned in a way that’s supposed to suggest the Splitters of a race ready touring car the slim LED

Headlights continue their menacing demeanor and they can be optioned up to to include Audi’s more sophisticated Matrix and laser light technology now the Brand’s done its best to give the rear end a bit of a sense of zeitgeist too below this electrically retracting tailgate spoiler and LED light band extends across its entire

Width and looks distinctive particularly at night uh when it’s putting on a light show as part of the Locking process elegant Chrome elements in the anthracite lower diffuser also aim to make the car look wider but as ever with an expensive Audi it’s what’s underneath all this tinsel that really ought to

Command your attention the A7 structure lacks the high-tech magnesium and carbon fiber reinforced polymer elements of the larger A8 Saloon but it gains the latest stiff and sophisticated aluminium intensive MLB Evo platform that the Volkswagen group currently uses for all its largest cars including this one’s cousin and theoretical rival the second

Generation Porsche Panamera now let’s pull back this uh frameless door and take a seat at the wheel pausing on the way to notice that the handle is now operated by a micro switch that requires just 5 mm of movement when you go to use it uh this car is full of

Little touches like that now inside there’s what Audi describes as a digital driving experiential space with a futuristic Lounge atmosphere well as you can tell from that V sprung dir technque even extends into the marketing rhetoric now all the technology here is borrowed from that first scene on Audi’s fourth generation

A8 Saloon but in this case it’s presented with a slightly more Dynamic focus and that means a fractional angling of all the main control interfaces slightly more towards the driver now you’re going to need to like screens because this completely redesigned cabin incorporates no fuel than three of them uh the two that

You’ll notice first power up as soon as the doors opened and they dominate the upper and lower parts of this piano black trimmed Center stack now we had reservations about this kind of layout when we first encountered it in the Range Rover of Val because of the slightly distracting way that it was

Sometimes necessary to look down at the lower screen when you were driving Audi however has designed the whole setup better firstly because the lower display Deals Only with climate control and comfort functions and secondly because the whole setup works with haptic feedback and that sees the touchscreen surface emit a tactile and acoustic

Signal when a function’s pressed as a result uh once you get used to where everything is uh you really shouldn’t have to look away from the road in order to operate any given function now true there isn’t the elegant Ambiance of a competing Mercedes CLS or the purposeful

Design purity of a rival BMW 6 series GT but as with the exterior that’s somehow appropriate this Audi ought to offer something different and more technological provided that also incorporates the required splash of luxury needed for a car of this status uh now the designers have tried to

Deliver some of that courtesy of this aluminium framed Central fascia panel that curves around the upper MMI screen but unless you take up the uh extra cost option of trimming this area in fine grain Ash it’s all a little overshadowed by the overriding emphasis on high gloss black surfacing uh the optional extended

LED interior lighting pack helps things a bit with color configurable LED strip lighting right around the cabin uh so in the roof in the armrests around the seats uh even in the door pockets and uh another thing that you could add to give this um cabins sophisticated but slightly clinical atmosphere a little

More visual appeal is the optional full leather pack and that coats the upper instrument panel the door shoulders the armrests and the center console with lovely stitched Nappa leather a slightly lower quality of hide up holsters of seats uh which nevertheless offer Supreme Comfort being powered heated and

Fashioned from a variety of carefully shaped flexible foam layers uh not quite so enamored of the design of this three-spoke wheel that they position you perfectly in front of but there’s very little to fault about the instrument binnacle that you view through it which is standard features an improved version

Of the configurable Audi virtual cockpit screen that we’re now used to seeing in the brand smaller models this 12.3 in TFT digital monitor works as usual with two selectable layouts there’s a classical view that prioritizes a couple of prominent dials and an infotainment mode which shrinks that pair of gauges

To allow more Central space for various data readouts or a full width navigation map all of this works of course in concept with the two Center stack screens that mentioned at the beginning uh the gently curved upper 10.1 in display blending almost invisibly into the surrounding high gloss black trim

And operable by touch Voice or steering wheel controls it deals with the most important radio media and telephone functions plus the far more sophisticated intelligent 3D navigation system that’s been developed for this uh second generation model um as you’d expect there’s the usual Audi smartphone interface that’s compatible with the

Apple carplay and Android auto systems and of course you get a full Suite of Audi connect media connectivity features now amongst other things that delivers online media streaming uh a Google points of interest search function uh a comprehensive Audi online traffic information system uh plus news and

Weather feeds via a Wi-Fi hotspot that supports the new super fast LTE Advanced Mobile Data Network as we said the lower monitor which is 8.6 Ines in size is reserved for more Comfort orientated features although its screen can also be used to trace letters that the MMI

Search system can then use to give you selection options of course you might expect that to be just another thing that would leave these lovely shiny displays uh continually coated in grubby fingerprints and you might also worry about sunlight reflection now ai has tried with partial success to mitigate

Both of these issues by use of an anti-fingerprint coating and a layer of antiglare film but to some extent both problems do still remain onto storage space uh now the main receptacle for this is a lided area between the seats that also incorporates uh the standard Audi phone box systems

Wireless charging mat along with the SIM and SD card ports and a couple of USB points it is rather a shallow area though plus the door pockets are disappointingly small too and there is no overhead compartment for your sunglasses uh there is um a lided compartment here next to the gear stick

And that gives you uh twin cup holders and a 12volt socket there’s also a pull out compartment down here by the driver’s knee and there’s a decently sized glove box which is refreshingly unencumbered by medor equipment right let’s take a seat in the rear where there’s another wide opening

Frameless door now though this second generation designs slightly shorter and narrower than its predecessor Audi promises there more space here so let’s see now early versions of the previous generation A7 and all the more sporting variants of that car irritatingly restricted you to just a couple of

Seating positions back here now that may fit with the whole Gran Turismo concept but it’s just annoying on those occasions when you have an extra child to pick up from school on your way home from work or an extra adult to take back from the pub now this Mark I senior

Sportb model offered up three seat belts right from the start of production but you’re not going to want to use the center birth unless you absolutely have to because it’s so heavily impeded by this over prominent center transmission tunnel still provided you focus on the two main sculpted seats you’ll find that

The 12 mm increase and wheel based length this time around is enough to make things feel quite a bit more spacious back here Audi says that 21 mm more leg room and 5 mm of extra Headroom it’s still not as spacious as the rear bench you’ll find an arrival BMW 6

Series GT but it’s about On a par with the stronger selling Mercedes CLS uh a fold down Center armrest includes a useful compartment but you don’t get these twin cup holders or the central uh 12volt socket above the transmission tunnel unless you pay extra for the optional storage pack uh this rear seat

Digital displays option too that’s part of the four Zone air conditioning system these seat back Nets are standard though now let’s finish by taking a look out back uh the hatch opens electrically to reveal 535 l space and that’s exactly the same as that offered by the previous

Generation version of this car so rather shallow space the trunk of this model’s boxier BMW rival is deeper and much bigger but it’s obviously much more versatile than the saloon boot of the competing four-door Mercedes CLS space beneath the boot floor is taken up by

The spare wheel but you do get a 12volt socket and with the optional storage pack you get this floor area net now apparently either two golf bags or up to eight carry-on suitcases will fit in here if you have longer items like skis to accommodate the fact that

The rear bench has a 4020 40 split means you can push the uh Center ction forward without disturbing two rear seated passengers if you need more room then completely flattening the rear bench freeze up 1390 L of capacity which is of course where this A7 holds a massive advantage over that rival CLS

Model the mainstream focus in the A7 lineup centers around the two 3 l V6 engines that were offered from launch a 50 TDI 286 PS diesel derivative and the 50 tfsi 340 PS petrol version pricing is before pitches this senior sportback just above the more conventional A6 but substantially below the sums required

For the Brand’s similarly engineered A8 Saloon so how much are we talking well at the introduction of this Mark 2 A7 model prices started from around 55,000 and that got you either of the two core V6 power plants in standard sport more Dynamic sine spec will set

You back £2,900 more whichever one you choose your car will come with Quattro four-wheel drive M to 8-speed automatic transmission now here we’ve gone for the 50 TDI sport variant that arguably represents a sweet spot in the range now like us you’ll probably find that badging unfamiliar the 50 and 55

Designations most commonly used refer to the different levels of power band that have now been formulated within the Audi lineup the 50 badge is used for models with uh 250 PS or more with 55 designating variants with 340 PS or more the brand also has a lower 40 designated

Power Band and that’s models developing between 170 and 250 PS you can talk to your dealer about a couple of TDI Diesel A7 variants a lower powerered V6 and a 2 L 4 cylinder version that’ll be wearing that badge as with the first generation model Audi has also developed Top

Sporting V8 petrol powered S7 and RS7 models to complete the lineup as for competitors well it’s quite possible that potential customers for this car could be coming from all kinds of executive class large SUVs saloons or Estates but in terms of really direct Rivals that also follow the coupe Style Grand Turismo concept

There are really only two the four-door Mercedes CLS and the five door BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo now the BMW costs much the same as this Audi if you get yourself a like for like comparison by kitting it out with X Drive four-wheel drive and it’ll be much the same if your

Chosen Benchmark is the Mercedes which like this A7 gets all-wheel traction of standard uh to be more specific the price of the CLS in 450 petrol form or 350d diesel guys falls midway between Sport and sine versions of this Audi AS for less directly comparable options uh well if you don’t care about

Badge equity and you want to save a bit then the top V6 GTS version of Kier Stinger delivers the GT concept for about £440,000 as arguably does a top Volkswagen Aran uh at The Other Extreme if you have a little more to spend than Audi’s asking here then Porsche’s

Panamera provides a really luxurious take on Grand Turismo style motoring from just over £66,000 um other slightly more conventional sporting EX executive saloons that potential buyers might be looking at for A7 sportback money include Maserati’s gibli and top three ler versions of the Jaguar XF if having considered all this you

Conclude it is an A7 you really want then equipment level shouldn’t disappoint now the standard sport model should deliver most of what you really want there’s 19-in alloy wheels LED headlamps that automatically dip themselves at night an acoustically glazed windscreen uh the park system plus all round parking sensor system LED

Tail lamps power folding mirrors uh an alarm and a power operated tailgate with a retractable rear spoiler uh there’s also a progressive steering setup now that constantly Alters the gearing of the steering depending on your inputs and steering is one of the things that you can influence via the settings of

The usual Audi Drive select system that as well as allowing you to uh tweak feel at the helm will also enable you to vary the throttle response and the gearshift timings to suit the way that you want to drive inside there’s the Brand’s twinstyle leather upholstry and that’s

With heated front seats uh they feature electric adjustment and four-way powered Lumber support up front the instrument binacle features the customizable 12.3 in Audi virtual cockpit screen plus there’s a rear view camera there’s cruise control there’s an auto dimming rear view mirror and auto headlamps and wipers you expect the infotainment

Technology to be cutting edge in a car of this one’s pretentions and it is uh you get Audi’s top MMI navigation plus with MMI touch package but looks very different to the way that it does on more compact Audi models this A7 sportback borrows the layout that we

First saw in the fourth generation A8 with its two Center stack screens there’s a 10.1 in one up top and an 8.6 in monitor just below it now via the MMI setup the display up top shows you an intelligent 3D navigation system and that’s able to take into account uh

Traffic congestion and previously driven routes it can brief you on filling stations and parking places on your route and it includes 3D graphic models of many European cities uh the MMI package also includes voice recognition a DVD player a 10 speaker 180 WT daab sound system and the usual smartphone

Interface that hooks you up with the Apple carplay and Android auto phone mirroring systems uh the Audi music interface offers simple pairing with your mobile devices using two USB ports with charge and data functions plus the Audi foam box package can boost your handset signal and it includes a

Wireless charging mat to power it up an included part of the MMI system uh is a three-year subscription to the Audi connect media connectivity package and that works via an embedded SIM card that’s permanently installed in the car and which operates on a data flat rate

So you won’t be stung with high roaming charges if you do a bit of InterContinental motoring now this setup comes with an LTE data transmission module and that establishes high-speed 4G internet 3 access and creates in your A8 a Wi-Fi hotspot supporting the new Superfast LTE Advanced Mobile Data

Network this also allows you to navigate with images from Google Earth access a Google points of interest search function with voice control and use a web Radio setup with stations from all around the world uh through the connect system you can access special incar versions of your Facebook and your

Twitter pages and it’s also possible to read write and to send text messages and emails the included online media streaming package gives access to millions of music tracks and there’s also a clever Audi online traffic information system and that uses live traffic information to rroo you around

Jams also built into Audi connect is the car2x services system that the brands developed in partnership with Daimler and BMW now that allows this Audi to often almost magically respond to Future weather or traffic conditions or to somehow know what’s around the next corner now it’s not magic of course uh

The setup is instead driven by a mobile phone supported so-called vehicle swarm exchange of information system and that will see your A7 uh sending data on driving conditions back to a central Hub which then shares it with other drivers um what else well you can take Audi connect connectivity with you even when

You’re not with your A7 that’s thanks to the improved my Audi app now this transmits points of interest to the navigation system uh it streams music and it can transfer your calendar to the MMI entertainment screen now the app also allows you to seamlessly plan a route across multiple devices so uh if

You’re going to a restaurant in an unfamiliar City for example and you have to park a few streets away from the venue then navigation will continue with you on your smartphone as you complete the journey on foot now finally as usual with vehicle apps of this sort uh you

Can use it to get a vehicle status report and to lock or unlock the doors from wherever you are I mean really it’s Motoring in the 21st century so is it worth finding the extra cash for more Dynamic sine spec well we’re not sure we would uh the sine styling pack you get

As part of that trim level where it skirts it’s bespoke front and rear bumpers and it’s special rear diffuser that would be nice to have uh so with the leather and Alcantara trimmed front sport seats the stainless steel pedals the Branded stitched steering wheel uh the headlamp washers and the HD Matrix

LED headlights that can react to road conditions and other uh motorists we’ll be a little put off though by the fact that sine A7 models have to have larger 20in wheels and lowered passive sport suspension those are both things that firm up the ride quite markedly and

That’s to an extent that you may not like try before you buy is Our advice where’d be more tempted to buy a sports variant like this one and spend any extra cash on one of the optional adaptive suspension packages there are two of those a suspension with damping control electronically Alters the shock

Absorber settings based on your choice of Drive select mode uh ideally though the preferred option would be to stretch to the more sophisticated adaptive air suspension setup that’s borrowed from the A8 and it really suits this car perfectly now this also works through Drive select but uh more continuously

Adjusts the damping at all four wheels and it provides self-leveling suspension with automatically regulating ride height now if you can only tick one option box then let it be that one should that be the case it’s probably best not to try a car fitted out with the optional dynamic allhe

Steering because that’s quite tempting too now with this setup the rear wheels are able to turn in the opposite direction to the fronts at parking speeds to considerably improve maneuverability uh while at over 37 mph uh it turns those rear wheels in the same direction as the fronts to improve

Handling and corner turning now if you’ve chosen a diesel A7 you’ve added in the dynamic allhe steering package and you’ve chosen either air suspension or adaptive damping then you’ll ALS Al be offered the further opportunity to specify the Quattro with sport differential package now Audi normally restricts this setup to its most

Powerful models uh the electronic regulation is able to vary torque between the rear wheels for even greater levels of cornering stability and Agility while we’re talking technology let’s touch on The Cutting Edge autonomous driving options available to A7 sportback buyers now to get what’s known as level three autonomous driving

Capability you’ll need what Audi calls its traffic jam pilot setup now this will allow the car to drive itself in an unsupervised fashion at speeds of up to 37 mph so long as you’re on a highway with a physical barrier separating both directions of traffic it’s quite a step

Forward uh two other optional autonomous features include the parking pilot and the garage pilot systems and those will allow you to park your A7 without being in the car using a smartphone app now Tesla pioneered such autonomous parking technology but Audi has refined it and enabled it to undertake far more complex

Maneuvers next there are various headlight options to consider now we’ve already mentioned the HD Matrix LED headlamps they’re standard with sine spec and optional with this sport spec level now these incorporate sensors and they work with an imbuilt camera that detects other Road users as well as

Ambient light in builtup areas uh the be teams then react by dipping individual LEDs to prevent Dazzle while still fully Illuminating the remainder of the road uh now they even uh draw from the vehicle’s navigation data to anticipate Corners adjusting the LEDs as you negotiate the band on an sine model

That’s already fitted with that Matrix setup uh you can further embellish it with an Audi laser light package that complement the LED Beam with an even more intense burst of light so we’ve so far covered options in four main areas suspension handling enhancement uh autonomous driving and exterior lights

Beyond that it’s really a case of just picking and choosing between individual niceties and then perhaps signing off with a few aesthetic flourishes so let’s get on to that now uh now as a starting point in this final leg of specifying your own personal A7 sportb you’ll

Probably want the comfort and sound pack and that packages up four items that you might not want to be without out uh now with this pack you get a 360° camera system and an extended LED interior lighting pack now that adds color configurable LED strip lighting right

Around the cabin so the roof the armrests around the seats even in the door Pockets it really does make the interior feel very special at night the key comfort and sound pack inclusion though is the upgraded bang and olivon premium 3D sound audio setup that’s a available with either 16 speakers and

730 WTS of sound or exra cost with 19 speakers and a thumping 1920 watt output with without the bang and olome package you can spend more to add in a digital TV and a DVD changer other features that A7 customers sometimes choose include a heated wind screen a head-up display uh privacy

Glass a park assist system that automatically steers you into spaces and a night vision assistant that’s displays a thermal image of the road ahead after dark you might also want to look at a panoramic glass roof acoustic side window glazing a rear screen sunlind and adaptive windscreen wipers with

Integrated washer Jets on this test car we have power door closure and full Zone Deluxe air conditioning so rear seat folk can have their own bespoke climate adjustment go for that last feature and you can have heated rear seats too plus your back seat passengers might also

Appreciate the couple of extra USB ports you can add into the rear onto Aesthetics now unless you want your A7 painted in solid brilliant black or ibis white you’re going to need to pay Audi more for a shade from its metallic color range uh we’ve got Triton

Blue here and of course there’s a selection of alloy wheel designs with three different 20-in aluminium alloy Rim options um inside if you don’t like the standard interior inlays in aluminium provided by the sport and sine trim packages then you can swap those out for classia fine grain Ash paneling

Uh now onto seating you can upgrade all the upholstery to high quality Milano leather or just concentrate on the front chairs in which case there are various extra cost Sport seat options featuring either super soft valcona leather or a leather Alcantara trim combination the full leather pack that

We have here would be nice to have adding as it does fine Nappa leather to the upper instrument panel to the door shoulders the door armrests and the center console if you can’t quite stretch to that then a cheaper extended leatherette pack uh will cover those areas in man-made hid instead uh we’d

Also be tempted by the sportier flat bottom steering wheel now a word too about practicalities we’d want the larger 73 L fuel tank and the storage pack too now that will give you a luggage compartment net two rear 12volt sockets and a couple of cup holders in

The rear Central armor rest and the Audi connect stolen vehicle location system that’s something that we’d certainly like to have it’ll certainly give you peace of mind too that system triggers in the event of a theft following which its location can be tracked and then the vehicle can be remotely disabled now

You’ll even be able to remotely uh Sound the Horn and activate the indicators to draw attention to your stolen car if you really want to give that taker a very bad day indeed enough with optional features uh let’s move on to a look at safety now before we get into all the electronic

Stuff we ought to make the point that this car is fundamentally very safe thanks to its torsionally more rigid body shell and its structural front end in a head-on collision three stress planes in the nose section absorb the forces plus there are ice fix chge seat mountings uh there’s a tire pressure

Warning light and all the usual front side and curtain airbags too with rear side bags available as an option should the worst happen and you have a crash that activates those airbags then a standard Audi connect safety and service feature will automatically alert the Emergency Services with your exact GPS

Location but of course the primary purpose of modern safety technology is to avoid an accident in the first place which is a task of a whole Armory of electronic camera driven features now over 40 of these have been developed for this generation A7 sportback and many of

Those are standard um as you’d expect in this day and age there is an autonomous braking system included in that roster uh now englishat calls its setup Audi presense front and rather like other similar packages uh this one scans the road ahead looking for potential accident hazards as you drive and it

Will automatically break the car to try to avoid those if you don’t respond to the warnings um there is also a lane departure warning setup now that that issues a warning if you drift out of your lane on the highway and it will also apply subtle steering assistance to

Ease you back to where you should be it’s always possible to go further though and should you want extra peace of mind your already Senter salesperson will doubtless point you towards the two extra cost safety packs on offer so let’s start with the city assist pack that includes three main features side

Assist works as a blind spot monitor warning you on the move if you’re about to Dangerously pull out to overtake in the path of another vehicle cross traffic assist warns of dangerous cross traffic movements at Junctions and it can if necessary automatically apply the brakes and prevent an accident and

Pre-sense rear warns you via a flashing light if you’re about to be hit from behind so you can try to take avoiding action it can also warn you of oncoming traffic when you’re reversing out of a parking space the other key optional safety pack you can specify is one we’ve been trying

Here the Tour pack and that’s also based around camera features and there are five key ones included now arguably the cleverest part of this package is adaptive cruise assist and that uses a radar sensor a laser scanner a front camera and ultrasonic sensors all networked together to permanently

Monitor your A7 surroundings now drawing on feedback from these systems plus local speed restrictions and navigation data adaptive cruise assist will be able to help you more proactively control acceleration braking Lane positioning and distance to the vehicle in front all at any speed and with functionality that’s uh equally effective whether

You’re stuck in traffic or completely alone on the road it’s really clever as for the uh four other Tour pack features well there’s highbeam assist and that automatically dips the LED headlamps in the face of oncoming traffic traffic sign recognition and that pictures road signs and the displays them on the dash

Audi prents basic and that activates if a collision is inevitable and it’ll help you to withstand it by instantly tightening the seat belts closing any open windows and also closing the sunroof if you’ve got one fitted and finally as part of that pack there’s also an emergency assist element added

To the standard Lane departure warning system now that is able to autonomously bring the car to a safe controlled stop if you don’t respond to repeated warnings about drifting out of Lane as might be the case if for example you were suddenly taken in at the wind

It all means that in driving an A7 there are a lot of Safety Systems to oversee particularly if you’ve ticked a few options boxes so how do you monitor them all well Audi’s tried to simplify that process here by providing a driver assist button at the bottom of the

Center stack there to allow the selection of the kind of electronic security blanket that you want basic includes only the most important items maximum gives you everything and individual allows you to pick and choose the features that you want activated at the lower EST driver assist level basic

Uh there’s that standard pre-sense front autonomous braking system we mentioned earlier and the lane departure warning system that’s here embellished with the emergency assist feature because we’ve got the optional Tour pack fitted the top maximum driver assist setting adds two further features distance warning which alerts you if you’re getting too

Close to the vehicle in front and rest recommendation now that alerts you if drowsiness is detected in your driving reactions it’s all very reassuring one of the things that ad is not quite so Keen to talk about with this second generation A7 sportback is the fact that it’s gained around 50

Kilos of weight this time around and that’s a Pity because without that this model would have been able to pretty much match the curb figure of its close Mercedes CLS class rival adopt a more glass half full perspective to this issue and you might prefer to note that

This Audi saves 75 kilos so think in terms of an extra podgy passenger over the weight of its other key segment rival the BMW 6 series GT whichever way you look at it though this sportback tips of scales at nearly 1.9 tons so you need to manage your expectations in

Terms of the efficiency figures that you likely to get mindful of that Audi has equipped all main stream 6-cylinder A7 engines with MH mild hybrid electric vehicle technology that’s made possible by a belt alternator starter which is the nerve center of the clever 48volt electrical system we first saw on the

Brand’s sq7 luxury SUV in Highway motoring between 34 and 99 mph this enables the car to Coast for up to 40 seconds with the engine switched off at slower speeds it provides for an increased energy recovery output of up to 12 KW and in traffic it allows for an

Extended stop start function that can work at up to 13 mph now claims that the combined impact of all that equates to a saving of7 L of fuel every 100 km or 62 Mi so it’s a worthwhile Improvement let’s look at the wltp figures starting with a variant that

Many will probably choose the 50 TDI 3 l diesel sport model that we’re trying here this can manage up to 39.8 MPG on the combined cycle and up to 186 G per km of CO2 that’s a fraction better than you’ll get from rival Mercedes CLS 350d

And BMW 630d GTX Drive models which is good but the readings that we’ve just quoted are almost 10% worse than the official figures posted by the equivalent outgoing version of the previous generation model which is disappointing given all the fuss that English stats making about that mild hybrid technology uh in response Audi

Makes two quite valid points firstly that comparing old and new official figures is misleading because industry stats are now compiled using a much more rigorous wltp testing procedure and second that official stats don’t give you a totally real world efficiency picture mid-range economy and cleanliness that the standard readings

Don’t really showcase really ought to be much improved by that MH EV technology and how his own development Engineers insisted is as usual the figures will slightly vary if you upgrade from the standard 19in Wheels uh to the larger 20in rims of an sine model or the even bigger 21in

Alloys that sit on the options list and if you want an A7 uh and you really care about efficiency stats then maybe your attention should shift instead to the two 40 series TDI variants that your de can tell you about there’s a lower powerered V6 and a 2 L 4 cylinder model

Finally given that we live in an era of media fueled diesel scare mongering we should also cover off the returns for the alternative 55 tfsi petrol derivative now the readings here are of course someway down on those of the comparable TDI but they still managed to look pretty good by class standards for

A sport 55 tfsi variant on 19in Wheels you’re talking up to 36.2 MPG on the combined cycle and 176 G per kilometer of CO2 that’s about 10% better than the figures posted by the Rival Mercedes cls450 and the BMW 640 iix Drive models whatever your A7 sport back

Version of choice magazine tests have pointed out that across the board the efficiency figures that we’ve quoted can be difficult to achieve in day today motoring but then that’s not an issue exclusive to Audi is it much will depend on the driver though uh hence inl’s

Efforts with this car to help the person at the wheel do more when it comes to frugality as usual with the company’s models there’s an efficiency setting on the drive select vehicle dynamic system and that tweaks the air conditioning uh the gearshift timing and the throttle response for maximum

Frugality in this particular car we have some further help in this regard courtesy of the efficiency assist setup and that comes as part of the adaptive cruise assist system that you get in the optional Tour pack now efficiency assist really is very clever it constantly gathers navigation data camera images

And feedback from the built-in car2x message system that receives car swarm feedback from other similar equipped Vehicles using all this the software can then contribute to a more economical driving style for example uh instructing you enter a release accelerator uh before entering a curve or behind a

Slower vehicle for instance get out onto the highway and with the adaptive cruise control system activated efficiency assist will automatically make all the Frugal driving adjustments for you so if it knows you’re going to be traveling for a few Junctions it’ll even use the coasting function that we mentioned to

Disengage the engine at cruising speeds for greater efficiency in fact if desired the system can even automatically regulate acceleration and deceleration what else well bear in mind that all versions of this car will be subject to the government’s tax levy for models costing over £40,000 that stands

At £450 a year for the first 5 years of ownership and of course as with all modern diesel cars the TDI versions of this one use an ad blue fuel additive and that’s stored in a separate rear tank that need to be topped up as part of regular servicing talking of

Maintenance uh servicing your A7 sportb should be no more taxing than is the case with one of the company smaller cars uh as usual with Audi models there is a choice of either a fixed or a flexible servicing regime and the choice between the two depends on the extent of

Your likely annual mileage uh now the fixed schedule is aimed at drivers covering fewer than uh 10,000 m a year and it includes an oil change every uh 9,000 Mi or every year plus plus an inspection service every 19,000 Mi or every 2 years if on the other hand you

Cover more than 10,000 m a year uh the flexible service schedule will be more appropriate this regime includes oil change and inspection services at variable intervals of up to every 19,000 Mi or every 2 years uh whatever package you go for you’ll need to change the

Brake fluid after the first 3 years and then every two years thereafter overall maintenance costs can be kept down if you go for one of the prepaid servicing plans that you’ll be offered at initial purchase and those can cover you for up to a maximum of 5 years and 90,000 miles

You may be interested to know that this car can even book its own safety appointments via an Audi connect safety and service system app so as well as providing emergency calling and online roadside assistance that feature can at the appropriate time send a service request direct to your local dealer uh

Alternatively you could instead sign up for for Audi service request and that uses the onboard Wi-Fi to enable your car to communicate with the dealer as your A7 nears a time when work will be needed the Diagnostics alert your nominated local Audi Center who will then contact you to book in a convenient

Time and another neat service that your dealer can offer you is a so-called Audi cam system now here technicians carrying out Workshop inspections on your sportb can focus a handheld Audi cam camera on specific problems and accompany the image with verbal diagnosis to create footage that can be sent to your PC or

To your smartphone now this way you’ll always know precisely what work you’re authorizing on your car onto residuals well you don’t expect a large luxury Contender of this kind even one with a distinguished premium badge uh to provide Rock Solid residuals still this second generation A7 sportback still

Manages to lead its class in this regard uh predicting in 50 TDI Diesel form to return 37.9% of its original value after the usual industry standard 3year 60,000 Mi ownership period That’s according at least to Industry specialist cap that’s a fraction ahead of the two Mercedes and

BMW Rivals we mentioned earlier for an A7 sportback 55 tfsi the residual figure is 40% again that’s a fraction ahead of the opposition and it’s a similar story when it comes to Pence per mile running costs um experts cap reckon that over 3 years and 60,000 Mi an A7 sportback 50

TDI would cost 7116 P per mile to run which is about the same as the equivalent Merc and BMW models a petrol 55 tfsi model would cost 72.3 P per mile to operate that’s about the same as a rival Mercedes CLS 450 but it’s about 3 p per mile better than the equivalent

Rival BMW 6 series GT 640i X Drive let’s finish by covering the warranty now all cars in this class get three years of cover but whereas BMW and Mercedes don’t limit your mileage in that period Audi rather meanly restricts you to 60,000 Mi optional extra cost packages can extend that cover to either

Four or 5 years though as for insurance groupings well they’ll be very comparable to those of other premium brands in this segment all versions of the 55 tfsi petrol model are rated at group 44e uh for all versions of this 50 TDI variant it’s group 45e Every part of this car has been designed with a thoroughness that’s deeply impressive if sometimes rather clinical of course the end result is hardly inexpensive and you’ll need to spend plenty on options to get the complete Driving Experience it’s able to offer still if that’s not an issue then you

Could well find the A7 very desirable indeed this car is perhaps the defini expression of how Audi wants you to perceive its brand whether you’d never bond with it really is another question you might find an upmarket vodka bar smart sophisticated beautifully appointed but a little clinical and impersonal and

Some may feel that way about an A7 both in terms of its driving demeanor and its cabin design for others the whole measured refined and powerfully efficient sportback traveling experience will be effortlessly cool in a way that no class rival can quite match it all

Comes down to the kind of car you expect this to be we are certainly in no doubt that this is the kind of car Audi should be making the brand built its reputation on technology and then fell back on stylistic design and cool marketing to sell its products this second generation

A7 sportback is a further sign of a welcome change of Direction a reversion back to the company’s core principles offering things you simply can’t get elsewhere if it feels more advanced than it’s Rivals from behind the wheel that’s because it is now for sure segment competitors will quickly match this

Car’s potential for level three autonomous driving technology but by then englad will no doubt have raised a bar once more and in summary well it’s certainly true that you’ve still really got to like out is to light this car more specifically you’ve got to like a7s for

All this Mark 2 model sophistication it still feels very much an evolution of the original first generation design as a result there are always going to be those who prefer the Elegance of a Mercedes CLS or a slightly more Dynamic demeanor of a BMW 6 series GT we’re

Guessing though that a small but significant number of executive segment buyers might Now find this Audi to be a surprisingly complete all round Choice whether they ever minded to consider one it’s very VOR sprung Durk technque just as it should be let’s look at the wltp figures starting

With a variant that many will probably choose the 50 TDI 3 l diesel sport model that we’re trying here this can manage up to 39.8 MPG on the combined cycle and up to 186 G per k of CO2