The all-new 2022 Audi SQ7 Petrol, is it better than the diesel?

byJack Morgan/August 10, 2022/inAudi News

With the launch of the new Audi SQ7 Petrol an instant hit, we dive into the differences between the new and previous generations.

The 2022 Audi SQ7 truly is an incredible car. Built to bridge the gap between family and performance vehicles, it really is a marvel to behold. The beautiful and simplistic interior design invites you in and welcomes you with elegant controls and technology, while the spacious cabin encourages family road trips year-round.

As with every year, Audi is constantly innovating with new technologies. In 2022 Audi made a big change to the SQ7 lineup, introducing a new engine with the brand-new petrol V8 twin-turbo. The decision to remove the previous generation twin-turbo V8 diesel engine and replace it with the equivalent petrol engine was one that sparked some interesting conversations in the market this year.

In this article, we’ll break down some of the key performance differences in the latest generation, and why you should be excited for the next generation of Audi performance.

Performance

Let’s start off this article with an in-depth look at the performance specs of the SQ7. As far as family wagons go, they don’t get much more exciting than this. How often do you find yourself a family SUV that’s capable of launching you to 100Km/h in under 4.1 seconds? Not often, that’s for sure.

With the decision to move away from diesel power, Audi knew they had to step up the performance of the SQ7. That they did. The latest 2022 model boasts a significant upgrade in horsepower, from an initial output of 429hp to a whopping 508hp. However, the new power band does decrease the torque slightly, going from 900Nm to 770Nm of torque. Although there is a decrease in torque, response times have certainly been increased. Every press of the accelerator fills your ears with pure V8 goodness, while instant power pushes you back into your comfortable leather seat. Response times aren’t the only improvement, gears shift become much smoother now with the updated 8-speed automatic transmission making light work of all gear shifts. Your only sign of shift comes from the pleasant engine notes that fill your ears.

With an increase in power, comes a need for better handling. After all, you can’t go fast if you don’t have all four wheels gripping the ground effectively. Audi knew this, and with that, developed a system to allow the SQ7 maximum grip when driving around corners.

Using an innovative four-wheel steering system, the SQ7 has much better manoeuvrability now. During low-speed manoeuvres, the rear wheels will turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels giving you a sharper turn radius. At high speeds, the rear wheels match the direction of the front wheels, which gives you unmatched handling and grip to match any sharp corners you might face.

The standard fit adaptive sports air suspension has a selection of driving modes to soften or stiffen the set-up, helping to broaden the SQ7s repertoire. When you pop the suspension into its softest Comfort setting, ride quality is as good as it gets in a super-fast SUV.

Sit at a steady 100km/h and there’s a little more roar from the fat tires than you’d hear in a Q7, but the car suppresses tire and wind noise incredibly well. Unlike the discontinued V8 diesel, the petrol V8 sounds fantastic at all speeds, whether it’s bumbling around town or right at the top of the rev range.

Interior

Like all new Audi’s, the interior of the SQ7 is incredible. It’s a world of soft-touch materials and precision-action switches, further enhanced by leather seats, Alcantara door inserts and brushed aluminium trims.

The leather electrically adjustable driver’s seat has a range of adjustments that includes an extendable seat base and four-way lumbar adjustment – making it easy to find your ideal driving position, while the exaggerated side bolsters of the sports seats hold you firmly in place during enthusiastic cornering. They’re comfortable on long journeys, too, while the highest-end models also add a massage function and ventilation in the front, as well as heating for the outer rear seats.

As a 7-seater, the SQ7 offers plenty of storage capacity for all your road trip journeys. With rear seats folded down, the boot space offers a whopping 803 Litres for all your storage needs. That’s plenty of space to fit all your camping gear for all your favourite road trips. Upon raising the back seats, this storage space shrinks, but allows for extra seating space for the smaller members of your family.

With all its performance potential, it’s easy to forget that the SQ7 is a big SUV, and the associated high driving position is a commanding one that offers a grand view of the road ahead. With the third row of seats in use, your over-the-shoulder view is limited, but no matter – standard front and rear parking sensors, as well as a rear-view camera, help in tight spots.

The SQ7 features Audi’s latest infotainment system. It uses two touchscreens: a 10.1-inch screen on the main dashboard to deal with main operations such as sat-nav and music, and an 8.6-inch screen set below it to adjust the climate control and heated seats. The system is crisp, with sharp graphics and an easy-to-read layout. To add to the beautiful interior, Audis Virtual Cockpit comes standard, replacing conventional analogue dials with a 12.3-inch digital screen. As well as the speed, engine and fuel data you’d expect, it can show detailed sat-nav maps and infotainment information where they’re easy to see.

As far as luxury family SUVs go, it’s really hard to look past the SQ7. The new petrol engine really is a game changer for the line-up, and will drastically increase your enjoyment on your daily commute.

Contact our friendly team at Archibalds Audi to book a test drive today.