Despite the advantages offered by a plug-in hybrid like the Audi Q7 e-tron, in the end, it may not be that much more economical than the regular TDI diesel.
At least that’s how Carbuyer found out after averaging just 42 UK mpg (35 US mpg, 6.7 lt/100 km) in a mixture of city and motorway driving. In other words, nowhere near Audi’s official numbers.
When Audi first introduced us to the Q7 e-tron, they were boasting about its excellent range of 138.4 US mpg (1.7 l/100km / 166.3 UK mpg), but this figure was measured in a laboratory over ideal conditions that are, to put it mildly, unrealistic. So in real world traffic, you might find that the e-tron doesn’t hold such a massive advantage over the regular 3.0-liter TDI version.
The rest of the car is, of course, familiar to anyone who’s seen the full-size premium SUV. You get the same looks both outside and in, although once you pop open the trunk, you’ll notice you have more space than in a regular Q7, as there is no third row of seats.
Whether that’s a plus or a minus, is up to each individual customer. What everyone will enjoy, however, is the Q7 e-tron’s performance. Thanks to a combined 373 horsepower and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, this plug-in hybrid Audi SUV will get from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 6 seconds flat. Not bad for such a heavy vehicle, is it?