2015 Audi Q7 35 TDi Travelogue Review: The Last Hurrah

The morning after, shrinking guts cried for something edible and post a long hunt, we finally managed to find the most respected biscuits on earth, which command a ‘G’ suffix. Heading out for lunch, we reached the town of Dabhol, gobbled the most fantastically cooked fish we all had sampled in a long time, paid the equivalent of five bottles of packaged water for it and began to loiter, our visions encountering only serene sights, whichever way we focused them to be.

It was time to hit the beach then, where although we could’ve taken the Q7 to revel in the fun, put the Quattro system to good use, sadly, cars weren’t allowed to be taken on the sand. Drenching ourselves in some surf against the setting Sun, swimming against the tides, sometimes being swept away, sometimes taking them head-on, those moments made each one of us leave our engines to idle and soak ourselves in what is perhaps the simplest indulgence in life that doesn’t cost a dime, a penny or anything called money.

That night was spent in a rather gentlemanly manner, and with a late lunch that consisted of locally flavored fare from the Sea the day after, we decided to head back to base.

Taking a different route this time, we decided to travel till Khed, take the NH-17 and follow the snake like tarmac back home. As we hit the twisties, with the suspension set in ‘Dynamic’ mode, the Q7 transformed into a lithe sprinter which would dart into corners with surprising agility for a vehicle of its size. Just like one of us on the beach the other night, when some certain sports drink transformed us into becoming a rather rounded and heavy Usain Bolt.

Body roll, even with 5 occupants, luggage and more than 50 litres of fuel onboard wasn’t making its presence felt in a pronounced manner, even sudden directional changes not upsetting the chassis, neither the occupants. After piloting the big Audi to the bottom of the hill, we were cruising at decent speeds, the engine ticking away lazily, the 8-speed DSG working its magic, when we stopped for fuel, for the first and only time during the entire vacation. The Q7 amazed us, returning an efficiency of more than 10 kpl.

As we were making our way back, the projector setup on the Q7 illuminating the way ahead like daylight, a lot of starry sky visible through the two-staged moon roof, it started to become increasingly difficult to not start liking the Audi Q7. You may say the design is old, but has it lost its charm? Not entirely. Some may say the cabin and the center console looks drab, but does it lack features? Not really. It might be a giant to look at, but has a rather narrow profile which makes it look imposing and also pretty maneuverable at the same time. Even with the last row up, which is a pretty comfortable place to be, even for adults, there is enough space for luggage that will suffice for a weekend.

The Audi Q7 then, after spending 10 long imposing years on the road, has finally been transformed and will seek to carry forward the deceptive athleticism of this T-Rex of a car. Driving into the sunset, as we were getting back to the chaos, what the Q7 managed to do within those three days was bring to the fore, the joys of camaraderie, and just like us, the Q7 was coming back with a resolve, to transform, to evolve, to adapt, to lead and charge forward into the future. Last hurrah it might be, but taking a leaf out of the big Audi’s case, we too will come out on the other side, with a changed outlook, a new look and a new approach, stay tuned!

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