Audi A7 Sportback (2020) review: The quick-tempered gentleman
The svelte Audi A7 Sportback 55TFSI quattro is a fantasy car for many and during its time with us, enjoyed almost as much attention on the street as a supercar. Children waved and shouted excitedly, passers-by rubbernecked to get a second glance, and the schoolyard dads stared jealously at its sensuous lines and curves. And with a base price of R 1 298 000, the salacious looks are justified.
Styling
The A7 Sportback is an absolute stunner in the metal. With its long engine hood, long wheelbase and short overhangs, swoopy lines and tapered rear-end, it is achingly beautiful from any angle. The quattro force is strong in this one!
In its entirety the A7 Sportback is 4,969 mm long, has a wheelbase of 2,926 mm and is 1,908 mm wide, but stands only 1,422 mm high. Audi went to town with optional extras on our test model and added metallic paint, black exterior mirror housings, a black styling package and an S line exterior package. They also threw in a quartet of Audi Sport 21-inch diamond-turned wheels in glossy Anthracite Black (R21 000!). Just these few styling elements added another R71 080 to the price, which is a little excessive, but looks gorgeous nonetheless. Oh, and wait 'til you see the light show that the Audi HD matrix LED headlamps with laser light and LED rear-combination lamps (R20 270) give you when you unlock the car at night!
Interior
The A7 wasn’t crowned ‘2019 World Luxury Car’ for nothing and it shows. Audi describes the inside of the A7 Sportback as having a “futuristic lounge atmosphere”, and a “reduced, clean design language based in a one-of-a-kind balance of tension and coolness.” (I’m sure that the latter sounded better in German.)
Three digital screens dominate the contemporary, driver-focused cabin: The primary 10.1-inch central-upper display (with MMI navigation plus), the 8.6-inch lower display providing access to climate control comfort functions and text input, and the 12.3-inch display that forms Audi’s virtual cockpit. Yet again everything is relatively seamless to use, despite having to give the touchscreen quite a firm prod instead of just touching it lightly to get a reaction. The graphics are absolutely crystal clear and parking is a cinch thanks to the 360-degree cameras (R 12 210). This is essential if you want to keep the A7’s lengthy body and diamond-turned wheels free of scratches.
Audi threw a few more Euros at our test model’s cockpit for the S line interior package (which includes stainless steel pedals, illuminated scuff plates and S line emblems), S sport seats in Valcona leather, a head-up display, and dynamic all-wheel steering.
As delightful as it is to sit inside this ultra-opulent cabin, a few things were missed. I yearned for a place to put my sunglasses and the deceivingly large central armrest cubby only has space for a large phone or small tablet. As a result, other small items had to be placed in the cupholders. Two USB ports, a sim slot and AUX port are found inside the cubby. A wireless charging pad is also available.
As for the sport seats, they’re much more suitable to everyday life than the BMW’s sport seats that seem to swallow you whole. There is a drawback though – the high seat backs don’t do much for the kids’ view from the rear seat, and on more than one occasion I had to let the younger kid ride up front and ask the grown-up front passenger to move to the back, since the little one complained of feeling carsick.
Related: Watch our video review of the latest Audi A7 Sportback here.
Space
The kids were delighted to have such vast amounts of space all to themselves, and two USB ports for their devices, as well as their own high-tech temperature controls. While another child could easily fit in the rear middle seat, it’s not really recommended for adults.
The rear cargo-setup and glass boot-lid have plenty of wow-factor, and apart from the spectacle that ensues when you release the lid from inside the cabin, there’s a vast amount of space available, as well as luggage netting to keep your belongings from rolling around.
The drive
I had some business in Worcester to attend to and I knew that driving the A7 Sportback 55TFSI quattro there would be a treat. Me, my mom and my two kiddos set off at 9 am with padkos and coffee and Spotify playlist. I connected my phone to the system which is Apple CarPlay enabled and off we went.
The road from Hermanus to Worcester has those long, sweeping bends which is what the A7 Sportback is built for, and it relished every one of them. As for the short, sharp, twisty bits; not so much. The A7’s long and heavy body is prone to a bit of body roll and the steering is not firm and direct enough in Sport mode. Thankfully the Audi quattro system offers plenty of grip. In Sport mode, the mammoth 21-inch wheels with low-profile rubber made us aware of every crack in the road, so we were thankful for the added air suspension (R36 330) that smoothed out all the bumps when switching to Auto and Comfort mode. The adaptive air suspension also has controlled damping, and includes a “lift” position whereby the A7’s body rises on poor roads. At speeds of 120km/h and above, the body is lowered by 10 mm for better stability and airflow.
As for the 3.0-litre V6 engine, it’s the quietest and most civilized powertrain imaginable, but it’s not lightening quick. On the odd occasion when I needed to overtake slow-moving vehicles, I did engage Sport mode momentarily and the job was done with aplomb, but I returned to Efficiency or Comfort mode soon afterwards for the sake of my passengers.
And, since we’re on this topic, I may as well point out what its shortcomings are. The Audi Drive Select virtual buttons are at the bottom left of the lowest screen which is well within your grasp if you’re on the German Autobahn and driving a left-hand-drive car, but a little harder to reach when the steering wheel is on the right, and even more so if you’re right handed, which most of us are. My mother, in the passenger seat, was assigned to changing the driving modes while I kept my eyes on the road ahead.
I found Audi’s voice control system a little disappointing, though. Compared to Merc’s MBUX Linguatronic system and BMW’s assistant, the Audi assistant or ‘natural language voice control’ sounded robotic, and “her” understanding of natural speech seemed limited. We opted to make use of Siri instead, and the problem was solved. My fiancé, who was in the Free State at the time, reported that the sound quality of phone calls via the A7’s infotainment system was exemplary.
Fuel efficiency
As I mentioned before, the combination of the ultra-accomplished 3.0-litre V6 engine and 7-speed S tronic gearbox is smoother than a Crème Brûlée at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and surprisingly light on fuel.
The A7 Sportback has a host of new technological advancements to keep fuel usage to a minimum, including the Audi valvelift system or AVS. The A7 Sportback’s weight loss of 172 kg (less than the previous model) also assists in better propulsion and efficiency. For a car with 250kW and 500Nm, I reckon 9.3 litres per 100 km on the combined cycle is worth mentioning. Audi’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system, comprising a compact lithium-ion battery and a belt alternator starter which is connected to the crankshaft, is partly responsible for the burly engine’s good consumption figures, and also allows for coasting without the engine for up to 40 seconds (when the driver lifts his foot from the accelerator) between 55 and 160 km/h. It also eases turbo-lag. Another reason why the A7 is such a light sipper, is because the vehicle is predominantly front-wheel driven until the sensors decide that all four wheels should be doing their part for better traction all around.
Safety
Apart from the usual raft of systems such as stability control and six airbags (unless you specify eight), our test model came with the infra-red Night vision assistant (R38 000) that works in the same way as night-vision goggles do. Should a reindeer, Impala, or a drunken jay-walker find himself in front of the A7 Sportback’s grille (or within 300 metres thereof), the car will emit a warning sound and use its headlights to flash the mammal/person three times, bathing them in bright light. Hopefully they’ll have the good sense to get out of the way. It’s a no-brainer that the A7 Sportback gets a 5-star EuroNCAP safety rating.
Pricing
Our test model’s final price amounted to R 1 636 890 with all options fitted (of which not all are mentioned in this review), but if you’re shopping in this price range, what’s another R340 000? If it were up to me, I’d take the A7 Sportback the exact way it leaves the factory. Mind you, the 360-degree camera is a worthwhile spend at R12 210. And maybe the adaptive air suspension (R36 330) because SA-roads aren’t exactly in mint condition. (Whatever you decide to do, just leave the big wheels in Ingolstadt.)
Verdict
The four-wheel driven A7 is every inch a premium, ultra-luxe, sporty grand tourer. If you want a premium family sedan that enjoys more status than a Maserati Levante SUV (from R 1 820 000) and will make you feel more like a Netflix movie star at the pinnacle of his/her career, the drop-dead gorgeous A7 Sportback is your car.
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