Bucket Seat: Audi Q7 & Q8 Launch

This week I spent some time with Audi South Africa getting to know their updated Q7 and Q8 line-up, while some brands have a life-cycle update just once before changing the shape, Audi work a bit differently, having multiple, many might see this as a cheap cop-out from changing the design but others might see this as an improvement of something that already works. I'll admit, I always love seeing new designs but the changes that Audi bring to the party in most of their updates do get me excited and as I found out at the launch this week, the Q7 and Q8 line-up now comes with some really cool stuff that warrants excitement over. 

The Q7 was the first SUV to be launched by the brand, while they did offer all-road crossover vehicles, there was a need for them to compete in the segment with something of their own. The first generation did rather well and with Audi's Quattro technology which was adapted from their cars, it was an almost no brainer that it would pair nicely in something larger. As the generations moved on for the Q7, so did the evolution of the SUV segment, with the introduction of smaller to medium variants but the Q7 always remained the benchmark with advancements on it being passed down to the rest of the SUV line-up. 

Attending the launch helped me get a better insight into what Audi have done and to experience it for myself. The line-up has changed a bit with the Q7 offered in only a petrol engine but the Q8 having both a diesel and petrol option, moving over to the sporty  SQ7 and SQ8, they both share the same 4.0L V8 turbo petrol engine and the range topping RS Q8 has that throaty 4.0L V8 as well but has been tuned to the max. All engines come with mild hybrid technology to help with the fuel economy and the V8's when cruising around town will automatically switch off 4 cylinders when it feels it doesn't need all 8 to work. The cars apart from the RS version are available in two trims, that being Platinum and Black Edition with a range of new colours and textures to personalize your car, to your taste. There are some pricey exclusive options like certain paints which can go up-to R140,000! 

The tech in the car continues to amaze me, starting off with the matrix LED headlights which now allows you to customise the daytime running lights, which you can choose from 5-different options. They even added a cool light show as a party trick to make the car even cooler but also demonstrate the technology. Audi's MMI interface has gotten some slight tweaks to make things easy, and has the option to add favourite destinations for your GPS. Bang & Olefson 3D Premium sound is standard on both trim lines. The are some other cool party tricks with these cars, like the Remote park assist plus, which is done via the Audi mobile app, which allows the driver to park a car in a tight parking spot without being in the car. Simply scan the parking area for a suitable spot, hop off, stand in close proximity to the car and it will park itself, this feature also allows the car to come out of the said parking spot itself. 

Having listened to what is new, it was time to get behind the wheel, first up was the range topping RS Q8, which currently holds the record for the fastest SUV to go around the Nurburgring in its class. That is a massive achievement and it has Audi's most powerful combustion engine made to date to thank for that. The 4.0L TFSI V8 produces 471kW and 850Nm of torque, just mind blowing numbers and all of that is in this SUV. 0-100km/h takes just 3.6 seconds, and this was tested quite a few times as we did launch the car multiple times on our test drive. It was just too much fun. While the car is big and heavy, what I appreciated was the agile nature of the steering, this is thanks to the rear wheel steering which cuts down the turning circle by 1 meter. The large tyre adorned by those standard 23" rims clung onto the tar as I navigated my way down Franschhoek pass with the valley waking up to the sounds of that roaring V8, it's like a symphony to any petrol head but I think what caught most of the onlookers by surprise, is that they heard it first and then when they saw it, they didn't expect it to be an SUV hurtling down the pass. 

After stepping out of the RS Q8 driver seat, which was not easy, but I needed to eat dinner any make small talk with the rest of the people before getting some shut eye for the next day. Having experienced the full power of that V8, it was time to sample a toned down version of it in the SQ7. The more family orientated SUV now comes standard with 7-seats which fold down flat to give you a big luggage hold. The new grill in the black edition really gives this car a menacing look, and will intimidate anyone during a school run. The growl of the V8 sounded more aggressive in this one that the RS Q8 for some reason and even with the launch control, it was a lot more violent but in a good way. It certainly isn't an ordinary soccer moms van, that is for sure! While cruising on the freeway, I could feel the mild-hybrid tech in action as well as the car switching off those extra cylinders and when the need arised, livening them up again to propel us into warp speed. 

Overall, what I've seen from Audi during these two days has been extremely impressive and looking forward to getting some on slightly longer testing to see how they cope with the day-to-day activities. 

Pricing for the range is as follows:

Audi Q7 and SQ7:

• Q7 55 (3.0L Petrol) TSFI Quattro Platinum Edition - R1,958,000
• Q7 55 (3.0L Petrol) TFSI Quattro Black Edition - R1,987,900
• SQ7 55 (4.0L Petrol) TSFI Quattro - R2,540,500
• SQ7 55 (4.0L Petrol) TFSI Quattro Black Edition - R2,574,500

Audi Q8 and SQ8:

• Q8 45 TDI Platinum Edition - R1,968,700
• Q8 45 TDI Black Edition - R2,011,700
• Q8 55 TFSI Platinum Edition - R2,015,400
• Q8 55 TFSI Black Edition - R2,058,400
• SQ8 TFSI Quattro - R2,640,500
• SQ8 TFSI Black Edition - R2,675,500

Audi RS Q8 Performance R3,266,100

Bucket Seat: Audi Q5 40 TDI Quattro S Line

When it comes to the SUV market, the influx of late has been a lot to take in, apart from the various new segments being introduced especially in the compact market, the new brands coming in are making a once relatively sparse segment flooded with options for the consumer. One of the long standing models being the medium sized SUV still remains to be a big favourite for larger families as it offers a spacious cabin, powerful engines and great versatility for whatever the task at hand. One of the long runners in the market for this has been the Audi Q5, with stiff competition coming from either one of its German rivals, the Q5 has always managed to hold its own in the market and provided a handy alternative for many at a slightly cheaper price than its rivals. With Audi's TDI engines stealing the limelight in the past decade, this was always a major draw card with the Q5 and there after advancements in the TFSI petrol engines also sparked interest with the consumer and as we usher in a new era with electric powered vehicles in Audi's e-tron stable, the Q5 still remains an integral part of the Audi family until they go full electric. I spent some time with the revised Audi Q5 40 TDI recently and here are my thoughts on the car. 

DESIGN

With the introduction of the Q5 Sportback, one would think the appeal for the regular one would lessen but credit to Audi, while most of the changes on this revised model does mirror on to the Sportback model, this one still looks great. The new headlights featuring Audi's new LED matrix lights give it quite that modern futuristic look. The grille has seen some cosmetic changes as well with having a more edgy outline and thicker border finished in brushed aluminum, the hatches in the inside are bigger and add to the bolder presence. This particular model was in the S Line guise which featured a front mud guard finished in brushed aluminum and C shaped clusters to house the side fog lamps. Side profile of the car is much the same of the previous mode but with the S Line trim you get a side step and side sill finished in aluminum too. The new 20-inch, 5-spoke Flax style rims in the Black Matte finish are from the options list and gave the car that extra sporty look. Moving to the back, the lights also received the new matrix LED treatment and had the welcome sequence like the front when unlocking and locking the car. The interior is pretty much the same in terms of design to the old with the only major difference being the larger infotainment screen. 

PERFORMANCE

As mentioned, the TDI engine from Audi was quite a popular engine on the market, apart from its solid performance and fuel efficient figures, the reliability on them was second to none. It's no different with the latest versions as well, the Audi A5 is offered in the 40TDI variant only with only a choice of trims for the car that differentiate it. Power output on this 2.0L Turbo-Diesel engine is 140kW with total Torque of 400Nm with the claimed fuel consumption of 5.5L per 100km. So still a pretty strong showing for fuel economy and while my time with the car saw my driving be a bit rash for most periods, I still managed to average around 8.1L which pretty impressive for a car this size and the distance I covered. The road handling on the car is impressive, given that is has four-wheel drive with Quattro, it managed to navigate its way around quite well and seeing that I happened to have this car over the flooding period in KZN, it made going to site quite entertaining, while it isn't a fully-fledged off-roader, the Q5 managed its own in some tricky situations. 

COMFORT

Whoever spec'd this car deserves a high-five, Brilliant Black on the outside with a crispy white interior that is contrasted well by high-gloss black finishes with silver trimmings adorned the cabin. The Q5 comes with a three-zone climate control system that has dual zones for front passenger and driver with the rear occupants getting their own controls for them. The larger infotainment screen features Audi's latest MMI interface and Audi Connect services to provide live traffic updates, weather reports on your location and various other Audi services. The car like other models has built-in mobile apps and can be operated wirelessly. There is an optional wireless mobile phone charging tray and the Q5 does come with USB B charging ports for front and rear passengers. The seats are very comfortable and support you well while driving, there are optional electric adjustable and have two memory settings. The virtual cockpit instrument cluster negates the need for a heads-up display but it still is listed in the options list should you prefer it. What I like about the navigation view, is that it offers satellite imagery from Google Earth as an overlay which is pretty cool. There are various views you can switch to while driving displaying relevant information. The ride quality and comfort is great and with little road noise in the cabin, that can be easily drowned out by the 755 watts, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System which is a R15,500 extra that I would tick when ordering one. 

VERDICT

While the Audi Q5 Sportback might be more appealing in the visual sense, when looking at practicality and functionality, the normal Q5 still comes out trumps. The extra space and comfort experienced in this great and with the offerings in the cabin, it just makes better sense for a large family to get into one of these. While the options list can go on, the right ones are well worth the extra money, even me a person who isn't too fond of sunroofs loved have the large panoramic glass sunroof, it allows so much natural light into the cabin with the curtain open that it makes you want to keep on driving. The safety features and driver assists on the Q5 are quite helpful, it would have been nice to have the option of having a surround camera system like many of their competitors as the Q5 only comes with a reverse cam with front and rear PDC's. Overall, a well put together car that is bound to keep the loyalist happy. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0L TDI
Gear Box	S Tronic Automatic
Torque	400Nm
Power	140kW
0-100km/h	8.1 seconds
Price	R958,100*

*Base Price

 

Bucket Seat: VW Tiguan R 4 Motion

When it comes to midsized family SUV's in South Africa, a firm favourite amongst many is the VW Tiguan. Volkswagen seem to have come up with the perfect formula for the Tiguan, one which appeals to everyone! I've not met one person who doesn't like the car, even with its high price tag, people will still opt to purchase this vehicle by hook or by crook, managing to find a way through various financing options available to them. So while I can understand the fascination created by this car, I really wanted to understand what has people so fixated on the Tiguan, why it makes people get that "must have" attitude towards it, after spending a week with the latest revised R Line version of it, I managed to deduce the following.

DESIGN

Lets start with the looks, I mean the previous model was a really good looking car already but this face-lift is like it went to a plastic surgeon for minor tweaks like some fillers and botox and came out looking like a supermodel. My God this car was fantastic to look at from every angle.  The colour, Deep Black Pearlescent just accentuated the R Line styling package and gave it that menacing look. The details of the design with the chrome beading a subtle red accents made the overall look of the car just so fantastic that at times you couldn't take your eyes of it. The changes include a revised front end with a new headlamp design in keeping to the new VW design language, that has this swooping like shape that extends into the side profile of the car, housed in these enclosures are Volkswagen's new IQ Light system which I'll discuss a bit later. As usual with face-lift models, there are subtle differences to the grille with a larger VW badge and lower bumper and diffuser, with chrome detailing outlining the key shape changes of the front end. Everything looks bolder and smoother than the previous model. On the side profile not much has changed apart from the front changes that wrap around. There is some extra beading in a brushed aluminium prominent on the doors. Moving to the rear, the rear lights also get the IQ light treatment with some new LED's. As per all new VW models, the model badge is now bolder and centrally positioned on the tail. The R Line package has the rear diffuser much lower and neatly designed quad tailpipes to end it off at the bottom. My one gripe would be the choice of rims as that bar some change in colours remains the same from the previous model.

PERFORMANCE

The Tiguan is powered by a 2.0 petrol TSI engine, the same in which you'd find in the new GTI, but this one obviously down tuned to suit the body shape, it produces 162kW with 350Nm of torque. The power to weight ratio in this model is perfect as the motor delivers exceptionally well to propel this large vehicle around, it boasts a 0-100km/h time of 6.5 seconds which for a family SUV is impressive. The marriage between the motor and the 7-speed DSG gearbox is sublime as ever when it comes to VW's. The synergy between the two hardly has the engine overworked as the gear changes are smooth and efficient, that along with the four wheel drive system in 4MOTION make navigatinf with the Tiguan simply a breeze in any circumstance. Though with such great power delivery, especially in Sport model you do tend to get carried away with it and that doesn't help the fuel economy in this thing, so you'll see your range deplete quite drastically in this 60L tank, Volkswagen claim a combined feul average of 8.3L per 100km which is achievable in ideal driving conditions. Car copes well in all types of environments, especially in the urban setting which is probably why it's quite popular for mums on the school run, or any family type environment. Then again with its new age design it also passes off as a swanky business type SUV.

COMFORT 

Like most new models, the Tiguan came loaded with optional extras which I'm sure don't come cheap, VW didn't put the prices on any of the listed extras on my list but when building your car on their website it wouldn't be too difficult to find. My favourites included the new IQ light system with Matrix LED, that's basically adaptive technology and high beam assist, it is a MUST for all new cars going forward. I know I'm pretty much an advocate for this tech but seriously, visibility at night cannot be compromised and once you experience this, there really is no going back. Being the R Line, it comes with a host of sporty features with the kit, also gives the car a more edgy look so that's a definite tick in my books. The large panoramic sunroof is another firm favourite of mine, the sheer size of it is amazing and the amount of natural light you get in the cabin just brightens up everyone's mood, no pun intended. The IQ drive system is another must for driving packages as it includes your safety features such as adaptive cruise control, park assist, lane departure warning and collision warning. VW's premium sound system is now catered for by Harman Kardon, these guys know their sound and have curated a perfect speaker system especially for the Tiguan. With the new touch screen interface, it includes a host of new features, my favourite being in car WiFi which enables wireless mobile phone connectivity for apps such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you don't have to fiddle with cables anymore. Should you wish to plug in your USB's make sure they're USB C as the there are two ports up front as well as in the back for passengers to charge their devices. There is also a wireless charging pad for the front passenger/ driver. The Tiguan comes with dual zone climate control seat heating as an optional extra for the driver and front passenger. Luggage space is plentiful, with standard capacity at 520L and with the rear seats folded extends to 1,655L. 

VERDICT

It's difficult not to see the appeal of the Tiguan, especially for South Africans and their trend shift to SUV's at the moment. It's a great looking car, very trendy and has everything that one requires in this modern age of motoring in terms of technology and power. While the price has escalated significantly over the years, you know you have the backing of the brand on the vehicle which includes great build quality and service, I guess this is why people tend to not argue to the price point and opt for this over other models on the market. With the influx of Asian brands in the market, VW might find it a bit difficult going forward as locals get adjusted to the new models at much more affordable price points. It's definitely thrown a spanner in the works for many of the Germans who still rely on brand loyalty and status preference. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	2.0TSI 4MOTION
Gear Box	7-Speed DSG
Torque	350Nm
Power	162kW
Top Speed	225km
Price	R710,000*

*Base Price

Bucket Seat: Peugeot 3008 GT

When it comes to French cars, there is always a sense of flair that exudes from them when compared to other European cars, I experienced this with Renault but when my first Peugeot rolled in for a test, the flair just levelled up dramatically. The model was the face-lifted 3008 and personally, if your jaw does not drop when you see this car up close and and personal, you need to be checked if you have a pulse because seriously, this car is a work of art in every aspect of its design. Peugeot really upped the anti in this face-lift with an almost complete redesign of the front as I will discuss later on in the design segment. Much of the rear remains the same with elements to update the design. While the previous model 3008 didn't enjoy much success in the local market, the French brand will be hoping that with these changes, it might just sway prospective buyers. 

DESIGN

The front fascia of the Peugeot 3008 is fascinating to say the least, with the 3D light grille which is made up of individual blocks which expand either ends to meet the new LED headlamps with clear housing enabling one to see each of the dual lamps. The LED daytime running lights follow the new design language from Peugeot, which mimic the fangs of a Lion which is the brands logo. The rest of the front design is very well sculptured and clean which expands to the side of the body. There are added detailed to the side profile to enhance the cars look, for example the black side skirts and chrome detailing around the windows and doors. The rear end remains visibly unchanged with that sleek piano black style straight feature which houses the tailed which are triple units of the LED lights that really are subtle but very effective, it mimics a 3D claw which keeps in line the feline theme to the car. The rear diffusor is finished off in a high gloss piano black as well, with such quality materials being used on the exterior, it really gives the car a premium feel, so much so that it looks better than the German rivals. It's totally different from what we normally see and its great to see a brand being able to push the boundaries in terms of aesthetics and design. 

PERFORMANCE

While the car is nice to look at, how is it to drive? Due to the sales figures from the previous generation as well as some smart homework done by the team, they've opted to only bring in the 1.6L petrol powered motor for the 3008. This is paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shift. The engine produces a gusty 121kW with 240Nm of torque. Given the size and type of the vehicle, that power is plentiful and with my time spent with it, it seems like the perfect application given the type of driving the average buyer will be using these type of cars for. While Peugeot claim that the average fuel consumption on the 3008 is around 7L per 100km, I was getting just over 8L with a lot of mixed driving and also having to push the limits every now and then. Taking the 3008 on the open road was quite an experience, the engine coped well on a long distance and the cruise control worked like a charm, this helped reduce my average consumption by allowing the car to dictate the speed and gear changes. 

COMFORT

Stepping into the 3008, you will be easily mistaken that you're sitting in a concept model, the styling and materials used has a modern and opulent feel to it. It's almost as if they hired interior decorators to style the cabin, from sporty GT line stiched Nappa leather seats, brushed aluminum switches, piano black accents as well as wooden inlays can be found across the cabin. Even the quality of the leather used on the dash and other aspects of the doors feel luxurious. The design is very modern and neatly laid out to give the driver full control of all aspect to the interior. The car has dual zone climate control for the front driver and passenger, an extremely large center compartment located under the split arm rest that has double the normal volume one might find in a car, it would have been great if they had the option to get this cooled as it could serve as a nice cooler for long journeys. The technology in the Peugeot 3008 has been commended as well, from mobile applications built into the cars user interface to the animations that come standard with the car, the cars digital instrument panel can be adjusted to suit, and when changing the animations really do blow you away. It's done so well and gives you a futuristic feel to it. The car has a wireless charging mat as well as USB ports for conventional charging and app connectivity. The rear passengers also get to enjoy that quality Nappa leather seats, and they have dual USB ports for charging. The sound system is by High Fidelity sound system French company Focal, the quality is great and done in conjunction with the cabin space which maximizes the acoustics .

VERDICT

Overall the Peugeot 3008 delivered on so many levels, apart from it being so refreshing to see a brand doing something different, having the performance to back it really adds that extra sense of accomplishment for the brand. It really is a stunning vehicle that probably needs more credit in the market and hopefully see's people opt for something different when looking for a family car. I honestly had such a blast spending a week with this car and its offering, as a journalist it excites you to see a brand go all out and take chances, now its up to the public to take a chance on the brand for doing so.

 SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.6L Turbo-Petrol
Gear Box	6-Automatic with Paddle Shift
Torque	240Nm
Power	121kW
0-100km/h	8.9 seconds
Price	R651,900