Petrol choices include a 3.6-litre V6 with 276bhp and a 4.2-litre V8 with 345bhp. Our favourite engine is the 237bhp 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, and there's also a cleaner version that filters out harmful NOx emissions. There's also a 4.2-litre V8 diesel with 335bhp, or a crazy 493bhp 6.0-litre V12 that's capable of hurling the Q7 to 62mph in just 5.5sec.

The Q7 leans towards on-road agility rather than off-road prowess. It changes direction quickly for such a big car, and body movements are well controlled. The ride is rather jiggly at low speeds but things settle down at motorway speeds.

Occupants will rarely be bothered by engine noise, while the Q7’s rounded nose and self-lowering suspension help it cut through the air with little disturbance at speed. Unfortunately coarser surfaces can be heard echoing through the wheelarches.

The Q7 isn't that great an investment because - like most big 4x4s - it doesn't hold to its value well. On top of that, its bulk means it won’t be cheap to run; high emissions mean every model falls in the top company car tax band and even the most frugal diesel averages only 31.7mpg.

Audi has a reputation for high-quality interiors, and the Q7 doesn’t let the side down. All of the materials are pleasantly tactile and robust, while the controls operate with a slick precision. The reliability news isn’t as good because Audi has consistently finished near the bottom in our surveys.

Standard four-wheel drive helps keep the Q7 on the road, backed up by electronic stability and differential lock systems. Twin front and side airbags are standard, while curtain side airbags provide head protection for all three rows. An alarm is fitted to every model.

To reduce dash clutter, the Q7 has a single rotary knob for accessing stereo, sat-nav and air-suspension functions, with well-placed buttons bringing up menus for each system on a colour screen. A wide range of adjustment makes it easy to find a good driving position, too, but rear vision is restricted.

Every model comes with three rows of seats as standard, the third row folding flat into the boot floor when not needed. The front two rows provide plenty of space for passengers, while the rearmost two seats are fit only for children or adults on short trips. The boot offers 330 litres as a seven-seater, or a vast 775 litres as a five-seater. The middle bench slides back and forth by 100mm to share out leg space between the middle and back rows.

Every model comes with seven seats, alloy wheels, air suspension, climate control, cruise control and electric windows all-round as standard. SE models gain heated leather seats with electric adjustment, wood and aluminium trim for the cabin and extra lighting. S Line models feature headlamp washers, sporty styling details and sports seats. Options include a DVD sat-nav system and a panoramic sunroof over all three rows of seats.