Published:
20 July 2018Anybody paying for the privilege of putting a luxury four-door coupé on their driveway should have to make scant concession about ride.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what will be required if you find yourself enchanted by the design, technology and general desirability of the second-generation A7.
Our test car undoubtedly rode more smoothly than it might otherwise have thanks to relatively small, 19in wheels and was impressively quiet at a cruise, but a simple inability to adequately filter the impact of potholes and threadbare road surfaces is disappointing and quickly becomes a source of frustration.
The primary ride is better, although we would still expect greater pliancy and there’s an odd resonance transmitted into the cabin at cruising speeds. Moreover, our experience of models equipped with air suspension suggests these are problems that cannot be solved simply by spending additional money on specification. It is as if Audi has forgotten the UK lacks a network of glass-smooth autobahns.
Along an appropriate stretch of road, the A7 can disguise its dimensions creditably well, changing direction with a dispassionate, sure-footed ease that results in road speed entirely at odds with the lack of drama in the cabin. Dry weather traction seems absolute and, although it didn’t rain during this road test, there’s little reason to suspect Audi’s quattro hardware wouldn’t provide similarly immense security underfoot during more inclement conditions.
