Volkswagen Touareg vs Audi SQ7

What's the difference?

The Touareg is a plush, comfortable SUV which is very nice to drive and, in R-Line guise, it has a welcome bit of saucy sportiness about it.

Let’s be honest: this is not a hard-core off-roading wagon, but to expect it to be such a vehicle is to miss the point entirely. 

The Touareg is more than capable of tackling the large SUV market’s own version of dirt-driving adventures and it does it with aplomb and it does it while the driver and passengers enjoy supreme comfort.

The Audi SQ7 TFSI is a delight to drive. You can’t fault its handling or power and drivers who want that sort of performance will not be disappointed. However, for the price point I was hoping for sweeter ongoing ownership costs and terms. It's missing a few family-orientated amenities, particularly in the middle row, but it’s big enough to accommodate a large family and all of its gear. So, I give this an 8.0/10.

My son thought the red paintwork and engine were pretty cool and he also gives it an 8.0/10. 

This large SUV is 4878mm long (with a 2899mm wheelbase), 1984mm wide, 1686mm high and has an official kerb weight of 2169kg.

There are nice touches inside and out and surely features like chrome roof rails, highlights and exhaust tips will bring at least a slight sly smile to even the most jaded SUV admirer’s face.

This is a sleek, stylish and so very premium-looking and feeling vehicle that it makes a lowly peasant like me feel more than a little bit uncomfortable.

The SQ7 has always had a certain understated glamour about it. It’s usual to see these cars in the monochromatic hues that European manufacturers seem to favour, so it can slip under the radar a little.

Not our example, in its Matador Red, a colour which accentuates the red calipers behind the 22-inch alloy wheels and makes the LED headlights pop.

The nose is pronounced with only a small ‘SQ7’ badge hinting at what’s beneath the long bonnet.

There’s quite a bit you can customise and one of the options is sporty black accents across the bodywork, as per our test car.

The interior hosts a plethora of soft touchpoints, leather trims and shiny black piano finishes to create a premium finish.

The panoramic sunroof and dark grey headliner (which is apart of that Sensory Package) further enhances the sense of luxury.

The sports seats are finished in a Valcona leather trim that’s diamond quilted but the headrests are fixed, which might not thrill taller occupants.

Overall, the SQ7 is a large SUV being 5067mm long, 1970mm wide and 1743mm high.

Those dimensions almost challenge the Kia Carnival, which is a people mover! Make sure it will fit in your garage before buying it. 

If you’re considering a Touareg as your next SUV, there’s a good chance that you’re already pretty familiar with all that’s on offer inside, but I’ll give you the drum: this interior manages to succeed at being a nice mix of luxurious and practical. 

While there are leather and soft-touch surfaces seemingly everywhere, there are also plenty of storage spaces, cup-holders, bottle-holders, USB charge points (front and second row), 12-volt power outlets (front and cargo area), temp and air-vent controls (front and second row), bag hooks (on backs of front seats and in cargo area), cargo tie down hooks/rings (cargo area) and a raft of other features that are well suited to real life.

All seats are supportive and comfortable. 

The driver and front passenger seats are power-adjustable and heated and ventilated.

The rear seats are a 40/20/40 split configuration and the row can slide and recliners two separate sections. It has a fold-down centre arm-rest with cupholders.

There is 1800 litres of cargo area volume with the second row folded; 810 litres with it in place.

It’s missing a few little family items found on other large SUVs but it’s still a fairly practical family car. The cabin is spacious but passenger comfort has been prioritised over storage options.

Front and middle row occupants enjoy most of the room but third rowers will be comfortable on short journeys.

I would be saving these seats for the kids on longer trips, unless you want to get dagger eyes from any adult passengers stuck back there as the amenities aren’t as extensive as you might like with only two cupholders, a reading light and air vents (which aren’t directional).

With the Sensory Package included, the inside is an example of luxury with its heated and ventilated front seats, as well as the heated outboard seats in the middle row.

I love the massage function up front and that it’s customisable for intensity and position. The heated steering wheel is also a nice feature on the chilly days we’ve been having lately.

The tech is quite good with dual 12.3-inch touchscreens stacked on the dash and centre console.

They have haptic feedback, which means they vibrate when you touch them, but curiously this feature disappears while you’re using the wireless Apple CarPlay.

It did take a little while to get used to the Audi system and the haptic feedback, but once you do it’s easy to handle. There’s Bluetooth, digital radio, wired Android Auto and built-in satellite navigation, too.

The head-up display is super clear and displays the sat nav guidance and speed. What I really love is the four-zone climate control – meaning the middle row can get some further adjustments for ultimate comfort.

Charging options are okay with the front enjoying a wireless charging pad, two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Middle row passengers also get a couple of USB-C ports but third rowers miss out.

I was surprised by the lack of storage throughout and this leads me to think this would suit older families best. For example, the middle console is large enough to only fit a phone. Still, each row gets two cupholders and a drink bottle holder in each door.

The boot is an acceptable size with all seats in use at 295L but with the third row stored, it jumps up to a more respectable 770L. There are stacks of different storage accessories available to purchase, if you need extra space.

The third row is a 50/50 split and the middle row has a very practical 35/30/35 split, which opens up the storage options.

The level load space is handy for the grocery run. But there’s no underfloor storage, and you don’t get a spare tyre, just a puncture repair kit.

A powered tailgate is handy, although this one's a bit faster than others I’ve sampled.

The SQ7 is a performance SUV and that means you’re paying for some heavy-hitting engine specs. As such, expect to pay $166,400 before any on-road costs or optional extras.

That puts it just under the cheapest of its competitors, so it doesn’t feel outrageous for what you get.

Our model has been finished in 'Matador Red' and I was pleased to see paintwork options are included in the base price (as they should be).

Our model does have the 'Sensory Package', which adds $13,300 to the price tag but that bundle includes some cool features like an extended leather dashboard, a synthetic suede headliner, an 'Advanced 3D' 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, an air quality system (with built-in perfume!), a front seat massage and ventilation function and heated rear outboard seats.

Even without the package, it’s still fairly well-specified with its diamond-quilted 'Valcona' leather trim, HD Matrix LED lighting, customisable ambient lighting, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to name just a few.

This diesel Touareg has a 3.0L turbocharged V6 engine – producing 210kW at 4000rpm and 600Nm at 1750 rpm – and it has an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

It has VW’s 4Motion AWD and a variety of driving modes including eco, comfort, normal sport, individual, off-road (auto and expert), and snow, which adjust vehicle characteristics, such as engine performance, throttle response, and damping and steering, to suit your selection.

The new TFSI engine in the SQ7 is monstrous. It’s a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 with maximum outputs of 373kW/770Nm.

To say it’s powerful is an understatement. This would be at home on the autobahn and my son cheered whenever I had to get up to speed.

It, of course, replaces the SQ7’s iconic diesel V8. The old TDI unit had 53kW less power but 130Nm more torque. However, the new engine delivers on power with aplomb.

The eight-speed auto transmission glides effortlessly through its changes and the all-wheel drive drivetrain is responsive.

It has an official fuel-consumption figure of 6.8L/100km on a combined cycle, but on test we recorded 11.7L/100km, measured at the pump.

It’s worth noting here that we did do some low-speed AWDing along a very washed-out track. 

This Touareg has a 90-litre fuel tank so, going by that as-tested fuel-consumption figure, you can reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 719km from a full tank, but that’s factoring in a safe-distance buffer of 50km.

It has a 24-litre Adblue tank.

With great power comes… okay fuel efficiency. Actually, better than okay considering the twin-turbo V8 engine. The official combined cycle fuel figure is 11.9L/100km and real-world testing saw my figure at 13.2L.

Considering how hard I drove this and the type of driving I did this week, which was a combo of open-road and urban, this is very respectable. Expect it to be much higher in the city, though.

The SQ7 has a large 85-litre fuel tank and based on the official combined figure, you should be able to get around 714km of driving range. That isn’t as great as more fuel-efficient options but still good for those who like their road trips.

Audi recommends a minimum of 95 RON premium fuel with a preference for 98 RON for ultimate efficiency.

Very comfortable. 

For starters, as driver you have the ability in the Touareg cabin to set up your preferred position with almost-pinpoint accuracy via the 18-way powered seat (with memory) and the tilt- and telescopic-adjustable steering wheel/column. The steering wheel is even bloody heated!

The 3.0L V6 is a punchy unit and the Touareg manages to harness its 210kW/600Nm via the eight-speed auto with mostly considered control.

This is a reasonably dynamic vehicle – for a large SUV – and it manages to maintain a commanding stance on-road and on the move, while feeling nimble enough around town and on bush tracks – more about that later – to deftly avoid any criticisms about being a clumsy drive. 

It has a turning circle of 11.19m.

Acceleration is mostly okay from a standing start and while overtaking on the open road, although persistent turbo lag in those scenarios is off-putting. 

Cycle through the driving modes (eco, comfort, normal, sport, individual, off-road (auto and expert), and snow) – via a dial near the auto shifter – to further determine your sweet spot in terms of steer-ability, throttle response, engine performance, damping and steering, among other characteristics, to match your selection.

Speaking of steering, its all-wheel steering is pretty sharp as is and, as mentioned, the auto is generally on-point, but for an even more direct driving experience switch to manual mode and have fun with the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Adjustable air suspension with electronic adaptive damping control lends a welcome flexibility to ride and handling, which is generally well sorted. The rotary dial control to adjust the air suspension is to the left of the drive mode dial. 

If you notice an all-wheel drive system actually working then that’s probably not a good sign and if you notice the Touareg’s 4Motion kicking in then you’re more sober than I am: it’s a seamless application, capable of sending up to 70 percent of drive torque to the front axle, or up to 80 percent to the rear axle, depending on driving conditions. It is quietly effective during daily driving and seemingly masterful in traction-compromised circumstances of which we have had many due to recent heavy rainfalls; I’m talking about rain-slicked blacktop through to muddy gravel tracks – again, more about that soon. 

The Touareg’s tyres – Pirelli P Zero (285/45 R20) – are well suited to driving on sealed surfaces and well-maintained and dry gravel and dirt roads, but they’re far from ideal for anything more challenging than that.

It has a "weight and space saving inflatable spare wheel”.

The performance is awesome and I made excuses all week to hop in and drive it. It doesn’t hurt that when you press the push-button start, the engine rumbles and growls. There’s even a ‘spitting’ sound as the turbo fires up. It all promises fun.

While the power feels immense, you do have to get used to how to handle it. For example, when you first shift into gear and pull your foot off the brake, the car lurches forward as if it’s rearing to go. It took me a couple of days to get used to the little quirks of it. 

The steering is controlled and responsive, adapting to the conditions and speed at which you’re driving. If you’re accelerating hard, the steering turns a little stiff and the seat belt tucks you into your seat, reaffirming the addition of that S in the model name.

The cabin is very quiet and there’s no shuddering or vibration to be felt through the steering or seat.

The SQ7 features sports adaptive air suspension and it's dependant on how you drive and what drive mode you’re in. It makes for an extremely comfortable journey and not just for those in the front. The rear passengers are nicely cushioned, too.

This is a big car but you don’t feel those dimensions when you park it. Even with its 12.4m turning circle, it’s not cumbersome with the adaptive steering.

The dynamic 360-degree view camera is super clear but the parking sensors are too sensitive for my liking. It might just have been an oddity on the particular model I drove but the emergency braking did pop on a few times (scaring the hell out of me every time!).

The SQ7 has a healthy suite of safety features with the following being standard: LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, dynamic 360-degree view reversing camera (it turns with the direction of the steering wheel), dynamic parking guidelines, front and rear parking sensors, rear occupant alert, intelligent seatbelt monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

It also features an active bonnet, meaning it will lift up and away from the engine if the sensors detect that a pedestrian has been hit. As well as an SOS emergency call button.

It has AEB and forward collision warning with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection which is operational from 10-85 km/h (10-250 km/h for car detection). It is usual to see it operational from 5.0km/h, though.  

The SQ7 achieved a maximum five-star safety rating from testing conducted in 2019. It only has six airbags, which is fairly low for a family car, but that does include curtain airbags covering all three rows.

The Touareg has a five year / unlimited kilometre warranty and that includes one year of 24-hour roadside assistance.

This variant requires a service every 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever comes first.

Assured Service Pricing applies to the first five standard scheduled services with listed prices of $539, $886, $539, $1306, and $539.

If I was spending my hard-earned cash on a vehicle like this, I would want to be treated like a queen when it comes to servicing.

Manufacturers should sweeten the pot when it comes to on-going servicing and ownership terms when you’re at this level but the SQ7 just comes with a pretty standard five-year/unlimited km warranty.

You can pre-purchase a five-year/75,000km servicing plan and it will set you back a total of $4100 (or an average of $810 per service), which is expensive but not outrageous for a performance vehicle.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, which is good.