Audi A7 Sportback: Fun to drive, yet practical

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If there's a niche that can possibly be filled, Audi has a car to fill it. That might seem like a task that requires little effort, but in truth it is a mark of Audi's confidence and bravery that it sees fit to create whole new segments where it is the only player. This is something it has done before of course, with the similar A5 Sportback sitting somewhere between a four-door coupé and a hatchback. Even so, the A7 sits higher up the range and therefore requires a bigger financial commitment from those writing the cheques: missing the target could result in unhappy customers.

Right from the start though, the A7 Sportback is on a roll. As is increasingly the case with modern car designs, seeing one in photographs isn't enough. You need to get up close and personal, walk around the car and drink in all the details. It's not an easy car to gauge in terms of size either: it's a fraction bigger than the A6, but the lower roof and wider stance not only make it look sleeker but significantly more compact.

The low roof is also a key element to the strength of the design, giving it the coupé feel that sets it apart from a conventional car. There are clear elements from elsewhere in the Audi range. The front says A8, the sides recall the A5 and the rear is more A4, but it's no mishmash; this is a properly handsome machine, and before you even get to the bottom line, it has the presence and style of an expensive car.

Where the A7 starts to really make sense is when you get out the tape measure. The lithe exterior lines suggest that it will have room for the vertically challenged and nothing else, but the reality is quite different. If you happen to be sitting up front, then a grand view out is on offer with all the head and legroom you could possibly want. Step into the back seats and the story is much the same, even though the roof begins its curve over your head, there is head and legroom second only to the A8 luxury saloon. But the star turn is the boot space, which offers a very impressive 535 litres with the seats up and an estate-like 1,390 litres with all the seats folded flat. Access through a hatchback-like tailgate also makes loading a breeze. The combination of practicality and elegance isn't usually this easy to find.

You might therefore assume that the driving experience must be lacking somehow: not a bit of it. Underneath the A7 lies a new platform and the suspension set-up, whether in sporty S-line guise, standard or comfort-orientated air suspension, delivers a confident mix of ride and handling. Once again, like the A8, it surprises with the accuracy of the steering, which is very well-weighted and inspires confidence. It deals with bumps well too, inevitably the air-suspended car doing this best, but all versions strike a good balance. However, it must be said that the A8 has a slightly better ride quality.

Should you choose to press on, the A7 shows itself to be a faithful and predictable companion, gripping strongly and making the most of the Quattro four-wheel drive system. In the dry it hangs on forever, and in the wet it will keep going when others are in the weeds. As ever, the powerplant choice is comprehensive. The 3.0-litre TFSI is the driver's choice for the moment, as the supercharged V6 has torque all the way around the rev range and punches this large car forward with real vigour. And that's the one we'll get here when the model goes on sale in the UAE first quarter of 2011. Although a high output 3.0-litre TDI offering almost as much punch is available, it won't be coming this side, at least earlier on.

Remember this is still an Audi: the peerless interior is present and correct, and in the A7 it inherits some of the top-line switchgear found in the A8 as well as some of the technology. If you want it, you can have a head-up display, parallel park assist, ventilated massage seats — the list is virtually endless.

So what of the bottom line? Inevitably, this is not a car for everyone. UK prices start at £42,925 (around Dh250,000) for the entry-level version, but when you consider that this essentially buys you a sporty coupé crossed with a practical hatchback and a comfortable luxury saloon, it begins to look like rather good value for money.

Tech sheet

Audi has used a mix of steel and aluminium to construct the A7 Sportback's body, which has helped keep the car's weight a good 15 per cent less than an all-steel construction. Lightweight aluminium comprises more than 20 per cent of the body, including front side walls, bonnet, doors and the rear hatch. Aluminium panels and hot-formed steel — heated in a furnace to nearly 1,000° C and moulded immediately in water-cooled pressing dies — are also used in the construction.

Specs & rating