2022 Audi A7

Audi A7 2021-2022 Review

It’s amazing how many products Audi offers locally considering they don’t have as much of a presence locally as they once did, although it does show commitment to Malaysian consumers – more specifically the Audi fans among us. The Audi A7 is one of these products, being one of the numerous four-dour coupe or sportback products that came about through the 2010s.

At the time, many manufacturers were moving to fill this relatively niche segment that proved to be surprisingly popular in the long run, as people were looking for classier alternatives to the more tried and tested mid-sized luxury sedan. They were priced more dearly too, but that was a price people were willing to pay for relative exclusivity.

Historically, and even until today, the Audi A7 is based on the platform on which the Audi A6 sits, albeit in the sportback form. For the uninitiated, a sportback looks a lot like a blend between a coupe and sedan body shape, with a key element being how the rear boot aperture opens up like a hatchback. It is arguably the most practical body style short of a wagon, and in theory it should appeal to those who are die-hard sedan form lovers.

In Malaysia, the Audi A7 is currently offered in a singular variant, introduced in 2019. This has been maintained until today, and it’s a shame that we don’t get some of the more entry-level powertrain options but Audi’s marketing and product planning direction has been somewhat limited to the high end of the market.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Specifications

Powering the singular variant of the Audi A7 in Malaysia is a well known powertrain among Audi products: a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine pushing 340 hp and 500 Nm of torque. It also happens to be a mild-hybrid system, although arguably it is possibly the mildest of all mild hybrid system. The electric motor is used solely to let the engine shut off and coast between 55 and 160 km/h, providing just enough forward push to keep the speed up without consuming fuel.

Drive is channeled through a seven-speed dual-clutch type automatic transmission – a hallmark of Audi’s product technologies – that delivers swift shifts and has an excellent ratio spread to provide rapid off-the-line acceleration, great elasticity at highway speeds, and low engine speeds when cruising at higher speeds.

The quattro all-wheel drive system naturally makes an appearance here, splitting power across all four wheels. It’s a system that has come a long way since its arguably rudimentary roots, becoming more refined and efficient in operation with every passing generation. With the system in place, the Audi A7 can sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 5.3 seconds.

Dimensionally, the Audi A7 is a bit of an oddball. It’s a little shorter than its rivals – though you could say that about many Audi products. The wheelbase measures at 2,926 mm, with a length of 4,969 mm, and a width of 1,926 mm. That puts it on the smaller side of things, though it isn’t by any means cramped inside – just perhaps not as large as it should be. In the Chinese market specifically, there is a longer wheelbase variant that is sized somewhat more appropriately.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Exterior

LED daytime running lights have long been a signature of the Audi product range, and the Audi A7 is no different. It also gets the S Line exterior package for a touch more sportiness and aggression – especially important to appeal to the Malaysian consumer. Five-spoke double arm design wheels measure 20 inches wide at each corner, finished in a matte titanium look.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Interior

If there’s one thing Audi won’t run away or hide from, it’s pushing the absolute edge in terms of technology and functionality – and incorporating the kind of dark tones and styling to go with it. You won’t find any beige here, and the instrumentation, infotainment, and switchgear all occupy large screens placed across the dashboard. Aluminium fragment inlays and valcona leather represent the touch points for this incredibly chic looking interior.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Safety Features

While Audi doesn’t like to shout about it, the Audi A7 comes with a reasonable amount of advanced safety functionality. Items like Audi pre-sense front give it the ability to warn you of impending collisions ahead, as well as apply some mitigative braking in an emergency capacity. Lane change warning is also included, as is pre-sense for the rear. This is on top of the regular electronic safety aids that you come to expect in a luxury car of this day and age, like stability and traction control.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Strengths & Weakness

There are a lot of things to love about the Audi A7 – not least of which is the fact that it comes in the sportback form. We can’t emphasize enough how great of an option this is, especially in a market where wagons are few and far between due to certain superstitions. The sportback rear hatch gives you a huge rear aperture with which to work, allowing easy loading and unloading of cargo and other items, and even giving you a little romantic place to sit and watch the sunset if you so desire.

On top of this, the powertrain beating at the heart of the Audi A7 in this sole Malaysian variant is nothing to sniff at. Robust torque figures from low engine speeds allow you to accelerate quickly and effortlessly in almost all real world scenarios, helping to hide the fact that this is an incredibly heavy car. In low grip situations, the quattro all-wheel drive system really shines, giving you impeccable stability on the straights and far more exit traction than you would expect.

The unfortunate downside has to be the pricing. While it is competitive with regards to other similar cars, it is still no small figure to swallow. You could get a conventional four-door mid-sized luxury sedan for far less, which would give you much of the benefits and practical proportions and functionality – sans the sportback hatch of course.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Price

The sole variant of the Audi A7 in Malaysia goes for RM 618,755.04, inclusive of everything you need to get it on the road short of insurance. Prices are inclusive of the current 50% SST exemptions in place by the government, and applicable only to Peninsular Malaysia. It’s also worth noting that the price includes a five-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Now in terms of pricing, the Audi A7 is a bit of a loner. It isn’t nearly as expensive as its rivals with similar powertrains, but then again it isn’t nearly as large or complex either. This is the particular nature of the segment, with such varied and unique approaches to the four-door coupe form that you can’t really say one is a direct rival to another – nor would someone cross shop in this segment necessarily.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Features

While it may not seem this way at first glance, the Audi A7 comes packed with a hefty amount of features and functionality. Front seats are both electrically adjustable, and there is four-zone climate automatic climate control to the benefit of each passenger. Keyless entry and start goes without saying, and multi-coloured ambient lighting helps to set the tone once the sun goes down. The Audi A7 also comes with HD matrix LED highlights and dynamic indicators, for that extra technological edge.

Audi A7 2021-2022 Fuel Consumption

The manufacturer quoted fuel consumption figure for the Audi A7 is 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres, which translates to 13.7 kilometres per litre. This isn’t altogether bad for a car that weighs north of 1,800 kilograms, packing a permanent all-wheel drive system as well – though it would be roughly 0.7 litres per 100 kilometres worse without that mild hybrid system.

That being said, this figure is contingent on you driving the Audi A7 in a relatively sedate and calm manner. Being a turbocharged car, ultimately the more you push it and the harder you accelerate, you will burn significantly more fuel as a result.