Audi SQ7 VS Tesla Model X
Audi SQ7
Likes
- Growling V8 soundtrack
- Spacious, classy cabin
- Impressive ride and handling
Dislikes
- Lacks clever interior storage
- Engine is thirsty
- Expensive to service
Tesla Model X
Likes
Dislikes
Summary
Audi SQ7
The Audi Q7 has come in for its second facelift as it enters its ninth year of production while the younger Q8 is in for its first refresh.
But these two aren't like the Mitsubishi ASX and Eclipse Cross pair; Audi's MLB underpinnings were cutting edge at their launch 2015 and remain stand-out in the class with advanced suspension and chassis tech, connectivity and refinement.
A host of small visual and performance tweaks aim to make the range-topping SQ7 we're driving even better. But should you make the sensible seven-seat decision or go a little rogue and choose the sloping-roofed SQ8?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 4.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 12.1L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Tesla Model X
Tesla - love the brand, or hate it - has done a lot for the automotive industry. It has made electric cars a talking point, something that competitor companies are finally acting on.
The Tesla Model S sedan, to me, was the vehicle that put Tesla on the map. But does the Model X - a big SUV with up to seven seats - hit the spot for family buyers?
I spent a week in the 2018 Tesla Model X 75D, which happens to be the most affordable version of the US company’s crossover. Affordable? Well, that’s really going to depend on your salary.
Read More: Tesla Model X 2018 review
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | Electric |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Audi SQ77.9/10
There are newer options than the current Audi SQ7 and SQ8, including those which use the same platform, but don't write these luxury large SUVs off just yet.
It's a rare thing that a vehicle costing $200,000 has an air of pragmatism about it, but the SQ7 does. Its sensible leather upholstery, decent practicality, towing capability and near-excess of interior space make it a great family wagon.
As a counterpoint, the sharper looking SQ8 has minimal trade-off in comfort and interior room (at least for five) and is the kind of statement piece you'd expect for the price — especially in one of its loud paint colours.
Whichever way you leap, it's true that while the SQ7 and SQ8 are ageing, they are doing so gracefully and remain a superb option in this segment.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.
Tesla Model X7.9/10
The Tesla Model X in 75D specification offers a lot of technology for buyers who want to dip their well-heeled toe all the way into the electric mobility pool. There are more conservative and compelling options for customers who think plug-in hybrids are the first step, though - and if you’re not hellbent on a full EV, then we’d suggest maybe you have a bit of a look at what else is on offer.
Could you live with an electric car? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Design
Audi SQ7
If you're getting an SQ7, you'll want to tick the 'Black Pack' box because otherwise there are a lot of high-gloss silver details, especially at the rear that don't suit this tall and slightly awkward SUV.
The SQ8 is more convincing, appearing wider on the road with its new 'singleframe' grille design seemingly sucking it even closer to the tarmac like some kind of overgrown Audi RS3.
Both get an attractive new 2D design for the Audi rings and L-shaped grille details. These aid the SQ7's front end which is more muscular and purposeful than before.
The attractive lights have moved higher up the front end for enhanced presence, too. You get Matrix LEDs as standard but these candles are the hardcore HD Matrix items that feature laser light for further even longer light throw at night. They are simply awesome.
Fresh 22-inch alloy wheels and minor changes to badges finish off the exterior treatment for both cars.
The SQ8's bold specification — finished here in 'Sakhir Gold' — sets it apart from other SUVs as the metallic gold paint shimmers in the sunlight. The SQ8 is also available with whopping great 23-inch alloy wheels that you see here.
Inside, both cars share a similar architecture with 10.1-inch touchscreen for the multimedia and an 8.6-inch item below for heating and ventilation settings.
The SQ7 is a great example of a design ageing without dating, its confident horizontal lines and well-proportioned cabin features are as attractive as they were at launch, if less impressive than the related VW Touareg's whopping 15-inch screen or the minimalist Range Rover Sport.
Adding to the feeling of quality is that signature Audi smell — a combination of leather and the Sensory Package's perfume, no doubt. The SQ7 keeps a round-bottom steering wheel which remains one of the best in the business, it's just the right size and diameter trimmed with dimpled leather.
Final flourishes include the optional contrast red stitching and seatbelts as well as eye-catching turned aluminium trims.
Tesla Model X
I hate it. I think the rear doors are pretentious and silly. I think the roofline looks wrong. And I think it actually looks more like a bloated hatchback than a ‘real SUV’.
That’s just me, and like everyone I’m entitled to my opinion. I know there are people out there who absolutely love the exterior design of the Model X. If you’re one of them, let me know - I have a great optometrist I can refer you to.
Seriously, though - the Falcon Wing rear doors are design overkill. No-one needs back doors that open up like that, and the amount of compromise that has been built into the rest of the vehicle’s design because of them is noticeable - I couldn’t open the back door on the driver’s side of my test vehicle at home because I was apparently parked too close to the bin - the axis angle at the top of the door limited how far the bottom of the door would open. I can’t understate how rubbish this would be if your home parking space was tight.
Plus this example (and the few I’ve seen/sat in prior) had some issues with quality, like mismatched panel gaps around the doors and hatch. Take a look at our photos to see for yourself.
The massive windscreen stretches to above the front occupants’ heads, and it’s tinted to try and eliminate sunlight overhead - and Tesla has added a mesh shield visor that you can slot in, and although it is welcome, it’s flimsy, and would be easy to knock down when you’re moving the actual (magnetised) sun visors.
Now, as a piece of design, the glass is great - but other vehicles with big glass have smart solutions integrated into them, like the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, with its pull-down blinds and proper sunvisors.
I guess it’s a bit like an architecturally designed house that’s really cool the first time you see it, but really hard to live with. The sunvisors are very thin, and it’s difficult to position them to block the sunlight, especially driving in an easterly direction in the morning (as I do) and a westerly direction in the afternoon (yep, that’s me). Plus, the visors don’t have vanity mirrors - a disaster for makeup artists on the move.
Things I like? The LED headlights and LED daytime running lights are exceptionally good, and the wheels that this model comes with as standard are nice, even if they look a bit dwarfed by the bulk of this slab-sided high-rider.
And if you’ve ever wondered why every Tesla Model X has its rear spoiler in the ‘up’ position at all times, it’s because it’s a fixed spoiler.
Practicality
Audi SQ7
The difference between aged and dated is best summed up, though, by the excellent usability of the SQ7's cabin controls.
The separate screen for ventilation, for example, makes it simple to adjust seat or vent temperatures without interrupting the main screen's navigation instruction or other media systems.
When using wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto the top screen is entirely devoted to the other software with no remnants of Audi's system. It runs smoothly at all times.
Switching back to Audi's system, and there's a lack of contrast to the dark main screen and navigation. The touch targets are huge, though, and the satisfying click of the haptic feedback is welcome when driving. It seems expensive and natural in a world of feel-free touch operation.
Audi's 12.3-inch digital driver's display remains one of the best in the business. Legible and customisable with bespoke sport modes and the ability to show a full-size map, if you wish.
You can keeping devices charged with a wireless pad or there are two USB-C ports under the cushy centre armrest. A 12-volt socket is also available, and two more charge points are found in the back.
If there's one criticism in the front, it's the fairly limited storage. The door bins are big enough for a 600mL bottle but not much more and beneath the armrest the tray is shallow. The only other storage spots are the two cupholders which are the perfect size for a small take-away coffee.
While on the critiques, the drive mode selector is awkwardly hidden near the passenger below the touchscreen.
The seats are amazingly comfortable with ample support and power adjust for everything, including under-thigh length and bolsters. Several massage programs can be accessed through the menus, too.
Continuing the comfortable seating, the SQ7's second row is capacious with plenty of head, leg and toe room even for those over 180cm.
The bench slides forwards and backwards manually and the backrest is adjustable. A fold-down armrest contains two more small cupholders, and there are two separate climate zones, two vents and heated outboard seats.
However, folding and unfolding the second row is a bit complex and quite heavy work with a strange mix between electric and manual movement to access the third row — a Nissan Pathfinder does this better.
Once back there, the third row is passable for adults providing the second row is slid forward.
There are ISOFIX ports and top tether anchors for both power-deployed third row seats, so you can fit up to five children's seats in an SQ7.
The SQ8's second row is still generous but you do lose a small amount of headroom owing to the sloping roof design.
You also sacrifice some boot space, at 608L with five seats and 1755L with the second row folded. That's still a lot but the spacious SQ7's 793L/1921L figures are even better and 295L with all seven seats up is respectable. Both have sturdy 40/20/40 split-fold rear seats.
As the vehicles are equipped with air suspension, owners can raise or lower the boot floor to make it easier to load bulky objects if needed. A power tailgate is standard on both models.
A retractable luggage cover, netted pocket, boot lights and some underfloor storage complete the boot, however both cars lack a spare tyre of any sort. A tyre inflation kit is included.
Tesla Model X
There are good and bad elements to the interior design.
The ingress and egress to the third row is better than some SUVs because the floor is so low - meaning it’s easy to step in and out of - but also worse than some SUVs because the shape of the opening is odd.
Space in the third row is better left for children or small adults with limited legroom and headroom, and while there are vents back there the vision for occupants is limited; the seats are low, and if you’re little you won’t be seeing much.
If the Model X had electric sliding doors rather than the Falcon Wing doors, it would be more practical. If you park in a tight space, a sliding door allows you to still get out, but these doors won’t even open all the way if the sensors detect they are unable to. That’s annoying, because this is a really wide vehicle, and some parking lots seem to be making spaces smaller and smaller.
Anyway, I’m not going to win the battle of sliding vs gullwing doors here, am I?
The boot space is good - with seven seats up you can make use of the hidden compartment below the floor, and with five seats in use the cargo capacity is very good, too. Then there’s the front trunk - no engine means you get bonus storage, and Tesla claims total cargo capacity for the Model X is 2492 litres for the five-seat version.
You can get a five-seat, six-seat or seven-seat version of the Model X. This vehicle used to have electric sliding and folding second-row seats, but now there’s a push-button system, which still uses some form of electrical pulse to unlock the rails below the seats. While it’s quicker than electric would have been, it's not as simple as, say, a lever like you’d find in the Mazda CX-9.
For outboard second-row occupants the space is okay - I set the driver’s seat in my position and had enough legroom and headroom to be comfortable in the second row. But anyone in the third row would have been squished. The middle-row middle-seat of our test car was less than impressive, with little head room and not much width available.
Storage is well sorted up front, with two large centre bottle holders, plus bottle holders in the front doors (none in the rear, for obvious reasons) and a pair of cupholders up front. The storage situation is poor for those in the back: there are no cup receptacles at all for the second row, but there are dual USB ports. In the third row there are two cup holders, and all three rows have air vents.
Price and features
Audi SQ7
Audi's range of Q7 and Q8 large SUVs starts at $117,284 for the 45TDI and there's a plug-in hybrid version from $152,284, both before on-road costs. The flagship SQ7 and SQ8 are $174,815 and $178,815, respectively.
The pair is a rare example of a discounted new car, albeit by a slim $585, so you'd expect these behemoths to offer comprehensive standard specification.
Features such as 22-inch alloy wheels, ambient interior lighting, soft close doors, power-adjust heated and ventilated seats, quad-zone climate control, 'Valcona' leather upholstery, a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, full-length sunroof, navigation and a head-up display are included.
Naturally, options are available in packs and standalone choices with all vehicles we drove featuring at least one of the expensive box-ticks.
The 'Sensory Pack' seems a logical choice, bundling a 23-speaker, 1920-watt sound system with raising tweeters, 'Dinamica' headlining, massage seats, heated rear seats, Audi's air ioniser and interior perfume, extended leather upholstery and rear sun shades for $14,400.
Another major option is the $10,900 'Dynamic Package' with active roll stabilisation and Quattro Sport rear differential.
Stand-out stand-alone options include HD Matrix LED and Laser headlights combined with customisable OLED rear signatures ($3950) and the black exterior styling packages ($1850, or $2550 for the Plus version).
The as-tested price for the tow pack-equipped ($1500) 'Daytona Grey' car we spent most time in was rather high at $209,215 before on-road costs — that's over $30K worth of extras.
Tesla Model X
How much is a Tesla Model X? It isn’t cheap, that’s for sure. But this 75D version is currently the lowest cost model in the brand’s SUV price range.
The price of the 75D kicks off at $125,000 plus on-road costs, or $142,475 drive away - but where you live will determine the drive-away price, because different states and territories have different stamp-duty implications for electric cars. ACT buyers ($142,475 RRP) get a much better dealer than those in WA ($151,174 RRP), for instance.
Pricing jumps significantly if you want the more performance-focused 100D, which also gains extra battery range (prices from $173,805 drive away) or the flagship P100D we tested recently (from $247,385). That’s right - the Model X we have is more than a hundred grand cheaper than the top model.
The Model X comes pretty well equipped from the factory, with a 17.0-inch touchscreen media display featuring Google Maps sat nav with realtime traffic updates, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, digital DAB radio and integrated TuneIn app connectivity. There's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, though.
Other standard items include keyless entry and a self-opening (and self-closing) driver’s door, an electric tailgate, interior ambient lighting, air suspension with ride height adjustment, auto headlights with auto high-beam lights, LED fog lights, power adjustable and auto-folding heated auto-dimming side mirrors. You get 20-inch wheels as standard, but there's no spare wheel - tyre-pressure monitoring is fitted, and if you get a flat, you'll need to call roadside assist.
There are standard heated seats for every occupant and there’s a heated steering wheel, heated windscreen washer nozzles to help defrost if you’re heading to the snow, and if you download the app you can adjust the temperature inside the car remotely - cold starts on winter mornings are a thing of the past.
The app also allows you to monitor the vehicle’s state of charge, enable someone else to drive your car without the keys present (you just have to input your password in the app), and you can unlock/lock the car and/or open the front or rear trunks, start it, honk the horn, flash the lights, set the speed limit or enable ‘valet mode’, so those pesky parking attendants don’t go using all your juice doing speedy starts.
How many seats in the Tesla Model X? Well, you can have it with five seats as standard, six seats for an additional $8300 (with or without a rear centre console) or seven seats for $4100.
Other options fitted to our vehicle included grey painted 20-inch wheels (as opposed to the silver rims you get on the standard version: $2800), the White Premium interior pack ($4600) and the carbon-fibre upgrade ($350), Deep Blue metallic paint ($2100) and the Enhanced Autopilot system ($6900).
So, in the end, our affordable Model X cost more than $175,000 on the road… ouch. You can get any one of a number of petrol or diesel SUVs from competitor luxury brands for less money, and plenty with plug-in practicality, too.
If you want a luxury plug-in hybrid SUV, consider the Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid from $122,900, or a Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid from $135,600, or the Mercedes-Benz GLE500e for $129,500, or the Audi Q7 e-tron from $139,900, or the BMW X5 xDrive40e from $124,990.
Admittedly, none are full EVs, but the Audi e-tron model is due next year…
You should also be aware of the wait time associated with a Tesla - the vehicles are built to personal specifications, so unless you’re buying a second-hand car, or a demo from the company’s (small!) stock list, it could mean a wait time of about three months. The Tesla web configurator allows you to get an idea of approximate delivery dates. Some buyers will take that with a grain of salt, though, given customers have waited about two years for their Model 3s.
If you don’t want to wear the depreciation, you could consider a used car - there are pre-owned Model X and Model S examples on Tesla’s website.
Under the bonnet
Audi SQ7
The SQ7 and SQ8 both use a 4.0-litre twin-turbo 'hot vee' V8 petrol after the diesel SQ7 was abandoned in mid-2022.
It is the same engine you'll find in just about every application of this MLB platform, including the Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus — though it makes more power elsewhere.
In Audi's two medium-sporty SUVs it produces 373kW at 5500rpm and 770Nm between 2000-4000rpm.
In practice, it's a swelling, punchy engine without much top-end sparkle — though 4.1 seconds to 100km/h is nothing to scoff at.
The V8 also produces a rather splendid soundtrack, striking the right balance between Detroit burble and motorsport bark for this application.
An eight-speed torque converter auto transmission has been retuned for improved shift logic and it remains buttery smooth. It's pleasing enough just manoeuvring slowly around a car park, where you can feel just well calibrated the long travel throttle and transmission logic are.
Tesla Model X
Not so much an engine, but a 75kWh battery pack with a claimed 210km/h top speed and a 0-100 claim of 5.2 seconds. The claimed driving range for the Tesla Model X 75D is 417 kilometres. You don’t have gears to play with - Tesla’s run a single-speed transaxle, but the stalk to control it is sourced from Mercedes-Benz.
Remember, this isn’t the ‘fast’ Model X. But the D in the name signifies that it has Tesla’s dual-motor all-wheel drive system, ensuring excellent traction for super-quick acceleration.
As you might expect, stepping up to the Model X 100D with a 100kWh battery pack and dual motors increases the performance considerably (0-100: 4.9sec; 250km/h top speed), and also adds more electric driving range (565km claimed).
Go all out on the P100D and apparently your Model X will do 0-100 in 3.1sec, thanks to the addition of Ludicrous Mode, but the battery range drops away slightly (542km). Tesla says it’s the quickest SUV in history - and even in 75D guise it’s pretty rapid.
Every Tesla Model X is prepped for towing, too - the towing capacity is rated at 750kg for an un-braked trailer, and 2250kg for a braked trailer. The tare mass for the Model X is 2352 kilograms.
Efficiency
Audi SQ7
With 2340kg to heave around, not even the 48-volt mild hybrid system can save the SQ7's fuel consumption — it's a thirsty beast.
The rated ADR combined cycle (urban, extra-urban) figure is 11.8L/100km and indulging in the ample performance resulted in 16.5L/100km on the trip computer. The SQ8 was much the same.
The SQ7 is certified to tow up to 3500kg (braked), equal to a Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol.
A fairly large 85L tank gives the SQ7 a theoretical driving range of around 720km from a fill-up. Naturally, 98 octane unleaded is required.
Tesla Model X
None. Well, it consumes electricity, so if you’re getting your energy from green sources, you can drive carbon-neutral in the Model X.
As mentioned above, a full charge will get a claimed 417km. On test, we picked the Model X up will a full ‘tank’, and got it down to 7 per cent remaining over about 400km - so the claim is pretty truthful.
But yes, I got range anxiety, and yes, I Googled “how long does it take to charge a Tesla Model X?”
The charge time really depends where you do it. If you go to a Supercharger - Tesla’s network of high-amperage, big power output (up to 120kW per car) fast-charge stations, you can expect to get to 80 per cent from empty in about 45 minutes, or all the way to full in a bit more than an hour. It used to be free to recharge at Superchargers, then increased demand saw Tesla introduce a pay-per-use fee, but all Tesla owners get 400kWh of credits to use every year.
If you charge at a destination charger like I did, the results are far, far worse. I parked up at the Supercheap Auto Penrith charge point, which is capable of up to 22kW’ of power output at just 6 amps, and left the car there for a full business day. It started at 7 per cent, and when I got back, it was at 53 per cent.
These destination chargers make sense if you’re going away for the weekend and can leave the car plugged in while you relax at the resort, but you need to know they’re not Superchargers. The network of Superchargers is getting bigger and bigger, and theoretically you can drive from Adelaide to Brisbane using them now.
Every Tesla comes with a wall connector for you to install at home, but there are options for how powerful it can be, and can be “tailored to your home’s supply” - be it three-phase or single-phase. On single-phase power, the output can be 16, 20, 24 or 32 amps. According to Tesla’s Australian site, 16-amp three-phase power will charge at a rate of about 50km per hour, while at 24-amp you could see 80km per hour added (meaning about five hours to fully charge in this spec).
If you want the specs and figures, our Model X had used 136kWh over the total 507km of its life to date, at an average of 269Wh/km. So, if your energy company bills you $0.22 per kWh, it’ll cost you about $30 to do 500km. Not exactly cheap, but you’re not buying a Tesla to save money - and if you have a good home solar array setup, you should be able to run your house and your car at no extra cost.
And Tesla has a deal with AGL so you can charge your car for $1 per day. That means you can theoretically fill it up every evening with energy, and you won’t spend more than $365 for a year of driving.
So, the Model X gets a 10 out of 10 for fuel consumption. But if these ratings included a ‘time-consumption’ figure, it would be a lot less!
Driving
Audi SQ7
Our drive loop started in South-East Sydney where the SQ7's burbly V8 and air suspension fitted right in, easily soaking up the worst of the concrete expansion joints and sharp-edged potholes.
It is a joy to waft around in the refined SQ7 with its remarkably good vision out the front and back (with 360-degree cameras to help elsewhere). Standard rear-wheel steer allows the back tyres to rotate up to 5.0 degrees, giving the 5072mm long SQ7 a better turning circle (12.5m) than a Q3 small SUV.
Its driven home further by the excellent drive mode customisation. Along with the standard programs, you can set an 'Individual' mode up with various selections for the suspension, steering, powertrain response and exhaust noise.
Following the SQ7, our time in the SQ8 took in some more twisting roads and the combination of 23-inch alloys with firmer suspension settings meant that, even in 'Comfort', 'Auto' or 'Balanced' drive modes, the coupe-styled model had a busier ride.
Both SQ7 and SQ8 featured 'Sport' adaptive air suspension, sitting 15mm lower than normal with the ability to drop the ride height up to 40mm in 'Dynamic' mode or raise it 50mm in lift mode to get out of sticky situations.
Audi chose not to specify the Dynamic pack on the SQ8, though, and the difference is noticeable compared to the SQ7. The coupe SUV rolls a little more in hard cornering and doesn't engage the rear end in quite the same way.
Back in the SQ7, turn in may feel a little less sharp owing to the taller height but the active roll stabilisation and Quattro electronically-controlled limited-slip differential splitting power between the two rear wheels makes for a more confident vehicle with better punch out of corners.
Grip is prodigious and the SQ7 is always in control with 285/35R22 Bridgestone Turanza T005 tyres.
A 2.4-turn lock-to-lock steering system is well-judged, remaining light in Comfort but adding enough weight and precision in Dynamic.
The brakes — 400mm front rotors clamped by six-piston calipers with optional ceramics — are reassuring and feel Autobahn ready.
The Audi SQ7 with Dynamic Pack is like an Olympic swimmer that's put on some kilos and had a few kids but can still gap his teenage son in a 50-metre freestyle race.
This is perhaps the perfect expression of Audi's 'S' models USPs, being totally normal when pottering despite huge reserves of talent.
Tesla Model X
With two electric motors and a huge bank of lithium-ion batteries to work with, the acceleration of the Model X is impressive. Throttle response is good, and from a standing start you will still impress your friends - even if you don’t buy the Ludicrous version.
On-the-move acceleration is good, too, because there’s no transmission or turbo lag as you’d find in any of the Model X’s natural competitors. It’s quick, and even if you’re driving it sedately it’s nice to know there’s power in reserve if you need it.
It is a heavy vehicle, but the weight is mainly down low, with Tesla’s skateboard battery platform between the axles making it feel suctioned to the ground. The 20-inch rims with Michelin rubber (255/45 front, 275/45 rear) offer tremendous grip, and the traction is better than you’d likely find in other, more traditional SUVs.
The air suspension does a decent job of cosseting those in the cabin from the road surface below, provided it’s smooth. Some shortcomings are noticeable over sharp edges, such as speed humps, where it can feel a bit stiff-legged, and there’s the typical side-to-side wallow you see from airbag suspension.
The electric steering system offers nice accuracy and response, with a linear weighting that means it’s easy to turn the wheel, whether you’re pushing it through corners or simply trying to park it at the shops.
Some things that could be better? The visibility is the biggest issue, for me. This is a big vehicle, and the rear-view mirror is tiny, as is the vision it offers. If you have people in the third row, there’s almost no point even trying to use it.
I used the Enhanced Autopilot system on my commute, and it worked very well, you just need to ensure there’s some pressure on the steering wheel. This isn’t a full autopilot system, and shouldn’t be treated as such: you need to maintain control of the car and be conscious of your surroundings, because it isn’t perfect, and if you disobey its commands to ‘keep light pressure on the wheel’, it will disable for the rest of your drive.
I was surprised there wasn’t a surround-view camera system fitted to this car, especially given there are so many driving-system cameras and radars fitted.
Other concerns? The creaking and groaning of the body and the rubbers as you turn corners, particularly over offset low-speed bends in car parks and the like. This isn’t the sort of thing you hear in the established luxury SUVs.
And of course, if you’re getting a Tesla, spend the money and get the best home-charging solution you can. It’ll put your mind at ease. Or just move close to a Supercharger.
Safety
Audi SQ7
The Audi SQ7 is currently unrated by local ANCAP safety authority but Euro NCAP awarded a Q7 50TDI a maximum five stars in 2019.
It features eight airbags, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, surround-view monitor and exit-warning system to stop occupants dooring cyclists.
The adaptive cruise control is smooth and natural, although we found the lane-keep and lane-trace programs to be a little overbearing. Both can be easily disabled by holding the button at the end of the indicator stalk for about five seconds.
Tesla Model X
There is no ANCAP or Euro NCAP crash test rating for the Tesla Model X, but the vehicle scored extremely well in NHTSA testing the US, scoring the highest rating in history for any SUV.
The Model X sold in Australia gets an array of safety gear, including a collision-warning system and autonomous emergency braking, a reversing camera and parking sensors front and rear, plus there are airbags for first and second row occupants, but no curtain airbag coverage for those in the rear row.
Models fitted with Enhanced Autopilot (which will be all of them, we reckon) have four cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors that monitor the road and the vehicle’s surroundings. Engaging autopilot means the car works to maintain the vehicle’s line in a lane of traffic, it can change lanes at the tap of the indicator stalk (thus letting the car do the blind-spot checking for you), and it can adjust speed to mimic other road users. It slows to a complete stop, and will take off again when things get moving once more.
In better news for parents, there are ISOFIX child seat anchor points in four of the five rear seats, plus top-tether attachments for all five rear seats - so baby capsules shouldn’t be an issue.
Ownership
Audi SQ7
Audi recommends SQ7 and SQ8 owners bring their car in for a service every 12 months or 15,000km.
Service pricing is not cheap, with a five-year package costing $4600 for either model. For reference a basic service plan for a BMW X5 costs $3450 for five years.
Audi has moved to a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with owners able to extend that (for a fee) up to nine years with Audi Advantage. An extra two years of warranty and scheduled servicing costs $4360 for the SQ7 and $4160 for SQ8.
Additionally, customers get access to Audi's loyalty programs with event invitations, ambassador experiences and discounts offers from select partner companies.
Tesla Model X
Tesla offers a strong eight-year/160,000km warranty for the vehicle, and the warranty extends to unlimited kilometres for the drivetrain.
The company asks owners to service their Model X (or Model S) every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever occurs soonest. And with few moving parts, you’d expect service costs to be pretty low - however, there is no capped-price-servicing plan.
Considering a Tesla? Make sure you check out our Tesla problems page to read up on any issues, faults, common problems and complaints or defects and recalls issued.