New Audi Q7 now with 216bhp engine option – costs from £47,775

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The new Audi Q7 can now be had with a lower powered version of the 3.0 litre TDI engine – delivering 216bhp instead of 268bhp. Costs from £47,775 for the Q7 SE.

When the new Audi Q7 was revealed back in March, the only engine option on offer was the 3.0 litre TDI with 268bhp, but that has now been extended with the arrival of a lower-powered version of the same engine that delivers a less appealing 216bhp, but does have a lower starting price with the Q7 SE costing from £47,775, and the Q7 S Line from £51,250.

The new engine in the Q7 comes with official economy of 49.6mpg and 148g/km, but only if you spec it with 18″ wheels. Opt for 19″ or 20″ and the economy drops to 48.7mpg and 150g/km – around 10 per cent better than the 268bhp version can officially manage.

Despite the lower power, the Q7 can still get to 62mph in 7.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 134mph (around a second slower and 10mph less than its more powerful sibling) which will still make the Q7 relatively lively for such a big car.

It’s a sensible option for buyers who have an eye for economy, although we’re not convinced the lower powered engine will make much difference to real world running costs. And we also wonder if it’s enough to challenge a car that could be a real problem for the new Q7 – the new Volvo XC90.

The entry-level XC90 comes with 225bhp, economy of 45.6mpg and a starting price of £45,750, and the ‘sporty’ looking XC90 – the XC90 R-Design – starts from £49,285.

It’ll be an interesting battle. We know which we’d choose.