Daihatsu Terios Reviews: Performance 4
Comfort 4
Handling 3
Economy 4
Image 3
Styling 3
Equipment 5
Build 5
Depreciation 5
Insurance 6

A pragmatic piece of product development has resulted, in the case of the Daihatsu Terios, in a very attractive budget 4x4

the 103bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that provides the motive force will still see a near three figure top speed and an average mpg in the middle thirties. With prices starting from under £13,000, the Daihatsu Terios is an awful lot of car for your money.

The engine of Daihatsu Terios is quite flexible for stop start urban motoring with a smooth power delivery and maximum torque of 140Nm at 4,400rpm.

Whether or not you see the Q7, priced from £38,075, as a big step forward for Audi really rather depends on your view of big 4x4s. I always liked the Allroad, a pragmatic vehicle that was more competent than most would require off road and had a reassuringly car-like feel on the tarmac. The air suspension system could turn your suave estate car into a mud plugger in a matter of seconds without the negative social connotations of larger 4x4s. The Allroad was a clever distillation of Audi’s brand image – cool, well built and ever so slightly self effacing.

The coupe-like dipping roofline isn’t standard 4x4 fare, nor are the resolutely horizontal shoulders. Audi even offer contrasting body colours in a bid to emphasise the car’s shapely profile. One can’t really underestimate the importance of this vehicle to Audi, a company that looks set to belatedly diversify into some previously profitable market niches. The Q7 is rumoured to be spawning a Q5, a smaller and less expensive model that will bring the theme and the MPV-style interior trickery to a wider audience.

Audi claim 28 seating and loading configurations are available in the Q7 and the seats in the second row are adjustable for fore/aft movement. This allows Audi to not only lay claim to the most generous second row legroom in the class but also – with the second row slid forward and the rear folded – to also pinch first prize for luggage capacity, a huge 775 litres.

With a length of 5,086mm and a wheelbase of 3,002mm, the Q7 isn’t the most nimble rock hopper, but it does feature variable ground clearance (from 180 to 240mm), hill descent assist and an off-road mode whereby the ESP stability control system backs off to allow for loose surfaces. There’s also a trailer stabilisation system which reduces the risk of fishtailing via targeted brake intervention.

Let’s not kid ourselves here though. The Q7’s off-road aspirations aren’t anything much greater than muddy tracks and wet grass. This is a car which has a sensibly tarmac-biased set-up, from its 60:40 torque split to its 18-inch alloy wheels. If you really want to bring the bling, 19 or 20-inch rims are also offered. Another option that’s sure to be popular among Q7 buyers is air suspension.

Four engines are available. The entry-level petrol unit is the six cylinder 3.6 FSI, developing 280bhp. This sits below a powerful 4.2-litre V8 petrol unit also featuring FSI direct injection which cranks out a healthy 350bhp with a peak torque figure pitched at 440Nm. Of perhaps greater relevance to the UK market is the 3.0-litre TDI diesel. This features a state-of-the-art common rail injection system with piezo inline injectors helping it to a peak power figure of 240bhp, a substantial torque rating of 500Nm and reasonable fuel economy. At the top of the range sits the 322bhp 4.2-litre V8 TDI powerplant currently found in the A8.