The new Audi Q7 is bound for launch in Malaysia this coming May, confirms PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM) and Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VCPM) managing director Denyu Bostandzhiev at a media event today.
The kicker? It’ll be making its debut as a locally assembled (CKD) model in Malaysia, made at the company’s production facility in Pekan, Pahang, marking it not only as the first Audi to be CKD in Malaysia, but in Southeast Asia (SEA) as well.
Last updated in 2024, the Audi Q7 is now in its second facelift of its second-generation model, featuring a refreshed exterior styling with clean, sharp lines on the bodywork, LED headlights and OLED taillights.
Not much has been changed on the inside of the Audi Q7, save for the touchscreen infotainment system now updated with the latest version of MIB 3 ‘modular infotainment toolkit’. The same applies to the digital instrument cluster, dubbed the ‘virtual cockpit display’ by Audi with more safety-related messages and visuals such as lane change warning, distance warning, traffic light info, and more.
Depending on the trim level, standard features include wheel sizes from 19 inches to 22 inches, rear-wheel steering, and even more safety features piled on top of it. Actual equipment for the Malaysian-specification car will have to wait until launch, however.
The Audi Q7 comes in three different flavours of engine choices globally.These include a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 for the 55 TFSI quattro variant, which puts down 340 hp and 500 Nm; a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 with 507 hp and 700 Nm for the range-topping SQ7, as well as two oil-burners utilising a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6, making 231 hp and 500 Nm for the 45 TDI quattro, and 286 hp and 600 Nm for the 50 TDI quattro.
Save for the SQ7, the Q7 variants are equipped with a 48V mild-hybrid system which lets it drive at 55-160 km/h for 40 seconds without the engine running. All Q7 variants have quattro permanent all-wheel drive (AWD) connected to an eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox.
If we had to guess, we’ll most likely be getting only the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine in the 55 TFSI quattro configuration, seeing that the engine is also shared with the Volkswagen Touareg, which shares the same underpinnings as the Audi Q7.
Incidentally, the Volkswagen Touareg is also locally assembled here in Pekan, Pahang. For context, the Touareg is priced at at RM399,990, inclusive of the Volkswagen Assurance Package (VAP). Expect the Audi to be more, considering its brand positioning between the two sister brands.
READ: The new 2024 Audi Q7 will warn other drivers for tailgating you
