The Audi A7 is the coupé with the practicality of a hatchback.

The A7 brings together the luxury of a limo, with sleek styling of a coupé. And it’s clever too, combining its head-turning, sinuous exterior, with a surprisingly, spacious and sumptuous interior. In comparison to its predecessor, the Audi A7 Sportback is following suit with Audi's new design language - making it beautiful from every angle:

• Sharper lines
• Winder grille
• New rear flat light strip

Underneath its gorgeous good looks is a wealth of technology, helping you drive smarter, cleaner and more safely.

• MMI navigation plus with MMI Touch including 3D maps and destination search
• Audi virtual cockpit
• 10.1 inch upper display unit

Performance

In all trim levels you’ll find progressive steering giving you the perfect combination of dynamic performance, high-precision handling and superior directional stability on almost all surfaces.

Technology

With its easy to read virtual cockpit the A7 has all the technology you could ever need, but presented in an easy to use and intuitive way. The 10.1-inch full HD MMI touch display and 12.3” Audi Virtual Cockpit give you full control.

Customise your menu navigation and driver-oriented display, or use the voice recognition giving you more concentration on your journey.

Sport:

• LED headlights with LED rear lights and wrap-around rear light strip
• MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch, Audi virtual cockpit and Audi phone box with wireless charging
• Standard seats in twin leather upholstery
• 19" '5-arm dynamic' design aluminium alloy wheels
• Standard suspension with progressive steering

Sport Edition:

In addition to Sport:

• 19’’ x 8.5J Light alloy wheels, multi-spoke design, graphite gray, high-sheen
• Gloss black styling
• Gloss black exterior mirror housings
• Privacy glass (side and rear windows)

S line:

In addition to Sport Edition:

• 20’’ x 8.5J ‘5-twin-spoke’ design aluminium alloy wheels
• HD Matrix LED headlights and dynamic rear indicators with headlight coming/leaving home animations
• S line interior and exterior styling
• Front Sport seats with leather/Alcantara upholstery
• Sport suspension
• Privacy glass

Black Edition:

In addition to S line:

• 20’’ x 8.5J ‘5-double-arm’ design high sheen/matt titanium look alloy wheels

  Black styling pack

  Black door mirror housing

  Flat bottom steering wheel

Styling: 5/5

It’s a subjective matter of course it is, but to my eye the A7 Sportback is smooth and elegant with definite overtones of sportiness. That long wheelbase is always a good start and if you then factor in the gentle downward slope of the roof which hints at having been designed as much for aerodynamic efficiency, as looks, you have the basis for a shape which says `speed’.

Except for its deliberately understated A8, I like Audi’s modern styling, but there’s a tendency for them to fall into the Russian Doll syndrome, looking pretty much the same with the only variation being the size. The A7 Sportback stands alone and if for nothing else, I like that in an Audi.

Interior: 5/5

OK, I admit that sometimes the `Russian Doll’ syndrome can work in a car’s favour, because this car has much the same appearance and the technology of the bigger A8, which is to say, everything. I’ll come to that in a minute but the first impression as you open the door is of a very modern, cool and attractive environment.

You instantly notice the dual screens between driver and passenger and when you wake up the ignition you discover that the upper screen handles the music, guidance and connection to the outside world, whilst the lower controls the interior climate.

In now familiar fashion, information from functions like the Sat Nav, is also displayed on the screen between the main dials and yet again, I have nothing but praise for the clarity of Audi’s digital instrumentation.

You can change settings like ambient lighting and there seems a bewildering list of functions to play with on the screens, which have, what is called haptic technology, so that when you touch it you have a sensation of feeling a proper on-off switch, not just piece of electronics. Not quite sure what difference that makes in today’s world where we have touchscreens on mobiles, tablets and so on, but there we go.

There are three more things to mention at this stage. One is that the chrome accents here and there, on the door trim and gear selector panel for example, help soften what could otherwise be a tech-dominated interior. It’s important to say that as well as being supremely comfortable in the front, as one would expect, it’s the same in the back and even with that downward sloping roofline I had plenty of headroom. The third is that although not high, there is a long, long space behind and with the boot panel and rear glass both lifting up, easy access too.

Spec wise, the entry level Sport version gets full LED headlights, parking sensors, at both ends and a reversing camera, cruise control, electric leather seats, DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, phew! Step up to the S Line model I drove, and you add adaptive LED lights, 20 inch wheels (not on mine), sport suspension and a heavier accent on the trim detailing.