Exploring New Zealand in an Audi Q7 #blogpost

For the few days off I had during Easter I decided to go somewhere as far as I could… And so I ended up spending 4 days in Queenstown, New Zealand. I picked up my rental (Audi Q7 3.0 TDI) from the airport and went ahead exploring the South Island.

Let the photo dump commence.

Exploring New Zealand in an Audi Q7 #blogpost

For the few days off I had during Easter I decided to go somewhere as far as I could… And so I ended up spending 4 days in Queenstown, New Zealand. I picked up my rental (Audi Q7 3.0 TDI) from the airport and went ahead exploring the South Island.

Let the photo dump commence.

A relatively basic spec Audi Q7, but it still had all the vital options thrown into it.
A relatively basic spec Audi Q7, but it still had all the vital options…

First things first, New Zealand (and Queenstown in particular) is an absolutely breathtaking place. Nature and environment are amongst the best I’ve ever seen in my life. This is complemented by the fact that there is a whole array of things you could be doing: from bungee jumping and zip-lining, to zorbing, cycling, surfing and, of course, driving.

Exploring New Zealand in an Audi Q7 #blogpost

Speaking of driving. NZ features miles of twisty mountain roads with a smooth road surface and virtually no traffic at all. Initially, this made me wishing I was in something more lightweight and sporty.

Airplane view of some of the roads. Let me reiterate: there are absolute miles of roads like this, with breathtaking scenery around and no other cars.
Airplane view of some of the roads. Let me reiterate: there are absolute…

However, a lot of times in order to access the most beautiful places, I had to go slightly off-road, where Q7 shined like no other car would.

By off-road I don't mean proper off-road, but just about what this car was designed to handle: gravel roads, wet grass and relatively steep inclines.
By off-road I don't mean proper off-road, but just about what this car was…
Exploring New Zealand in an Audi Q7 #blogpost

New Zealanders mostly drive imported JDM cars, some of which are quite interesting (and fast), or Holdens (which I started to fall in love with after this trip).

However, occasionally you find cars you wouldn’t necessarily expect in this part of the world. Here’s a Lada Niva, for example.

Exploring New Zealand in an Audi Q7 #blogpost
This was a one-way mountain road with absolutely no cars on it (the dream?!)
This was a one-way mountain road with absolutely no cars on it (the dream?…
Gravel roads can be covered at a great speed if you're driving a Q7
Gravel roads can be covered at a great speed if you're driving a Q7

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of SUVs, but I was really impressed by the Q7. Unlike the Bentayga, it feels light and agile, despite its size. The engine pulls hard and makes a pleasant noise for a diesel engine while producing stunning fuel economy figures no matter how hard you push it. The cabin is well-designed, comfortable and well-built, while digital instrument cluster is surprisingly easy to use and read of. As I said when I was driving the Bentayga, don’t bother wasting your money on the Bentley and rather get a Q7 (which is better to drive, more practical, more technologically advanced and as comfortable) for a fraction of the price.

Quattro system is not only handy on loose surfaces but also on the mountain roads, especially when driving through hairpins.
Quattro system is not only handy on loose surfaces but also on the…

To crown it all, you should add ‘Visit New Zealand to enjoy the breathtaking country and it’s amazing roads’ to your bucket list. Also, you should add an Audi Q7 to your shopping list if you’re looking for a great family car which is also good to drive.

As always, apologies for the poor quality of photos - I always travel with hand luggage only, so I don’t have a camera, but I hope you enjoyed them nonetheless. Feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks for reading :)
-DL

Exploring New Zealand in an Audi Q7 #blogpost

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Comments

Anonymous

Why a Q7 :’-(

04/26/2017 - 09:23 |
0 | 0
DL🏁

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Best car available for rent that I could find

04/26/2017 - 09:24 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Neat stuff

04/26/2017 - 19:44 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

Which road is that one in the aerial shot?

04/27/2017 - 00:00 |
0 | 0
DL🏁

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I have no idea, to be honest, but I took it like 5 mins after the plane took off from Queenstown airport, so must be really close

04/27/2017 - 04:44 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Where are you from Originally? And how much did this trip cost? Asking because I am thinking to start saving for a NZ roadtrip.

04/27/2017 - 05:55 |
0 | 0
DL🏁

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

I was born in Eastern Europe, but I live in the UK
The most expensive part of the trip are the flight tickets, while the hotel and rental are actually not that expensive at all
It all depends which airline you choose and what hotel you stay in, but I would suggest checking ticket prices first and booking them far in advance

04/27/2017 - 06:40 |
2 | 0