As the very first model from Ingolstadt to be locally assembled right here in Malaysia, the new Q7 certainly has many high expectations riding on its broad shoulders. Fortunately, over the course of 5 days, it proved to be more than up to the task set out by its billing as a luxuriously refined yet still sporting crossover SUV.

First impressions start off well; for something so large and physically imposing, this is still a rather well designed car. In a time when practically half of all the other European premium SUVs now come sporting poorer proportions than ever before with often inexplicably drawn lines, the Q7 presents a remarkably refined facade staying true to Audi’s design DNA. That isn’t to say that it looks boring though: the work of designer Wolfgang Egger, in the metal it immediately cuts a striking form that bespeaks power and authoritative machismo. Sorry ladies, but from an aesthetic standpoint at least, this is one SUV aimed squarely at the guys.

The S-Line package as specified on our Daytona Grey test example adds further to this brooding demeanor with more distinctive bumpers & side skirts, on top of the trademark Audi rings in anthracite grey as part of the Black Package Styling Plus.

Its cabin is largely a pleasant place in which to drive the Q7 too, those Valcona leather trimmed Sports Seats Plus proving to be comfortably cosseting while providing firm support when things get more serious. Its high perch affords you a commanding view of the road ahead, along with a cockpit environment enhanced by sensibly placed controls & well defined proportions. S Line matte carbon fiber trim panels provide a most welcome touch of sportiness, without becoming fingerprint magnets or inducing unwanted reflections in sunnier conditions.

Once we got out onto the road, it proved to be an impressively comfortable, intently composed drive in its own right once in the right combination of settings. Given the Q7’s considerable heft, the initially muted responses from its drivetrain were perhaps to be expected. With the transmission slotted into S mode and Drive Select set to Dynamic however, it immediately felt like a markedly more alert and responsive car; and there I left it for the rest of our time together. There was a more practical consideration here too: in Dynamic, the Q7’s Adaptive Air Suspension Sport lowers itself closer to the road surface, making it easier to clamber in and out of for those of us who are less vertically endowed.

Road manners were impeccable for the most part, with the Q7’s turbocharged V6 smoothly powering it up to highway cruising velocities without drama. Even in their stiffer Dynamic setting, its air suspension dampers absorbed bumps & road undulations without fuss, while helping the 2.3 ton crossover maintain its commendable body control & stability.

As daily family transport then, the Q7 truly does it all superbly. Even while heading out for a Saturday evening dinner across more pockmarked urban roads, seasoned members of the clan remarked on its superb rear seat comfort & smoothness of ride when traversing speed bumps.

For even more practical pursuits, with its flat folding third row seats fully retracted, there is generously ample boot space for your weekly grocery runs or retail therapy jaunts.

All well & good thus far, but what if one wanted to do even more with one’s Q7 S-Line? What if, as unlikely a proposition as this sounds given its physical size & mass, you wanted to take it on more sporting morning runs on the weekends?

To answer that question, we set out for a twisty bit of road long favoured by local driving enthusiasts which led from Hulu Langat to the Semenyih Dam area, before winding off through Kuala Kelawang & Titi.  Here, even through that dynamically technical route which often puts many a sports car through its paces, the Q7’s electromechanical active roll stabilization & all-wheel steering truly came into their own.

Carving through those tight uphill twists, one could really feel the systems working to keep this big, heavy beast right on course according to your chosen driving line; turning alertly even through tighter apexes largely without feeling like it might tip over or wash out into understeer – provided that you keep your pace sensible, of course. So yes, it drives well enough too in more spirited ways, especially given its more urbane intended use cases most of the time.

Only through the more openly sweeping & quicker downhill sectors towards Temiang did the Q7’s not-inconsiderable mass become apparent, and so we adopted a calmer driving cadence. Even so, this 7-seater SUV’s 18-inch two-piece brakes never complained or failed to provide the requisite stopping power; although a more solid feeling brake pedal wouldn’t go amiss.

Our final day with this remarkable crossover involved a more relaxing journey out of the city, this time to explore the IKAN Glampsite nestled within the foothills of Janda Baik. Traversing the somewhat more challenging terrain to get up there proved to be no big deal for the Q7, especially in Off-Road mode where its remarkable air suspension raised itself for increased ground clearance.

Once up among the valley sides, its rakish yet elegant profile looked right at home; in more ways than one, the Audi Q7 genuinely gave off a sense of being able to conquer just about any road you would throw at it; just as its rallying spiritual forebears that pioneered Quattro technology once did all those decades ago.

If there was any gripe to note, then it was probably with the Q7’s sometimes overly sensitive Pre-Sense collision warning system. More than once, even when we were stationary while waiting our turn at traffic lights, an errant motorcycle passing too closely at what seemed like breakneck speed would trigger the rear or side sensors; with the result being that the Q7 instantly tensed its brakes while tightening the seatbelts & flashing its hazard lights. It certainly works then, just too well at times; given that this is a locally assembled model, it’s possible that a software re-calibration could take care of this particular niggle.

When all is said and done then, the CKD Audi Q7 certainly makes for a compelling choice; especially with prices beginning attractively from RM 469,000. It’s a car that capably does it all, from catering to the urban needs of even larger families to more adventurous pursuits, whether powering through curvy roads or even venturing off the beaten path altogether.